JoAnne Starr

As a founding member of the Rady School of Management at UCSD, JoAnne Starr helped design and develop a business curriculum aimed at serving scientists and technology executives. Now she is building on that success by promoting and supporting “Lab to Market,” a program that provides students experience in spotting and tapping into new opportunities and taking innovative discoveries to market.

As a board member for Pacific Com–munity Ventures, Starr also is supporting development and investment in businesses in low-to-moderate income communities in California.

“My goals are connected to how we move forward,” Starr says. “How do we increase the access we can provide for the San Diego business community? Another goal is to create sustainable growth for the program and increased access for students across the board. How to continue to expand and support the innovation-driven nature of our curriculum, achieving balance between innovation and structure, is an interesting balance to maintain. I think of my job description now as having two lines: one, to create structure for sustainability and growth and two, resist structure.”