I am pleased to share that the NSF has approved our Hub Director leadership transition plan.

We are fortunate to have Zachary Holman and Leith Martin stepping in as Hub Co-Directors effective May 1, 2026. They will also continue to concurrently serve in their roles as Hub Tech Scout Lead (Zachary) and Hub Lead Instructor (Leith).

Zachary Holman serves as Vice Dean for Research and Innovation for the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University where he is also appointed as Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering. Zachary was a National I-Corps Teams participant, served as the ASU I-Corps Hub Faculty Lead in 2023 and 2024, and serves as the Hub Tech Scout Lead since January 2026. He is the co-founder of three start-up companies based on ASU research: Swift Coat, Sunflex Solar, and Beyond Silicon.

Leith Martin serves as the Executive Director of the Troesh Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Lee Business School at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Leith led the UNLV I-Corps program as a Site, is an active Hub regional instructor and is a certified national instructor. Leith has served as Hub Lead Instructor since January 2025. He has been a founder or co-founder of several start-up companies and is an investor.

Zachary and Leith’s shared leadership will ensure continuity and progress toward our goals as a Hub.

Let me express my thanks to Ji Mi Choi who led the proposal development for this Hub and has served as Hub Director since its inception in January 2023. She also led as the Hub Lead Instructor for our first two years. Ji Mi has been an exceptional leader who built a strong foundation for our future success.  

This transition comes at a pivotal time for the remaining year and a half on the award and as we look to possible renewal. I am grateful to all of you for your continued engagement and support for the I-Corps Hub for our shared success.

Please join me in welcoming Zachary and Leith in their additional leadership roles and thanking Ji Mi for her service as she winds up her 10+ years career at ASU; her last day at ASU will be May 31.

Nancy Gonzales
University Provost and Executive Vice President, Arizona State University
NSF I-Corps Hub: Desert and Pacific Region Principal Investigator