Larta Management

Rohit Shukla
Mr. Shukla is an established thought leader and respected practitioner on innovation, commercialization, and enterprise and technology-led economic development.  He has advised governments, multilateral organizations, communities and enterprises throughout the world, creating initiatives that expand entrepreneurship, promote commercialization and enhance the competitiveness of regions across many parts of the globe. In founding and growing Larta Institute to institutionalize the work he has pioneered, he has developed a reputation and expertise in the commercialization of innovations emerging from government-funded initiatives, research institutes, universities and larger companies in the private sector.

His role in authoring and creating the commercialization assistance program initiatives at major U.S. federal agencies has led to a well-documented increase in sustainable, market-based innovations in the U.S. and has led to his being sought after as an adviser and confidant of governments and private institutions.  These include most recently, Malaysia, in addition to Israel, the Middle East, New Zealand, Australia and other countries scattered in Europe and Asia.

Early in his 20 year career devoted to envisioning and creating innovation policy and initiatives, he was tapped by the State of California to author and develop its innovation and entrepreneurship initiative, the California Technology Investment Partnership (CalTIP), and helped to write the legislation that brought the program into being in California, years before the technology-led boom in Silicon Valley.  Since then, he has expanded the scope and scale of his work, writing on venture capital, sector-led innovation in wireless, telecom and the life sciences and on entrepreneurship, research-based enterprises, commercialization and government policy. As an advisor to the OECD, he recently led a multi-country study project on intellectual property as it affects the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, focused on harmonization of IP policies and practices. As an advisor to the Government of Malaysia, he helped to influence policy on incentives and initiatives focused on agriculture- and biotech-led entrepreneurship. In technology transfer, he was one of the first thought leaders to promote policies oriented toward the development of “bundled” IP between research institutions and universities.  The latter led to Larta Institute’s collaboration with the Kauffman Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) on approaches to problem-resolution for industry needs through a wide-ranging examination of university-derived IP from multiple institutions. He has also taught entrepreneurship to managers and startup companies, and developed and taught the first course on Startup Management for Pepperdine University’s MBA program at the Graziadio School of Business and Management in Malibu, California.

His grasp and command of key issues and concerns in several industries has led to a unique and varied career.  He directed a prominent group of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in the defense electronics and aerospace industries in the U.S., counting among his associates the great Peter Drucker, Bill Perry (who later became the U.S. Secretary of Defense), Malcolm Currie, CEO of Hughes and other luminaries. He created and managed the first “defense adjustment” program derived from policy advice he provided to the Clinton Administration in the early 1990s.  He was an entrepreneur himself, founding two companies in the information technology and information processing industries prior to the Internet boom.

He has a Master’s in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University, England, and a Master’s in Communications Arts and Sciences from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. He speaks to audiences around the world on subjects ranging from commercialization and innovation to globalization and entrepreneurship.

Constanza Pachon
Constanza Pachon is the Chief Operating Officer at Larta Institute. Constanza oversees the creation and implementation of strategies for the internal and external development of the organization. In addition, Constanza manages the design, operation, and improvement of Larta's various technology commercialization programs and innovation policy advisory services. Constanza has been part of Larta’s senior management team since 2004.

Prior to joining Larta, Constanza worked with the Los Angeles Mayor's Office of International Trade developing programs to improve the competitiveness of Los Angeles based companies. Constanza also worked closely with the Mayor's International Trade Advisory Board to develop sales missions, trade shows and other trade related events. Prior to the Mayor's Office, Constanza worked with the World Trade Centre Association in Los Angeles developing analytical papers on international trade, and identifying high potential companies in the region.

Constanza received her Masters in Economics from Javeriana University in her native country Colombia; where she also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. She moved to the United States to attend the UCLA, where she specialized in international trade and commerce. Constanza has also recently completed her MBA at The Anderson School of Management at the UCLA.

Before moving to Los Angeles, Constanza worked for The United Nations Development Programme in Colombia developing and implementing self-sustainable production projects for violence-displaced communities. She also worked as an economic research specialist for a Colombian private consulting firm where she prepared analytical research papers on economic growth and development for the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America.

Through her work at Larta, Constanza has had direct involvement with hundreds of US Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grantees; and several emerging companies in countries such as Malaysia, Brazil, New Zealand, Canada, Russia and others. Constanza has also explored the innovation models and ecosystems in these and other countries, including Argentina, The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Through these exchanges, Constanza has had the opportunity to share Larta's experience and expertise on innovation policy formation and business assistance to emerging entrepreneurs. Constanza’s background in economic development has been instrumental in the design of programs to enhance economic growth in various regions through the promotion of knowledge-based economies.

