Connecting Ideas
ABOUT US
Your Answer to Winning Non-Diluted Federal Funds!
OppsSpot, LLC provides consulting services for start-up and small technology companies looking to commercialize their ideas through strategic partnering and Government contracting and grants. Specializing in the SBIR / STTR program.
We have helped companies raise tens of millions of dollars in federal funding! Let us help you too!
OppsSpot, LLC is a woman-owned small business (WOSB).
THE OPPSSPOT TEAM
Get to Know Us
Sonia Vohnout
Founder & President
Sonia has held executive management and senior technical positions and has also co-founded several companies. She has over 30 years of experience in systems engineering, quality systems, business development and program management. Her expertise in the SBIR/STTR program and consulting services to assist small business with this and other government funding vehicles have helped start-ups and small businesses raise tens of millions of dollars of federal funding.
Sonia has a B.S and M.S in Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona.
Chris Bridgewater
Sr. Business Consultant
Chris is experienced in business startup, strategy development and execution. He worked for 17 years with the US Government as an employee and contractor, along with experience in manufacturing and quality systems management. As a CEO/CFO, Chris has the ability to empathize with challenges and understand strengths at all levels of a corporation in a way that is rarely found. He is well known for parsing challenges into achievable goals. He also has experience creating and leading teams to meet large objectives.
Phyllis Hoffschwelle
Sr. Business Consultant
Phyllis is a well-respected business leader and an expert in competitive market research assessment, technology assessments, and business strategies, particularly in working directly with startups. She has worked for various global technology companies such as Compaq Computers Corporation (HP) and Xerox Corporation, as well as a startups, and her own consulting businesses. She has managed diversified and global teams, consolidate and streamline projects and programs, and provide effective competitive market analysis/research, innovation/technology assessments, implementations, and processes.
Phyllis has a Doctorate in Global Business, Leadership and Technology and an MBA from Walden University.
Elizabeth (Beth) Kujan
Business Consultant and Sr. Technical Writer
Beth is a classically trained scientist with experience in a wide range of industries. Her entrepreneurial experience was with a company rendering polymeric surfaces superhydrophobic. More importantly, Beth has an impressive success rate with SBIR/STTR applications. She has 10 years of experience as a technical/grant writer bringing in funds from Dept of Homeland Security, US Air Force, National Science Foundation, NY State Energy Research & Development Authority, etc.
Beth earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University and her B.S., also in Materials Science and Engineering, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Abanob (Abe) Masoud
Sr. Business Consultant
With over 10 years of experience in the aerospace and defense sector, Abe brings a wealth of knowledge focused on the government customer. He is a driven and multifaceted business, product and strategy manager with a record of new business development and growth. Throughout his development career, Abe has leveraged his technical knowledge and expertise as the building blocks to establish meaningful customer relationships and the identification of new business opportunities. He has extensive experience in working with the government customer and ensuring the creation of competitive bids and compliant execution of programs.
Abe holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Min-Yi Shih
Sr. Business Consultant and Strategist
Min-Yi is a multi-faceted technologist and an experienced business executive with a background in Physics. Min-Yi has been serving in top executive roles including CTO and COO in the R&D, defense, and communication equipment industry. He is devoted to helping startups and small businesses to accelerate their growth. Min-Yi has a successful track record in obtaining SBIR and BAA funds from DoD, NASA, DOE, DHS, NSF, and NIH. He is very active in various technical professional organizations. Min-Yi possesses 17 U.S. patents and numerous awards. Currently, he is an angel investor and an advisor to multiple startups and academic programs.
Min-Yi earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, he also attained his EMBA from UCLA Anderson.
Irene Bond
Sr. Business Consultant
Irene brings 30 years of experience with her to OppsSpot in owning and operating startups and worked for publicly traded companies in a wide range of roles. Irene enjoys solving puzzles for companies by articulating a clear and compelling value proposition and determining their entry niche. She is a people person who excels at engaging her target audience in a meaningful conversation that helps uncover their needs and a vision of the potential solution.
Irene has a M.S in both Technology Commercialization and Information Science.
Walter Rawle
Sr. Business Consultant and Strategist
As a veteran of GE Research, United Technologies, Ultra Electronics and General Dynamics, Walter Rawle epitomizes the accomplished strategist, technology leader, and business development professional. With his experience as an applied researcher, inventor, and classically educated engineer, including an earned doctorate in electrical engineering and over 35 years of outstanding business, research, program execution, and product development experience, he brings a unique skillset to any problem or challenge.
Walter has a Ph.D. in Computational Electromagnetics from the University of Manitoba.
Alex Alvarez
Business Consultant - Medical Devices and Biomedical
Alex is a writer, engineer, and soon-to-be physician, completing his medical training now at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. His Ph.D. work focused on a novel ultrasound-based electrical mapping technique called acoustoelectric imaging. Additionally, Alex has experience in writing and winning grant proposals. Alex finds great passion in crafting proposals and tailoring novel medical device projects to clinically relevant applications. In his spare time, he likes to ride bicycles into the Sonoran Desert, cook Puerto Rican food, and make music videos with his partner, Molly.
