InteliSpark was formed in 2016 to broaden the mission of providing assistance to include universities, venture capital firms, and economic development programs
Kirk J. Macolini - President, Principal Consultant, & Founder
Kirk Macolini is the Founder, President, & Principal Consultant of InteliSpark. Kirk has over 15 years of experience with the SBIR and STTR programs and has developed proposals that have resulted in ~400 funded projects from agencies including all SBIR granting federal agencies. His work assisting start-ups in competing for SBIR/STTR funding has been featured in the journal Nature. Many of his clients’ projects are based on University generated technologies – including technologies from well-respected research institutions such as Cornell University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California Berkeley, and the University of Virginia. He has held technical, management, and business roles in small software and biotech firms. Mr. Macolini earned a Masters of Science and Bachelors of Science in the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has eight-years of military experience in military intelligence and combat engineering roles. An entrepreneur at heart, Mr. Macolini also founded Centurion Technology to help small innovative firms compete effectively against larger SBIR mills. He is dedicated to giving each client the personal attention required to make the client successful. If you have any questions, feel free to email Kirk directly at kirk@InteliSpark.com
Casey McGrath - senior Funding Strategy Director/ Team Leader
Casey joined the InteliSpark team in 2019. She has 12 years of research experience in the fields of molecular biology, genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics. Her graduate work involved the use of next-generation sequencing approaches and the development of computer code to analyze and manage genomic “big data.” Before that, she performed high-throughput genotyping of patient samples to identify genetic variants associated with psychiatric diseases. After attaining her degree, she spent four years as a scientific editor and writer of academic manuscripts in the biological and medical sciences. She also writes highlights and summaries of scientific articles for lay audiences that have been published by various journals and news outlets, and she manages the social media content and strategy for the Oxford University Press journal Genome Biology and Evolution. Casey has a PhD in biology from Indiana University.
michelle fedun - senior funding strategist/ team leader
Michelle joined InteliSpark in 2019, where she specializes in developing proposals in domain areas of sustainable manufacturing, water treatment, environmental technologies, AI-based imaging, health equity, and energy technologies. With an educational background in environmental engineering, her research experience spans areas of watershed monitoring and small-scale water treatment. Michelle’s graduate work was focused on laboratory methods relevant to Cryptosporidium oocyst detection in soil and water, and she collaborated with the Philadelphia Water Department to meet regional watershed protection research goals. Michelle earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering from Lehigh University. Outside of work, she might be found practicing violin, knitting and sewing, browsing restaurant menus, or doting on her charges as a volunteer at Midwest Greyhound Adoption.
Esperanza Shenstone - funding strategist
Esperanza joined the InteliSpark team in 2020. She has five years of experience in agricultural research. As a graduate student Esperanza worked in the field of statistical genomics where she specialized in Genome-wide Association Study models. From there she went on to work on the improvement of underutilized crop species, where she was trained in laboratory techniques such as genetic plant transformation. In addition, she has extensive science communication experience, including blogging and social media expertise for large scientific outreach projects. Esperanza holds a M.S. in crop science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. in plant science from Cornell Unviersity.
Zachary Helft - funding strategy director
Zach joined the InteliSpark team in 2021. He has a mixture of industry and academic experience ranging from university spinoffs to publicly traded biotech corporations. Formally trained as a neurophysiologist, his doctoral research focused on neuronal remodeling in retinal blinding disease and photochemical restoration of visual responses. He founded a medical device company that successfully leveraged SBIR and STTR funding to investigate abnormal eye movements in neurological disease and validation of eye-motion as a biomarker for neurological health. As one of two founders, Zach worked in many roles for this organization from regulatory strategy development, reimbursement coding, market analysis and segmentation, clinical trial design, and financing. He acts as an advisor and mentor to several early-stage technology-driven startups through various incubators and accelerators across the US in sectors ranging from sustainable clothing to network infrastructure to biologics. Zach holds a BS in cellular neuroscience from Colgate University, a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in Vision Science, and attended Yale University’s School of Management for business administration.
christina forties - Proposal Development Consultant
Christina joined the InteliSpark team in 2021. Formally trained in the field of organic chemistry, with focuses on biologically based chemistry, Christina earned her BS from Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, and PhD from The Ohio State University. Her graduate work was focused on self-assembling synthetically constructed molecules. After receiving her doctorate, Christina was asked to speak about the science behind fracking as an expert witness for a federal case. Following that, she was inspired to try legal work, and for almost three years she wrote legal documents, researched cases and worked with clients at an Ithaca area law firm. She also became an active volunteer at her local library, and initiated Science Saturdays, featuring Cornell Center for Materials Research members who brought creative science experiments to elementary and middle school kids. After a brief hiatus in the professional world, Christina searched for a new path that involved both her love of science, and her technical writing skills, and through InteliSpark is excited to help foster the growth of science and innovation.