Constanza is bilingual English/Spanish, and has a conversational level of Portuguese. She has visited over twenty countries, lived in three and conducted business in ten. Constanza is happily married and lives in Orange Country, California.

Carlos Gutierrez
Carlos Gutierrez is the Chief Strategy Officer at Larta Institute.  He oversees all aspects of client and partner development and strategic positioning of the organization.  He is responsible for initiating, securing, and growing client relationships and alliances in the U.S. and around the world to build Larta’s network and stature as a leading innovation hub.  He also develops initial program content/design and contributes to ensure successful execution of client initiatives in the areas of technology commercialization, technology transfer, and advisory services related to innovation policy and technology-led economic development.

Previously, Carlos was an early part of the management team and Director of Business Development for Firstlook.com, an idealab! venture-backed startup digital media company whose investors included Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, Goldman Sachs, Intel Capital, and Cox Communications.  At the company, he was responsible for executing the business model, securing flagship customers, monitoring program deployments, and managing a small team. Prior to Firstlook, he served as Sales & Marketing Manager for latimes.com, the online portal for the Los Angeles Times, where he was responsible for growing advertising revenue, new product creation, and positioning the product to agencies, customers, and key stakeholders in the online media community.

At Larta Institute, Carlos has led strategic efforts to initiate, nurture, and secure engagements with several leading federal agencies that support R&D-driven ventures under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.  Clients include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST), and the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) of the Department of Defense.  On a global scale, he has similarly led efforts to develop programmatic relationships with governments and innovation agencies around the world to support ecosystems of innovation and the global competitiveness of entrepreneurs in their region.  Countries and client partners include; Japan (Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry), Russia (under DOE non proliferation program support), Malaysia (Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation), Brazil (Agency for Industrial Development), and others including Canada and New Zealand.  He has also served as a consultant to the World Bank on an STI (Science, Technology, Innovation) mission to Croatia focused on assessing innovation policy, capital infrastructure, and government mechanisms/programs to support high technology entrepreneurs. Within industry, he was responsible for launching and developing Larta’s Industry Advisory Board; a group that now numbers 50+ senior executives and technology scouts across 4 technology sectors (agbiotech, ICT, life sciences, and advanced materials).  Advisory Board members include BASF, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing, Merck, Pfizer, Dow, Schlumberger, Monsanto, Nestle, Genentech, Medtronic, Honda, Allergan, 3M, and others.  He has also served as a speaker and moderator at the SBIR National Conference on the commercialization of government-supported R&D and World Bank briefings on similar subject matter.  

Carlos has a B.S. degree in Marketing and Business Administration from Cal State University, Northridge, and an MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC).

Carlos is bilingual in English/Spanish. He lives in Southern California and can be seen on weekends fully immersed in family activities with his wife Jeanette and their three children.

Judy Hsieh
Judy Hsieh is a Programs Manager at Larta Institute. In this capacity, Judy leads the team in charge of the planning, development and execution of Larta Institute's NIH-CAP. The National Institutes of Health Commercialization Assistance Program (NIH-CAP) assists NIH SBIR Phase II awardees in commercializing their promising technologies. Judy directly oversees communications with NIH-CAP participants, coordinates expert mentoring and program events, and develops relationships with major players in the Life Science industry on behalf of the NIH-CAP. Judy has been part of the Larta team since April 2008.

Prior to joining Larta, Judy worked for Kaiser Permanente where she was responsible for the successful implementation and on-going support of various health-care related applications. Judy worked towards the fulfillment of Kaiser's corporate strategic goals, while making sure that the administrative, clinical and/or financial objectives of the applications user were meet.

Judy earned her Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Change Management from Pepperdine University. She is also a graduate of the University of Redlands, where she earned a Bachelor in Biology.

Mike Rudis
As Program Manger of External Relations, Mike develops and nurtures strategies for Larta’s positioning and visibility.  This includes the planning, management and execution of marketing, communications and branding strategies.

As part of these strategies, Mike drives Larta’s planning of the annual Ag Innovation Showcase (AgShowcase.com) and related year-round activities.  The Ag Innovation Showcase is a premier agricultural technology conference presented in partnership with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO.

Prior to moving to the External Relations team, Mike served as a Programs Associate at Larta Institute.  Working with Larta’s National Science Foundation Commercialization Assistance Program, or NSF-CAP1, Mike facilitated the program to assist NSF SBIR and STTR Phase I grantees in their commercialization efforts. A professional interest in entrepreneurship led him to Larta where he started as a Programs Intern.

