Leadership & Staff
Leadership is an essential skill that CCEW strives to not only teach, but embody as an organization. CCEW is primarily led by program alumni whose passion for the program allows them to lead new internship classes effectively while working to maintain CCEW's culture and continuously strengthen and grow the program.
Jeff Moore
Executive Director
Prior to joining the University of Oklahoma, Moore addressed growth and entrepreneurship in a variety of roles and institutions, across a spectrum of industries.
As President of Superior Silica Sands, an early-stage mining company, he oversaw a capital expansion that doubled capacity and introduced new products for the oil services, golf course, and industrial sand industries.
As an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm, he provided senior leadership counsel to a wide variety of manufacturing, financial, and energy businesses in capital project evaluation and execution, transaction due diligence, and strategic planning. A leader within the energy practice, Moore was a firm expert in operational excellence and front-line change programs in energy and mining. He was McKinsey Pittsburgh's liaison to the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and business plan screener for the city of Pittsburgh's "Enterprize" business plan competition.
Earlier in his career, Moore served in the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer, with tours of duty aboard the USS Ohio (Blue) SSBN-726, Trident Training Facility (Bangor), and the NATO submarine command staff. He is a graduate of the Naval Nuclear Power School, a graduate level program in nuclear reactor plant theory and operations.
Moore is a graduate of Rice University, with degrees in Electrical Engineering (solid state electronics focus) and Economics. He holds a masters degree in Applied Physics from the University of Washington (with a focus on nano-engineering), and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with majors in finance, accounting, and strategy.
Valerie Myers Christenson
Director of Programs
As CCEW's Director of Programs, Val is in charge of planning and coordinating the execution of CCEW's strategic initiatives as well as overseeing the operations of the program.
Val is from Normal, IL and came to OU after visiting the campus and seeing how beautiful it is and experiencing how nice Oklahomans are. While at OU, Val was a CCEW intern and team leader, and turned her time at CCEW into a position with The Livingston Group in New York City, a boutique nanotechnology investing firm.
After graduating summa cum laude in 2007 with degrees in International Business and Economics and a minor in German, she accepted a position with Graymark Healthcare, a growing Oklahoma start-up. During her time at Graymark she worked with top management to develop and execute strategic initiatives grow a division of the company to be the second largest in its industry niche in America; participated in the process of getting the company traded on the NASDAQ, and worked with management to sell the pharmacy division to Walgreens. When the opportunity to return to CCEW to work on commercializing technologies with the brightest students and faculty at the university presented itself, she jumped at it.
Robert Free
Fellow
As a CCEW Fellow, Robert supports the continued success and growth of the program. This includes evaluating the commercial potential of University technologies, providing guidance for current intern teams as they develop their recommendations and business models, developing new, sustainable internship opportunities, and ensuring the continued success of the program through recruitment of the best students from across OU's campus.
Robert was an intern in the Fall of 2011 and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Engineering Physics in December of the same year. He is an avid percussionist who especially enjoys marching percussion and drum set. Robert plans to continue on to pursue a PhD in an engineering field and eventually make his living as an engineering design project manager.
Madison Blocker
Fellow
Through her fellowship, Madison helps analyze several internal and external projects for CCEW while serving as a constant mentor to both the team leaders and interns.
Madison was an intern in spring 2010 and recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in International and Area Studies and a minor in Business.
Samantha Toth
Fellow
As a CCEW Fellow, Samantha provides guidance for interns and team leaders in problem-solving, critical analysis and leadership. Samantha was a CCEW intern in fall 2010 and a team leader in spring 2011 and has been intimately involved with the development of CCEW's Social Entrepreneurship program.
After an internship with the U.S. Department of State's Global Entrepreneurship Program, Samantha graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma in August 2011 with degrees in International Security Studies and Economics.
Nanci Eggleston
Administrative Assistant
As the Administrative Assistant for the CCEW office, Nanci is in charge of all logistics for the office and helps to keep the program running at top speed. Nanci has a certification from the U.S. Career Institute-Medical Claims and Billing Specialist.
Before joining the CCEW team, Nanci worked at Graymark Healthcare as the Lead in the Posting department. She improved operational efficiency at Graymark by improving system implementation and training all while approving adjustments and contracting with major healthcare insurance companies. Nanci is also pursuing a degree in Healthcare Administration through Oklahoma State University's Oklahoma City campus. Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, top 3% of class.
Daniel Pullin
Vice President for Strategic Planning and Economic Development and Chairman of CCEW
Daniel Pullin serves as University Vice President for Strategic Planning and Economic Development, University of Oklahoma. Pullin leads OU's strategic planning and economic development efforts, including service as Chairman of OU's Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (CCEW). Pullin also serves as an instructor in OU's Price College of Business, where he received the OU Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
OU's economic development efforts include (1) promoting university/private sector activities, (2) coordinating relationships with local, state and national economic/commerce development organizations, (3) commercializing university-generated intellectual property, and (4) creating new companies via collaborations between faculty, students, and alumni.
Prior to joining OU in 2006, Pullin served as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Home Interiors & Gifts following his tenure at McKinsey & Company, a global consulting firm, and Hicks Muse Tate & Furst, a leading private equity fund.
Pullin serves on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, as well as Southwest Nanotechnologies. Pullin is also on the Board of Advisors for OU's K20 Center and the OU JCPenney Leadership Center.
Pullin, a licensed attorney, holds degrees in accounting, finance and law from OU and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