Alex has a B.S. and Ph.D. In Biomedical Engineering from the University of Arizona.
Adrian Mack
Sr. Technical Writer and Market Researcher
Adrian J. Mack is a business developer, strategist, business operator, and transdisciplinary academic with a background in social impact. He regularly publishes and speaks about his research. He has experience in both the public and private sectors, including the Department of Defense, tech startups, and Amazon. Adrian serves in advisory roles for different startups and community organizations, such as NASA's Astrophysics Division's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Council.
Adrian has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, Master of Arts from Duke University, Master of Arts from Liberty University, Ph.D. from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
Katherine (Katie) Bliss
Sr. Technical Writer and Market Researcher
Katie is an experienced research scientist, biotechnology entrepreneur, and a grant/technical writer. She learned market analysis and grant writing in the Mentored Launch program at the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) while she operated an innovative biotech startup in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic space. Katie now assists companies in writing and submitting SBIR/STTR grants, ensuring proposals are competitive and compliant with funding solicitation requirements.
Katie has a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jan Knight
Sr. Market Researcher
Jan has over 20 years of experience in market and business research and likes to think that she ‘provides insight to entrepreneurs from start-ups to grown ups.’ Much of her work in market assessments, competitive profiling and industry research helps to shape business plans, commercialization plans, business development, and investor pitches A domain generalist, she has a diverse set of clients and her research topics range from seaweed snacks to medical devices, insulation to software and just about everything in between.
Jan has a B.A. in Humanities/Renaissance Studies from U.C. Berkeley, M.A. in Information Resources & Library Science from the University of Arizona.
Beth Kane
Sr. Technical Writer
Beth has more than 25 years of experience as a technical writer and editor, including eight years writing SBIR/STTR proposals and reports. Her job is to ensure that the submissions entered meet the many requirements of each government solicitation so that your application process will continue smoothly without any problems. Beth is able to edit for content clarity and readability, while offering suggestions and solutions, listening to what the client wants.
Beth has a M.A. in Journalism from the University of Arizona and B.A., San Francisco Art Institute.
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Ed Hackett
Sr. Technical Writer
Ed is a commercial writer over 25 years’ experience providing communication solutions for clients of all sizes. Whether technical writing for software, hardware and mechanical systems, ghost writing blogs for industry tycoons, writing and editing grant proposals for highly technical innovations or creating marketing packages for complex medical devices for both domestic and international markets, Ed is a multi-talented marketer/writer/editor with a broad range of experience and an extensive knowledge base and a collaborative team member.
Ed has a B.A. in English Composition and Rhetoric from the University of Arizona and A.S. in Paramedicine.
Michelle Lott
Sr. Regulatory Strategy Consultant
Michelle Lott has supported 100+ companies with regulatory strategy, regulatory submissions, quality systems compliance, due diligence, technical support services – and grief counseling, because she says dealing with regulators can be a little emotionally draining at times. Michelle steps in for her clients, allowing them to delegate those draining tasks onto her so that they can focus on winning and being successful in the marketplace. Michelle served a four-year term on the FDA Device Good Manufacturing Practices Advisory Committee.
Michelle has a B.S. in Chemistry from Troy State University, Certified Executive Leader in Regulatory Affairs from RAPS and Kellogg University.
Edward Lundquist
Sr. Science Journalist and Writer
Edward Lundquist is a principal science writer at MCR Federal in McLean, Virginia, and chief engagement officer of Echo Bridge LLC. He brings excellent writing and communication skills with over 40 years of experience in both journalism and public relations. He served on active duty with the Navy as a surface warfare officer and public affairs officer. While being an IABC Fellow and accredited business communicator, he writes on naval, maritime, defense and security issues for international trade and professional journals.
Edward has a B.A. in Journalism from Marquette University and a M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs from the American University.
Paul Lee
IP and Legal Strategist
Paul Lee brings to the OppsSpot team decades of experience in corporate finance with strong emphasis on energy, technology, manufacturing and drug industries. Through his legal practices, Paul has advised early-stage companies to Global 500 companies in several key business areas and aspects. Paul brings with him an Industry Mentor role from a completed program with the NSF I-Corps program for virtual coin stabilization and testing, while also being a co-founder of a company working on ag-tech including clean energy, water recovery, green chemistry and sustainability and also being a part of EPA and NSF SBIR Phase I and II grant awards winners.
Paul has a B.S. from SUNY Binghamton and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School
Francesca Meza
Digital Marketing
Francesca was born and raised in Orange County, California. Her digital marketing journey began in college when she managed her sorority‘s social media pages. Photoshop, arranging photoshoots, and team management were skills she taught herself in this role. Now, she focuses on content creation, feed strategy, and community engagement when managing social media campaigns. Her goal is to help companies grow their brand presence through social media marketing.
Francesca has a BSBA in Marketing and minor in Fashion and Consumer Sciences from the University of Arizona
If you want to learn more about our amazing team members, please get in touch.