Mike received his education from the USC Marshall School of Business where he concentrated in Operations Management and Strategic Management. His coursework in Technology Enabled Global Business, Marketing Analysis and Strategy, and Communication Strategy in Business have provided Mike with a great foundation for his work with Larta.

Ana Maria Vargas
As an Assistant Program Manager, Ana M. Vargas assists in all aspects of program planning, development, and delivery of Commercialization Assistance Programs designed to assist entrepreneurs funded by US Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. Ana also supports other projects within Larta and with clients such as Southern California Edison.

Prior joining Larta, Ana performed academic research on topics relevant to Agriculture and Health. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Rosario University in Bogota, Colombia. She moved to Los Angeles in 2007 where she has received additional education training in strategic marketing, business administration and communication.

Marco Henkel
Marco Henkel is one of Larta Institute's Programs Associates. Marco contributes to Larta's various technology commercialization programs, including the National Institutes of Health Commercialization Assistance Program (NIH-CAP), and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center Commercialization Assistance Program (TATRC-CAP). His core duties include assisting with the planning, development and executions of events related to the programs, and communicate with the CAP companies, advisors and other personnel involved in the program.  Marco joined the Larta team in 2010.

Marco moved to Los Angeles from Germany in 2006, and received his education from California State University, Northridge where he obtained his degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Before attending CSU Northridge, Marco also took coursework at Los Angeles City College, and at University of Applied Sciences in Brandenburg, Germany.

Rebecca Lauber
Rebecca joined Larta in 2010 as a Programs and Business Development Associate. She is responsible for expanding client, sponsor, and industry networks, as well as supporting proposal development.

Rebecca graduated from the University of Southern California in 2010 with degrees in International Relations and Spanish. Before coming to Larta, Rebecca worked with Los Angeles area non-profit organizations as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service. In early 2010, Rebecca traveled with HAD Assistance to Guatemala to expand the non-profit’s support of microenterprises in the country.

Ashley Molina
As the Operations Coordinator, Ashley assists Larta Institute in the planning and management of the organization’s internal operations. She contributes to the organization in the areas of finance, administration, and human resources. Ashley joined the Larta team in 2011.

Prior to joining Larta, Ashley worked at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority where she served as a Communications Analyst. While at Metro Ashley worked on business mitigation opportunities, along with helping bridge the gap between the community and construction teams during the completion of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension.

Ashley received her education from the University of Southern California with degrees in Public Policy, Management and Planning and International Relations.

Arianne Ortegaray
As a Junior Programs Associate at Larta Institute, Arianne contributes to the management of various commercialization assistance programs managed by Larta on behalf of US Federal Agencies such as USDA, NSF and NIH. These programs assist emerging entrepreneurs and companies that have received SBIR grants from the goverment to develop innovative technologies. In her role, Arianne assists in all aspects of program timeline and deliverables planning, entrepreneur support, event management, mentors and advisors management; all vital to the smooth execution of Larta’s programs.

Arianne is currently a senior at the University of Southern California, studying Business Administration with a concentration in Global Marketing. During her undergraduate studies, Arianne studied abroad in Brazil, where she lived and studied at EcoCentro IPEC, an ecovillage. In Brazil, she gained hands-on experience in permaculture, agriculture, renewable energy, international development and sustainability. Prior to joining the Larta team, Arianne worked on business development and marketing for NICAS, a Los Angeles based newspaper focused towards a Nicaraguan audience.

Nandini Taneja
As Program Associate of External Relations, Nandini assists in all aspects of planning, development and delivery of Larta Institute’s marketing, branding & communications efforts. This includes editorial contributions to Larta's newsletter, VOX.

She is also involved with the planning and execution of the annual Ag Innovation Showcase (AgShowcase.com).  The Ag Innovation Showcase is a premier agricultural technology conference presented in partnership with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO.

Nandini moved to Los Angeles from India in 2007, and received her Bachelors in Economics and Psychology from UCLA.  

Michael Tecson
Michael Tecson is the Web Developer at Larta Institute responsible for architecting the Larta portal and managing its information.  He also develops and maintains Larta's websites and servers, along with supporting the team with any IT issues.  Michael has been part of the Larta team since 2006.

Michael received his MS in Computer Science from the University of Southern California and his BS in Computer Science from California State University of San Bernardino.  Michael is happily married and lives in Ontario, California.