Our Team

A woman with short black hair, wearing glasses with round frames, a mustard yellow blazer, and a patterned shirt, sitting inside a vehicle or cafe with a window showing a blurry outdoor scene in the background.

Isabel Wen, Next Economy MBA

Former VC and startup operator turned executive coach for entrepreneurs navigating the complex journey from innovation to sustainable growth. I’ve worked with hundreds of startups from both sides of the table—as an operator who's built and scaled businesses, and as a VC/grantmaker who's sat in closed-door conversations.

I’m an experienced mentor, coach, and advisor for startups in tech, nonprofits, and service-based businesses. I advocate for developing executive leaders and collaborative innovation ecosystems.

As a former nanomaterials scientist, I’ve commercialized products in many industries including biotech, medtech, SaaS, and services and others - from proof of concept through commercialization. I’ve led and advised nonprofits that serve entrepreneurs and business leaders.

I know what the transition from a scientist to a business executive is like because I’ve done it, and I know what the transition from business to startups is like because I’ve done that too. I love being able to help others make the same transition smoothly and learn the culture that isn’t explicitly taught to be able to thrive as an entrepreneur in a high growth industry.

In my spare time, I like to be outdoors hiking, gardening, or traveling. When the weather is bad, I like to cook and craft with crochet, woodworking, and candles.

Master of Business: Next Economy MBA, 2021
Lift Economy

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry (Molecular Synthesis)
University of California, San Diego

Fluent in: English, Mandarin

Awards & Certifications:

Member, 2023-present
Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA)

Rising Leaders, 2025
Leadership Greater Washington

VC University 2024
UC Berkeley Law, National Venture Capital Association, and Venture Forward

Chesapeake Basic Economic Development Course, 2023
Maryland Economic Development Association (IEDC)

MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) Training, 2023
Maryland Tech Council

Ignite Respect Award, 2021
The Center for Respectful Leadership

GRI Certified Training Course based on the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards, 2021
ISOS Group (now Environ Energy)

Data Science for Good, 2020
University of San Diego

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Jordan Miles, MA Strategic Communications

Speech coaching and strategic communications expert, drawing on my experience as a startup co-founder, my 15 years of teaching experience and completion of a Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication at American University. I work with founders to hone their communication skills using evidence-based methods to gain funding, engagement and brand identity.

After a decade of teaching and 6-years managing a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in China before exiting, my Master's in Strategic Communication provides numerous opportunities in technical writing and research while exploring campaigns that span from marketing to public service. My coursework focused on practical speech-writing and executive communications, as well as, multicultural strategic communication campaigns.

Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, camping and gardening just as much as loafing inside reading or watching sports/a movie. Not much of a "no" person, I am always curious to learn something new or go on an unexpected adventure.

Master of Arts: Strategic Communication, 2025
American University

Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, International Relations and Affairs
Minor: Chinese Language
American University

Fluent in: English, Mandarin

Our Affiliations

TEDCO logo with the tagline 'Leading Innovation to Market'.
American University Washington, DC logo with stylized 'A' and 'U' letters in red, white, and blue.
Accelerate Investor Conference 2025 logo with upward trending green arrow integrated into the word 'Accelerate'.
Logo with the words "LIFT" in large white letters on a black background and the word "Economy" in smaller black letters on a white strip below.
Maryland Tech Council logo with text and green leaf icon
WIB Women In Bio logo with the acronym 'WIB' in dark blue and a yellow dot cluster above the 'I', and the words 'Women In Bio' underneath in yellow.
Leadership Greater Washington logo featuring multicolored geometric shapes and purple text.
Logo of the Maryland Innovation Initiative featuring a stylized map of Maryland in gold, with a red swoosh and black text.
Poster with the logo of Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA), featuring text about economic development transforming lives, and a faint map of Maryland in the background.
Logo of VC University with the words 'VC' in dark blue above 'UNIVERSITY' in green.
UC San Diego logo with blue text and gold underline.
Text reading 'A STELLAR CO' in a stylized font with a gradient color in the letter 'O'
NUFE logo with red background, white text, and emblem featuring a rising sun over a bar, representing Nanjing University of Finance & Economics.
Peking University logo with Chinese characters and red banner.
Environ logo with lowercase blue text
A logo with an orange stylized wheat or grain graphic above the words 'TORREY PROJECT' in bold black and orange font.
NanoComposix logo with company slogan
Logo for 'Data Science for Good' program, University of San Diego, Shelley-Marcus School of Engineering, SD Tech Hub
Logo with a circle and the text 'Purchasing with Purpose' in bold.
Logo for the Center for Respectful Leadership, featuring a geometric blue and gray emblem and the text 'CRL The Center for Respectful Leadership'.