Our People — VertueLab

As a climate tech founder herself, Aina brings experiences spanning executive leadership, brand strategy, entrepreneurship, innovation, fundraising, finance, partnerships, start-up mentorship, social strategy, community impact, and a heart full of commitment and leadership of equity & justice in the climate space. With a Masters of Fine Arts from UCLA’s film school, Aina also brings unique talent and years of experience in storytelling, especially with regards to underrepresented voices and social impact.
She has worked globally, and notably was the first Black woman to run a venture-backed tech company in Germany. Many of her thought leadership pieces have been featured across various channels, including PBS, Forbes, Tech Open Air, The Guggenheim Museum, California Institute of The Arts, and SXSW, to name a few.

Felicia has worked in non-profit and mission-driven organizations for over seven years.She finds it incredibly rewarding to help organizations intent on changing the world for the better tackle financial and accounting issues, with a focus on long term fiscal sustainability. She also manages the day to day operations of the company to help ensure things run smoothly behind the scenes. When Felicia isn't reviewing budgets or crunching numbers for VertueLab, you can find her making ceramics and blending scents for her home wares side business, fei goods!

As the Grants & Fundraising Manager, Joy is responsible for VertueLab’s portfolio of institutional funding partnerships including foundations, government entities and corporate foundation. She partners with the Director of Strategic Partnerships and leadership team to scale our work across the Pacific Northwest Region in efforts to meet the demand for our services and the urgency of the climate crisis. Joy holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Arizona State University. In her free time, she loves cooking, climbing, hiking and giving her cat the attention that she so adamantly demands.

Leo Ochoa is a designer, inventor and entrepreneur; from an immigrant family growing up in rural Oregon, he discovered early on that he wanted to solve big problems. He holds several design degrees and utility patents which have inspired him to build his company Dorsum, focused on creating wearable body supports to improve people’s posture, health and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
With Design, Ethnic Studies, and Business degrees from the University of Oregon and Industrial Design studies from Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, Leo has worked for Columbia Sportswear & Philips Healthtech Innovation Center in Seattle leading projects through design, engineering and manufacturing. While building his startup Leo has been part of Portland incubators and accelerator programs. Knowing first hand the struggle of launching a product, he continues to lead by showing the way and previously was teaching Design Thinking and Business Modeling for Portland State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship.

Mike Witteman is an Entrepreneur in Residence at VertueLab. He is a transformational leader with a 30+ year track record of bringing new technologies to market. He pioneered the Intel Labs Venturing Program which created “startups” within Intel in Silicon Photonics, Maker products, and more. He also established a program to invest in early-stage startups emerging from Intel's university collaborations. His areas of expertise include: new business creation, venturing, product & technology strategy, partner collaboration, and corporate strategy. Mike led efforts in wireless, optical, data analytics, streaming media, videoconferencing, and embedded computing. He holds a BS from Oregon State University and an MBA from Duke University

Jacqueline is a second-generation Mexican American born and raised in the Willamette Valley. She obtained her bachelor’s degree at Portland State University where she studied Sociology and Business Administration. Jacqueline brings her experience in legal and business administration. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring Portland’s culinary scene with her husband or spending time with her family.
“As a woman of color, I am intimately acquainted with the daily challenges life presents. Every ounce of energy, time, and effort I've invested has shaped my lived experience and the person I am today. Instead of fearing mistakes, I choose to embrace them, reframing adversities as opportunities for growth. Whether in my personal or professional life, I live by the mantra of seeking learning opportunities and confronting challenges with unwavering determination.”

Phoebe Stein is a recent graduate from Wesleyan University with a passion for environmental nonprofit work. She majored in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, and spent her time at University working at a no-till farm and volunteering with the development departments of a local nonprofits. Phoebe has joined the team as a Communications Assistant, helping to amplify and support the mission of VertueLab and its incredible entrepreneurs.

Questions? Contact: info@vertuelab.org