Membership Benefits

Management Team

A Strong Founding Team

JOAN POPOLO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

For over 5 years, Ms. Popolo held various roles with the Northeast Cleantech Open, an accelerator and competition for cleantech startups (formerly Ignite Clean Energy competition) most recently as Startup Recruitment Chair. Joan brings an understanding of the unique needs of early-stage companies and helps to identify and provide resources to support their growth across the region. Through her prior work at BioTechnica International, an early-stage biotechnology company and as a former small business owner of J. Popolo Design, a sustainable landscape design and consulting firm, she brings relationship-building and operational skills and entrepreneurial and creative problem solving experience to her work. She holds a B.S. from Cornell University and a M.S. from Michigan State University, both in the plant sciences.

MICHAEL HANSON, PROGRAM MANAGER

Mr. Hanson contributes his expertise to program development and management, and to cultivating partner relationships. Michael has over 12 years business development experience and is committed to helping organizations achieve growth goals and efficiently deliver solutions. He identifies catalysts that create opportunities for the growth of startups and organizations, connecting business leaders with expertise that help them advance their businesses. Michael previously held several sales and relationship management positions in the financial services industry, building relationships with investment advisors. He holds a B.A. from Bucknell University.