TEAM

Illini Angels is a program of Illinois Ventures, the venture capital arm of the University of Illinois. Illinois Ventures brings two decades of experience in investing, establishing connections, and encouraging the highest-impact relationships. Illinois Ventures has backed more than 100 companies in its history. Those companies have brought in more than $2.7 billion in outside capital. Comprised of top investment and technology professionals, the Illinois Ventures Board oversees Illinois Ventures and its team.

Illini Angels Leadership

Nancy Sullivan headshot

Nancy Sullivan

has served as Illinois Ventures’ CEO and Managing Director since 2013, and oversees all aspects of investing, operations, and strategy. Nancy led the launch of Illini Angels as well as the fundraise of Illinois Ventures’ third venture capital fund, Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund III, which has invested in leading life science and technology companies across the Midwest and throughout the country. Under her leadership, Illinois Ventures has invested in over 30 life science and technology ventures alongside other top-tier investors and experienced business leaders.

Paul J. Magelli headshot

Paul J. Magelli

is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with more than 30 years’ experience and eight global venture teams spanning food, healthcare, information and communication systems, software, and services.  He brings together a broad range of leadership qualities with an acute focus on customers and creating businesses that scale. Paul began his career at large companies including Boeing, AT&T Bell Laboratories, and Lucent Technologies and has built successful start-ups a serial founder.

Mark O'Connor headshot

Mark O’Connor

is an experienced startup consultant and former founder. Previously, he served as mHUB’s senior startup acceleration and engagement coordinator, where he was the primary liaison to help startups navigate mHUB’s broad technical and entrepreneurial resources. A bioengineering alumnus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Mark was a co-founder and COO of Orali Health, a medical device startup developing innovative imaging technology for oral cancer.

Tom Parkinson headshot

Tom Parkinson

is Illinois Ventures' Senior Director, and oversaw Illini Angels’ initial growth phase. He has been investing in, mentoring and advising technology-based startup companies for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the Illinois Ventures team, Tom was a partner with a Chicago-based venture capital firm, where he helped raise and manage two venture capital funds that invested in under-served parts of the country. He ran a successful seed capital fund affiliated with Northwestern University during the 1990s, and was CFO of an award-winning technology business incubator.

Illini Angels Advisory Board

The Illini Angels Advisory Group includes leading University of Illinois alumni who provide insights to Illini Angels and helped guide its launch.

  • Jackie DiMonte

    is a partner with Chicago Ventures and heads up their Austin presence. She focuses on vertical SaaS and marketplaces. Prior to joining Chicago Ventures, Jackie was a principal at Hyde Park Venture Partners. Jackie holds a BS with honors in General Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

  • Peter B. Fox

    is the founder of Fox Development Corporation, a Champaign real estate development firm involved in the development, management, and leasing of prime office and retail space in and around the University of Illinois Research Park. Fox Ventures, Fox Development Corporation’s investment arm, works with dozens of startup companies, assisting innovative founders with groundbreaking technology transition from research to commercial settings. He and his wife Kim were founding sponsors of the Cozad New Venture Challenge through the Technology Entrepreneur Center, founded in honor of one of Peter’s most influential mentors, V. Dale Cozad. Peter was previously a partner at Bear Sterns.

  • Rick Landuyt

    is a serial entrepreneur who has bootstrapped and successfully sold four technology companies over a 32-year period. He has served on several boards, mentored entrepreneurs, and helped grow one of the largest angel investment networks in the southeast U.S. He earned an undergraduate degree from the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a MSME from the University of Illinois Chicago, and a mini-MBA from DePaul University.

  • Dr. Guy E. Padbury

    is the Senior Vice President of Oncology Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Sciences at Pfizer Inc. In this position, he is responsible for the leadership, operational, and strategic management of the drug metabolism, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, biomarker, and companion diagnostic activities in support of oncology drug discovery and development. Guy has contributed to more than 50 successful global drug registrations, including small molecule entities and biotherapeutic agents spanning most major therapeutic or disease state areas. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in biochemistry from the University of Illinois and his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Butler University.