What is an Entrepreneur in Residence

The Charles D. Close School maintains a diverse network of entrepreneurial individuals who provide high-value insights and recommendations within their scope of expertise for student entrepreneurs at Drexel. An Entrepreneur in Residence at the Charles D. Close School must have a proven track record of entrepreneurial success and a commitment to passing on their knowledge to future generations of entrepreneurs. 

Attributes of an Entrepreneur in Residence

• Seasoned business executive with track record of success
• Experience with innovative initiatives in one own’s company, or within a corporation
• Maintain a network professionals and experts who are willing to meet student entrepreneurs
• Ability to schedule time and meet with student entrepreneurs

How does an Entrepreneur in Residence help Drexel students

An Entrepreneur in Residence has a required amount of hours to provide to students who are looking for entrepreneurial advice and guidance. With these hours, students can:

• Discussing obstacles and challenges currently facing a student’s startup
• Making introductions and connections for student entrepreneurs and appropriate business contacts
• Teaching and co-teaching entrepreneurship classes where the class’ subject matter matches the Entrepreneur in Residence’s skill set and experience
• Mentoring, advising and coaching students across campus regarding their entrepreneurial ideas
• Working with Close/Baiada staff to ensure students are receiving the support they need to accelerate their ideas

Students can schedule time with an Entrepreneur in Residence, by contacting Debra Colbert-Maduforo at debbie@drexel.edu.

For professionals interested in becoming an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, please contact Chuck Sacco at cns322@drexel.edu.

Who is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence at Close?

Below is a list of our current Entrepreneurs in Residence at the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship. To learn more about each Entrepreneur in Residence, see below:

Nick Ashburn

Nick Ashburn is the Founder and CEO of Personawealth, the company behind the behavioral intelligence platform Calibrate, which helps individuals, families, and financial professionals align financial security with emotional well-being. Pairing clinical and performance psychology, behavioral finance, and financial planning with adaptive engagement technology, Nick is reshaping the future of financial services by addressing the real reasons people struggle to ask for help, let alone follow through: emotional readiness, behavioral friction, and nervous system overload.

Prior to launching Personawealth, Nick was Managing Director and Head of Responsible Investing at PNC Asset Management Group, where he led investment, operational, and product strategy for sustainable and impact investing across both institutional and private bank client segments.

Nick previously served as Senior Director at the Wharton Social Impact Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a lecturer and researcher on impact investing and co-hosted the weekly SiriusXM radio show Dollars & Change, bringing social impact and inclusive business stories to a national audience.

He's worked across venture capital, international and community development, and nonprofit strategy. A former Fulbright teacher in Austria, Nick speaks fluent German and has taught graduate courses at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas–Austin and Penn's School of Social Policy & Practice.

Nick also hosts the podcast HomeEc with licensed marriage and family therapist Moraya Seeger DeGeare, where they explore the intersection of money, relationships, and mental health.

You can follow his work on his Substack or at personawealth.com and homeecpod.com.

Zach Seiger

Zach Seiger is an entrepreneurial leader, impact-driven founder, and graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice. His focus is on social innovation and community-driven solutions, and he specializes in designing opportunities for meaningful communication and connection.

As the founder of the Princeton-Trenton Business Hub, Zach successfully bridged the gap between highly motivated teen entrepreneurs and established business leaders, fostering mentorship and economic empowerment. His experience extends to Promly, a Gen Z-focused social enterprise, where he served as a senior intern and contributor, driving initiatives centered on youth well-being and mental health.

At Penn, Zach has been a key figure in Wharton Impact Investing Partners, leading fundraising efforts as a board member. Additionally, as Executive Chair of Communication for the School of Social Policy and Practice's Graduate Student Government, he has strengthened engagement strategies and amplified diverse student voices. His expertise in fundraising consultation has further supported the growth and sustainability of various nonprofit organizations.

Beyond his leadership in entrepreneurship and social impact, Zach has also shaped the next generation of changemakers through education. He designed and taught "Behavioral Science and Social Entrepreneurship," the most widely attended course ever offered at an alternative learning center for high school students, equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs with the tools to drive meaningful change. He is currently in the early stages of developing a groundbreaking social and community connection startup focused on bringing meaningful relationships to young adults experiencing loneliness and isolation.

Who should reach out to Zach Seiger

• Student entrepreneurs interested in the intersection of behavioral design and entrepreneurship looking to leverage psychological insights to enhance business success.
• Aspiring founders seeking brainstorming sessions on startup ideas, early-stage strategies, and scalable business models.
• Startups and established companies looking for guidance on how behavioral science (psychology, decision-making frameworks, nudges, consumer behavior) can shape organizational strategy, product development, and customer engagement.
• Student entrepreneurs and early-stage founders who value comprehensive coaching from ideation to execution, including fundraising, team-building, and market validation.

Stephen Zarilli

Founding teams often require mentors to help them more clearly see things from a customer / outside-in perspective and to develop habits of informed experimentation and long term growth.  Stephen Zarrilli’s vast career spans more than 35 years in executive management roles in both public and private companies - including enterprises funded with private equity - leading founders and companies to long-term, sustainable growth. 

Zarrilli has chosen to give back to the entrepreneurial community by becoming a Charles D. Close School Entrepreneur In Residence.

Who should reach out to Stephen Zarilli?

• Student entrepreneurs looking to develop a sustainable long-term growth strategy
• Students looking for connections in technology, healthcare, financial services, or consumer products
• Companies who need guidance with building/hiring a core team with essential skill competencies
• Companies who want to develop a culture of experimentation and optimization of their products/services

Experienced company advisor and mentor

Mr. Zarilli has substantial board governance experience. During his career, he has served on six public company boards involving industries that include technology, healthcare, financial services, and consumer products. In his career, Zarilli has launched two start ups, one a technology business and the other a consulting business.

Non-profit experience

Zarilli currently contributes time and expertise to his local business community by serving on a variety of non-profit boards. He is the former Chair and board member of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (a state-funded early-stage capital source for technology and life science companies), a Board Member of the University City Science Center, and a Board Member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. 

Zarilli is able to help Drexel entrepreneurs position themselves to find funding and backers for their startups through local program knowledge and capital source connections. 

How does Zarilli’s experience help me in today’s business climate?

Student entrepreneurs can obtain invaluable insights, recommendations and introductions to the right people - helping your startup succeed in today’s shifted business climate. His experience on multiple boards at a variety of successful companies provides a deep understanding of company cultures and procedures. Based on your own company’s values and objectives, Zarilli is equipped to help guide fundamental organizational decisions.

Zarilli has also faced both business and personal adversity during his career and was able to exhibit stellar entrepreneurial resilience to overcome barriers time and time again. He can provide students with strategies to identify adversity and advise them on how best to overcome any obstacles in your startup’s path to success.