Over the next two weeks, we’re doing something a little different, with a special two-part conversation featuring five extraordinary women who will be joining the AUTM Board of Directors in February 2026. To give us the space to really dig in, we split these conversations across two episodes, so we could spend more time on the perspectives, experiences, and leadership each of these new board members brings to the tech transfer community.

In this episode, we’re joined by Felicia Metz from the University of Maryland Ventures, Maithili Shroff from the University of New Hampshire, and Katie Butcher from Northwestern University. Next week, the conversation continues with Patricia Stepp of Rice University and Laura Schoppe, founder of TechPipeline, bringing in additional viewpoints from both inside and outside the university setting.

Katie Butcher brings an MBA from Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Law from Northwestern into her role, giving her a strong mix of business and legal experience that shapes how licensing and commercialization work at Northwestern. Felicia Metz is an Associate Director at University of Maryland Ventures, where her work spans patent prosecution, building and managing IP portfolios, and licensing strategy.

Maithili Shroff is a Licensing Manager at the University of New Hampshire, an R1 institution, where she draws on her PhD training to support innovation and intellectual property commercialization, with a perspective shaped by working across a wide range of research areas. Together, these three leaders reflect the breadth of backgrounds, expertise, and lived experience shaping the future of tech transfer, and they offer a thoughtful look at why this moment matters for the profession and for AUTM’s leadership going forward.

In This Episode:

[00] This is a special two-part series introducing five women who will join the AUTM Board of Directors in February 2026.

[03:26] Katie shares her path to tech transfer. She has an MBA and has worked in the legal field. She spent her first 20 years in the entertainment industry.

[04:33] Her background was strong, but she also had a lot of learning on the job in science, technology, and learning. It's been an exciting adventure being in this field.

[05:58] Felicia entered tech transfer as a student and unexpectedly built a long-term career in the field.

[08:10] She explains how the profession has evolved toward specialization and complementary skill sets across offices.

[09:41] Maithili describes how her PhD led her to question what happens to research after publication.

[11:22] She shares how the AUTM fellowship and the collaborative culture of the community shaped her career path.

[13:18] The panel discusses why tech transfer welcomes professionals from many backgrounds, not just STEM or law.

[15:23] Curiosity, flexibility, and comfort with ambiguity are emphasized as essential traits for success.

[16:49] Why running for the AUTM Board felt timely and meaningful.

[18:42] The importance of representing non-STEM and operational roles in tech transfer leadership.

[20:14] Advocacy, higher-education pressures, and why board service feels urgent right now.

[21:20] We discuss funding uncertainty, policy shifts, and broader challenges facing tech transfer.

[24:02] Budget constraints, staffing pressures, and the reality of doing more with fewer resources are explored.

[26:09] The importance of telling the tech transfer story and demonstrating real-world impact comes into focus.

[29:10] Data and metrics are discussed as tools for visibility, accountability, and storytelling.

[32:18] Artificial intelligence enters the conversation as both a disruptive force and a potential support tool.

[35:10] The panel considers how AI could improve efficiency without replacing human judgment.

[38:00] The guests share their hopes for where tech transfer and AUTM could be in five years.

[39:50] Felicia shares a personal story that underscores why tech transfer work truly matters.

[43:47] Reflections on partnership, service, and shared success.

Resources:

AUTM

Katie Butcher - Northwestern University

Katie Butcher - LinkedIn

Felicia Metz - University of Maryland

Felicia Metz - LinkedIn

Maithili Shroff - University of New Hampshire

Maithili Shroff - LinkedIn

AUTM Better World Project

Patents, Peer Review, and Policy: What Congress Needs to Understand Now with Kate Zernike

Lessons From the WIPO-AUTM Knowledge and Technology Transfer Summit with Steve Susalka