Meet the HLV Team

Before founding Hudson Lab School, Cate Han helped startups raise over $100M in early stage capital and worked with entrepreneurs to build company value through mentoring, strategic planning, practical problem solving, and fundraising. Cate began her career as a Quantitative Analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. She co-founded Launch Collective and Learning Pods and set up the finances for Managed by Q. Cate is a Chartered Financial Analyst. She earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Barnard College, and she lives with her husband Stacey and two incredible children.

Stacey Seltzer is a partner at Co-Created, which has launched 110+ new ventures and created $10B+ in enterprise value for global multinational corporations since 2011. Co-Created runs programs for established companies such as LEGO, Newscorp, Verizon, Kaplan and Coca-cola identifying new innovation and business opportunities and creating new adjacent businesses through a proprietary lean incubation process. A startup junkie, Stacey has also worked with numerous startups from Managed by Q to Barkbox, CuteCircuit, Joost and others. Stacey received an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor's degree from Brown University.

Philip is an entrepreneur and product developer at heart - over the past 20 years working at various levels of venture and product development - from strategy and business, to creative, marketing and development - and as a cofounder of Prehype he is creating structures that allow corporations to act in innovative ways to build new businesses. Philip also acts as advisor for several entrepreneurs in their endeavors to start their next venture.

Jerome leads Boston’s innovative civic-tech nonprofit that develops technology that brings transparency to the affordable housing market and promotes housing equity. Jerome brings a wealth of experience working across the non-profit, government, and private sectors. He has led numerous complex, high impact initiatives that drive economic growth and regional development in New York, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Jerome is acclaimed for his innovative approach to housing development, regional collaboration, and data-driven strategies. In his previous role as Executive Vice President and Executive Director at Empire State Development (ESD), Jerome oversaw New York State’s compliance and management of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in state contracting. HIs leadership resulted in over $6 billion in contracts awarded in only two years to MWBEs, surpassing the Governor’s 30% utilization rate goal for the first-time in the program's 35-year history.

Owen is a startup strategist and innovation facilitator with over 15 years of experience working with founders, accelerators, and corporate venture teams. Originally from Australia and now based in Copenhagen, he helps teams navigate uncertainty, test ideas, and move from concept to execution. He has advised and mentored startups across industries, serving on multiple boards and focusing on practical, hands-on support. His work emphasizes critical thinking, fast iteration, and building with purpose. Beyond startups, Owen is a father of three and a strong advocate for progressive education. He has collaborated with institutions like the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, Hyper Island, and the Kolding School of Design, bringing his expertise in strategy and problem-solving to students and emerging entrepreneurs.

As an educator, Grace has a deep commitment to student-centered learning and educational innovation. She has served in a variety of leadership roles in independent schools and has worked alongside school leaders to support academic program design, instructional improvement, and professional learning. She is currently a Learning Guide for students in grades 6–12 at a private school in Texas, where she continues to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful learning experiences. In addition to her work with schools, Grace is passionate about the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence in education. She contributes to the development of AI-informed educational practices and is helping design an AI-native school in the Northeast, with a focus on preparing students and educators for the future of learning.

Lulu is currently a rising sophomore at Columbia University planning to study Human Rights and Psychology. She currently volunteers with Columbia’s Remedy Project chapter, the New York Small Claims Court Advisory Service, and Advent Food Pantry. Outside of school, Lulu has worked with a global organization, Girl Up, for eight years working to empower youth around the world. She also co-founded her own 501(c)(3) organization, The Global ME Foundation, dedicated to achieving menstrual equity, with support from The Experiment Digital Program. In her free time, Lulu enjoys photography, performing arts, sports, and going to the beach. Lulu has lived and gone to school in New York City her entire life, and is eager to show off her city this summer with Hudson Lab Ventures.

Minori is a rising sophomore at Cornell University studying Sustainability and Cognitive Science. Minori also works on programming at WVBR-FM radio, freelances social media work, and enjoys trail maintenance volunteering and painting in free time.

Recipient of the 2019 STEMX Curriculum Design Award, Brian McDonald combines the worlds of engineering, design thinking, and entrepreneurship in the classroom. At the Design Lab at Scarsdale High School, Brian has collaboratively designed a cohesive, authentic, and experiential STEAM program integrating experiential learning and self-reflection. Brian has a BS in Technology Education from SUNY Oswego and an MS in Humanistic and Multicultural Education. 

Serah Lee is a founder and partner at Nolja Play, LLC a puzzle company that blends art, education and storytelling into high quality toys & games. Serah is also an Entrepreneur In Residence at Co-Created a leading Venture Studio that facilitates incubation and venture partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. As Partnership Director at Hudson Lab Ventures, Serah Chae Lee helps cultivate relationships with companies that sponsor real-world innovation challenges for students. She brings an entrepreneurial mindset, thoughtful strategic insight, and a strong ability to connect mission-driven organizations with opportunities to support the next generation of innovators.

Sukhwa Kweon is a leader of a business consulting company, Artinlabs, specializing in helping tech companies (bio, environmental, and IT) target new markets. She has over 15 years of experience as a marketing and application support manager in global companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific and ABSCIEX. Before that, she spent 10 years in lab management and project lead roles at an analytical research institute. She completed her PhD course in GeoEnvironmental Chemistry and holds a master's and bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Korea University.

Sydney was one of the first student leads at Hudson Lab Ventures, where she guided small teams through early-stage innovation sprints focused on topics such as mental health and education. She focused on team building, problem-solving, and hands-on support throughout the program. As a soon-to-be EMT and aspiring entrepreneur, Sydney is interested in health financing and venture capital and will be studying Finance at Boston College. She hopes to combine business with social change, especially in healthcare access and impact investing areas.

An HLV Student Lead, Alicia is dedicated and driven with a strong commitment to continuous growth and excellence. While maintaining a 4.0, she thrives in fast-paced environments, leveraging exceptional listening skills to adapt, learn, and contribute effectively. Alicia is passionate about achieving success through hard work, perseverance, and a proactive approach to challenges.