The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is proud to announce that Executive Director, Casey Carrillo, has been appointed to the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Carrillo has long been committed to driving innovation across Southern Arizona. Her dedication is evident through her previous roles at the University of Arizona’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship within the Eller College of Management and the Office of Digital Learning. In her current leadership role at UACI, Carrillo continues to build strong regional partnerships and foster the growth of scalable science and tech startups that fuel Arizona’s economy.
The Oro Valley Chamber has been an impactful partner for UACI’s mission. Multiple Sponsored Launch programs with the chamber have provided support and sponsorships for science and tech startups based in the region. Additionally, since its opening in 2020, the UACI at Oro Valley outpost has proved to be a vital innovation hub for the community with offices, collaboration spaces and a shared biotech laboratory.
“I look forward to serving on the Oro Valley Chamber board”, shares Carrillo, “Innovation thrives where collaboration exists, and I’m excited to help strengthen the ties between startups, established businesses and community partners throughout the region.”
Carrillo’s appointment aligns seamlessly with the chamber’s mission to cultivate a vibrant economic region by empowering and uniting the Greater Oro Valley business community—an effort she has long supported through her work with UACI and regional innovation initiatives.
“Casey’s passion for innovation and regional collaboration makes her a valuable addition to our board,” said Kristen Sharp, President and CEO of the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Her experience and leadership will be instrumental as we continue working to strengthen and support the local business ecosystem.”
About the UA Center for Innovation
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is a startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region. For two decades, the program has directly served over 300 companies, impacting thousands of entrepreneurs who have attracted $200M in external capital. This is done by providing access to the people, place, and programming that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. With the mission to fuel the Arizona economy, UACI works to help scale science and tech-based startups under the scope of Tech Parks Arizona creating university-based economic impact.