Keiko seino – Grants Manager
Keiko joined the InteliSpark team in 2019. She is a CRA (Certified Research Administrator) and has over seven years of experience in research administration. As a former Grants Associate at CUNY, The City College of New York, Keiko supported faculty in applying for sponsored research. She worked within a small pre-award team that helped secure nearly $54 million in annual funding from federal and state agencies and private foundations. Keiko formulated budgets for grant proposals, ensuring compliance with federal cost principles, sponsoring agency requirements, and university policies. She interfaced with subaward institutions, sponsors, and university faculty and administration during the pre-award phase, award negotiations, and post-award management. Keiko is a first-generation college graduate with a BS in history from Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies and an MPA from CUNY, The City College of New York.
carrie Mcallister – funding strategy director
Carrie joined the InteliSpark team in 2021. She has over ten years of biomedical research experience in the fields of biochemistry and neuropharmacology. Her graduate and postdoctoral work involved the study of serotonin receptor signaling and the development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of substance use disorders. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship, Carrie transitioned to the entrepreneurial world where she has spent the last six years writing and consulting on SBIR/STTR grants for a wide range of projects and funding agencies, including medical devices, therapeutics, and digital health solutions. She also spent one year specializing in the preparation of translational grants and manuscripts for clinical faculty at Houston Methodist Research Institute. Carrie earned her BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from the University of Arizona and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Kansas.
rachel kelly - funding strategist
Rachel joined the InteliSpark team in 2022. She has experience with biologics and medical devices, having spent time working in both marketing and R&D in the pharmaceutical industry, and engineering in original equipment medical device manufacturing. During graduate school, Rachel assisted in novel research on meniscus repair with radiofrequency tissue welding, combing knowledge of electrical engineering, cell biology, and biomechanics. She has also contributed to scientific engagement in her community, having participated in a workshop collaboration between Cornell University and the Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York where she presented an activity on optics to children. Additionally, Rachel served as a panel moderator for the Meining School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University’s 6th-annual Industry Engagement Day and Project Showcase. She holds a M.Eng. in biomedical engineering from Cornell University and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Elise Mangin - funding strategist
Elise joined the InteliSpark team in 2023. She has 10 years of research experience in the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and bioinformatics. Her graduate work involved developing a set of hardware and software tools capable of providing real-time, quantitative measurements of motor readiness in mice for researchers investigating naturalistic motor planning. Using these tools, she was able to demonstrate, for the first time, that motor planning can be a parallel process permitting rapid selection of multiple prepared actions in dynamic contexts. Before that, she performed high-throughput genotyping, phenotyping, and analysis of knockout mice for the Knockout Mouse Project (KOMP), an international initiative dedicated to understanding gene function and the genetic causes of human diseases and disorders. She has also been active in science teaching and communication efforts, leading Teacher's Assistant and Bootcamp sessions for core neuroscience classes at her former institution for multiple years and helping to mentor junior students. She is passionate about the intersection of life sciences and technology and thrilled to join the InteliSpark team. She received her B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University and earned her Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 2023.
