MBW Annual Fall Retreat (2018)

Sarika Gupta

Managing Director

Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Sarika is the Managing Director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (ZLI) at Michigan Ross. In this role, Sarika manages the day to day operations of the Institute, oversees the development and execution of ZLI’s programs, and advises U-M student- and alumni-led teams. Sarika has extensive start-up experience as a manager, mentor, and coach. Prior to joining ZLI, she served as CEO of Dance Telephone - a group party game, COO of V-teractive - an online gaming start-up, and Associate at MyBandStock.com - a site that delivers exclusive digital access to music fans. Additionally, she was a Senior Quantitative Research Associate at Cambridge Associates and Aviation Consultant at Harris Miller Miller & Hanson. She holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan College of Engineering and an MBA from Michigan Ross.

Ann Verhey-Henke

Strategic Director

Center for Socially Engaged Design at the College of Engineering, University of Michigan

Ann Verhey-Henke is the Strategic Director for the Center for Socially Engaged Design at the College of Engineering. Ann brings 

over 20 years of experience in building heterogeneous teams of faculty and students to work toward a common goal of innovation. Using design methodology and practice Ann works with students and faculty to do deep dives into the problem space to ensure solutions reach the market ready to impact lives. Prior to arriving at the College of Engineering in September 2018, Ann was the Managing Director of Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship at the School of Public Health where she founded the university-wide student innovation competition - Innovation in Action - that harnesses the talents and passions of Michigan students to address our world’s biggest problems by equipping them with an innovator’s toolkit, an experiential learning framework, and a safe space to ‘test the waters’ of social entrepreneurship. 



Ann serves on various campus-wide committees including MCubed, the University of Michigan's seed-funding program that empowers interdisciplinary teams of faculty to pursue new initiatives with major societal impact. Prior to joining SPH, Ann served as Director of Foundation Relations for Health, Science and Technology, Interim Director of Development School of Information, and prior to these appointments served for as the Director of Research Administration at the School of Information. Ann has a BA in Psychology and Religion from Hope College and a MDiv from McCormick Theological Seminary.

Angela Kujava

Managing Director

Desai Accelerator

Angela Kujava is the Managing Director of Desai Accelerator, which works with early stage tech startups to drive relentlessly toward achieving their first $1 Million. She also serves as a mentor to the startups in Desai's programs, and works closely with the region’s business and campus communities to further existing relationships for the benefit of not only the participating startups but also the broader entrepreneurial landscape. Prior to Desai, Angela was the Director of Innovation at a global software development firm, where she led the marketing, creative, and eCommerce teams. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, creative strategy, content writing and management, and public speaking.