Meet the Team

Team Beta

Iris Hammel

Cofounder & Executive Director

Iris Hammel is a creative problem solver and lifelong learner with a passion for helping others to unleash their potential through connecting people, resources and ideas.
Team Beta

Emily Sims

COO

Emily joined the RISE team after 12 years in the non-profit sector. She is excited to impact students around the region and improve our community from behind the scenes.
Team Beta

Nick Paliga

Director of Entrepreneurship Education

Nick is a passionate educator who has excelled in designing and delivering effective instruction across multiple grade levels to bring success to each and every student.
Team Beta

Omodara Ogijo

Software Engineer

Omodara is a tech enthusiast and futurist. His daily activities revolve around implementing automation tools to optimize workflows and processes.
Team Beta

Logan Herzog

Growth Advisor

Logan has over 7 years of experience running growth efforts for Silicon-Valley-backed startups. He’s helped over 250 startups re-imagine how they grow their business.
Team Beta

Grace Baker

Lead Facilitator

Grace started as the Lead Facilitator for the Startup Moxie program. She believes students are an underutilized resource in our communities, filled with incredible talent.
Team Beta

Annie Brinkman

Chief Marketing Officer

Annie is a graphic designer with 7+ years of experience in design research, visual communications, and brand direction.
Team Beta

Kaden Sheets

Startup Coach

Kaden is a Startup Moxie graduate and an AEP Alumni. In his role, he works with the education department to curate entrepreneurial content and assists with the RISE team’s needs.
Team Beta

Riley Ellingsen

Startup Coach

Riley co-founded two startups including his current venture, heARsight. He is passionate about the intersection of health sciences, innovative technologies, and entrepreneurship
Team Beta

Patience Ankunda

Startup Coach

Patience is a techpreneur and advocate for girls in technology. She has mentored high school students in entrepreneurship since 2016 and continues to do so in Startup Moxie.