Sineadh Conway - funding strategist
Sineadh joined the InteliSpark team in 2023 after spending ten years in the field of neuroscience research. Throughout that time, Sineadh studied the neural basis of motivation with a focus on understanding how dopamine and opioid signaling influences both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors toward rewards like food and drugs of abuse. She has also worked extensively with electrochemical approaches to monitor small molecules and neurotransmitters in the rodent brain. During her postdoctoral training, Sineadh gained experience in applying for grants and spent one year working in biotechnology and life sciences consulting. This work led her to InteliSpark where she is passionate about helping others acquire funding for their own research. Sineadh earned her BS in Biological Sciences at Arizona State University and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Samantha Tinsley - associate Proposal Development Consultant
Sam joined the InteliSpark team in 2023. She has almost ten years of experience working in the field of cancer biology encompassing molecular signaling, epigenetics, and therapeutic development. Her graduate work focused on phosphatase dysregulation in pancreatic cancer initiation and development. During her time in graduate school, Sam ran the mentoring program for incoming doctoral students and served as a preliminary exam preparation coordinator in the Purdue Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Progam (PULSe). Sam's writing and scientific communication has earned her invitations to present at multiple international conferences as well as numerous awards and fellowship-based funding opportunities. She is excited to use her scientific communication skills to help small businesses secure funding for scientific innovation. Sam earned her B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology from Purdue University
ABIGAIL DOWNES - CLIENT RELATIONS SPECIALIST
Abbey joined the InteliSpark team in 2023. She has experience in the field of earth and atmospheric science, specifically in aerosols, atmospheric thermodynamics, geophysics, and volcanoes. As an undergraduate student, Abbey aided in the development of the first-of-its-kind global volcanic eruption database that focuses on thermal precursors to eruptions via satellite detection. Additionally, she conducted her own research project that aimed to analyze the effects that volcanic eruptions have on the formation and locations of hurricanes, through the lens of a shifting Intertropical Convergence Zone. In her final academic year, Abbey completed fieldwork that successfully mapped the previously unknown geological and archaeological features of an upstate NY park, for the purpose of furthering the current knowledge of Earth’s surface and subsurface features and formation processes. Abbey holds a BA in Earth and Atmospheric Science from Cornell University.
Soumya Mukherjee - Associate Proposal Development Consultant
Soumya joined the Intelispark team in 2023. Before that he spent nearly ten years in the field of cell biology and biophysics, investigating the basic biology of cell division, chromosome segregation, and cell migration. During his postdoctoral training, Soumya was exposed to the biotech startup world in the Chicagoland area and became interested in the process of commercialization of science. He spent a summer working part time as an extern for Intelispark and decided to join the company full time at the conclusion of the externship. Soumya holds a B.Sc. from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India, an M.Sc. from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India and a Ph.D. from the University of Minesota, Twin Cities.
Gary lee - Associate Proposal Development Consultant
Gary joined the InteliSpark team in 2024. He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Penn State University, where he collaborates with Stanford Medical Center, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and GE HealthCare to develop innovative biosensing and microfluidic techniques for disease diagnostics and high-throughput drug screening. His research focuses on single-cell profiling using bioinformatics tools, image-based workflows, and molecular biosensors. Additionally, Gary earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from National Taiwan University, specializing in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and semiconductor fabrication, with over 4 years of Fab experience. He is excited to leverage his engineering and biology knowledge to help small businesses secure funding for scientific innovation.
ROWEN MACCARALD - RESEARCH AND SUPPORT
Rowen started working at the Intelispark in 2022, first as a contractor before joining the team in 2023. They have formal training in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and ecology. Their research experience includes ornithological field work in the Northeastern U.S., Arizona, and Hawaii as well as cetacean research at the Cornell Lab’s Bioacoustics Research Program. Additionally, Rowen is an award-winning children’s book author who is extensively published in the school and library market, writing books on STEM and social studies topics. Their first picture book (How Mom Met Mama) came out in 2024. Rowen holds a BS in environmental and forest biology from SUNY ESF and an MS in natural resources from St. Cloud State University.
zack zimmers - Associate Proposal Development Consultant
Zack joined the Intelispark team in 2024. He has nine years laboratory experience in disciplines including molecular diagnostics, lipid nanoparticles, and DNA nanostructures. His graduate work focused on advancing non-enzymatic nucleic acid diagnostics for low-resource settings, and utilizing left-handed DNA to create more robust assays. Zack then spent three years working in a fast-paced startup where he worked to commercialize projects including a SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow assay and immune cell-targeting lipid nanoparticles. It was during this time that Zack wrote his first SBIR, a process he is excited to immerse himself in at Intelispark. Zack earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University, and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.
BRYCE ALEX - ASSOCIATE PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Bryce joined the InteliSpark team in 2024. Prior to joining, he spent five years as a graduate student exploring under-researched areas of the life sciences, including fungal ecology and plant virology, from a molecular perspective. During this time, he characterized fungal dispersal patterns, developed a bioinformatics tool for detecting viruses in public sequence datasets, and explored mechanisms of plant antiviral immunity. He then shifted towards production of plant transformation vectors before joining InteliSpark. He has expressed his enthusiasm for science communication by writing grant proposals to support his work, contributing to museum exhibitions and life science podcasts, and through teaching. Bryce holds a B.S. and M.S. in molecular biology from the University of Utah and an M.S. in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.