The University of New Haven’s Elevation Center has launched an Executive-in-Residence program pairing senior business leaders with students, faculty and industry partners, the university announced.
Elevation Center is the university’s new hub for innovation and workforce development, being built out in a 133,000-square-foot commercial space the university acquired adjacent to its West Haven campus. The center is backed by private donors and public support.
The initial cohort includes seven executives: Chris Barone (advanced manufacturing, product innovation and engineering leadership), Steve Cohn (finance, manufacturing and growth strategy), Andrew Lavoie (finance, risk and audit), Mary J. Rose (leadership, strategy and organizational performance), Eric D. Stone (leadership and organizational culture), Katherine Blair Sullivan (enterprise technology and digital transformation) and Gary Velotta (innovation and career development).
The program is designed to grow to 10 to 15 participants across sectors including advanced manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare, finance, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Each executive will contribute roughly 30 to 50 hours a year.
“Our students gain access to the kind of mentorship, professional guidance, and industry relationships that accelerate career readiness and help them become better than ready for the future of work,” said Paul Lavoie, vice president of corporate partnerships and innovation and executive director of The Elevation Center.
The program launch follows a broader fundraising push at the university, which announced in August it had secured more than $100 million in philanthropic commitments over 30 months, including $32 million in fiscal 2026.
