GO Topeka Announces New Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Small Business Laurie Pieper, Ph.D.

GO Topeka announced today that Laurie Pieper, Ph.D., has assumed the position of Vice-President of Entrepreneurship & Small Business. Within this position, Pieper will manage programming designed to support entrepreneurs and innovators and support the SVP Innovation to establish and foster relationships with local, regional and national partners.

“I’ve had a great working relationship with GO Topeka in the past and I’m excited to start engaging with Topeka’s diverse community of small business and entrepreneurship,” said Laurie Pieper, Ph.D., VP of entrepreneurship & small business, GO Topeka.

Pieper comes to GO Topeka from the Washburn University BRITE Center, where she served as Director. Prior to this she was the Assistant Director of America’s Small Business Development Center at Washburn University. Pieper possesses extensive experience in small business development in addition to multiple years of experience as a university professor at Kansas State University, University of Oregon and University of California, Los Angeles. She received her B.A. at Clark University and her M.A. and Ph.D. at UCLA. Pieper received her title as a Certified Global Business Professional from NASBITE International.

“I’m overjoyed to have Laurie on board,” said Katrin Bridges, senior vice-president of innovation, GO Topeka. “With Topeka’s new emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship as a tool to create jobs and attract capital investments, Laurie will utilize her robust skillset to directly engage all critical facets of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including growth oriented small businesses, startups and innovative organizations.”