Connie M. Cleary, DPM

Director of Innovation & Industry Partnerships
connie.cleary@rosalindfranklin.edu

Connie Cleary is the Director of Innovation & Industry Partnerships responsible for identifying, leading, valuing, negotiating, and executing strategically aligned collaborations and partnerships to support the research mission of Rosalind Franklin University (RFU), including the Innovation and Research Park (IRP) and its associated Helix 51 Incubator and start-up companies. Connie had several roles in Innovation beginning at the University of Illinois, Rush University Medical Center, Argonne National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory where she led technology and innovation programs comprised of teams of licensing, start-up and commercialization professionals and created strategic approaches to growing & managing Intellectual Property portfolios including overseeing the licensing, management, marketing of technologies as well as negotiating complex multi-million dollar transactions including processes to audit and monitor existing agreement. In addition, she acted as an advisor to the UIC Chancellor on innovation matters and served on the Conflict Of Interest committee.

Connie received the coveted ‘Distinguished Employee Leadership and Team Award (DELTA) for supervisory/manager Academic Professionals awarded 2008- University of Illinois Administration’

Connie led the inaugural Business Plan Competition at RFU and created the first Entrepreneurial leave program and revamped the Technology Maturation Program at BNL. She also developed special programs to develop researcher and startup understanding of IP and how to engage with Industry. In addition, Connie served as a member of several boards at the University of Illinois (CADRE) and Stony Brook University (CEBIP). She is also a principal in Cleary & Associates a boutique consulting firm specializing in technology and patent portfolio strategies as well as in focusing on the needs of Start-Ups, University and Research Institutions responsible for commercializing technologies.

Her outreach includes working with and building relationships with VC’s, Angels, Economic development groups and local, regional entities and in building ecosystems.

Connie also served on many local and national roles within the Licensing Executive Society and was the chair of the Technology Transfer Working Group of the DOE National Labs.

Prior to her roles in Public and Private Universities and National Laboratories, Connie practiced Podiatric Medicine and Surgery and is an alum of RFU.

Education
B.S., Baruch College of the City University of New York
D.P.M., Dr. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University

Additional Training
Northwestern University Program for Biotechnology