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Mentors in Residence
Duke I&E Mentors in Residence are a small group of seasoned entrepreneurs who have started and scaled various types of ventures. Duke students can schedule 1:1 time with a mentor to discuss venture ideas, learn how to talk to potential customers, gain access to additional support resources, and ideate on next steps for growing your venture or innovation.
Jessica Mitsch Homes is currently a Senior Sales Director for Vaco, a global professional services and talent solutions firm based in Nashville, TN. Prior to joining Vaco, Jessica co-founded and served as the CEO of Momentum, a North Carolina-based training and talent development company, from 2017-2024. She was at the forefront of the coding bootcamp movement and workforce development for the tech industry. As CEO of Momentum, Jessica raised over $3 million in venture funding and has worked with over 120 tech companies. Previously, she held multiple roles at Red Hat (NYSE: RHT, acquired by IBM) and served on the executive team of The Iron Yard, a pioneering tech education company backed by Apollo Education. Jessica serves on the board of District C, a non-profit focused on preparing teens for future work challenges, and is a founding member of Raleigh-Durham Startup Week.
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Michelle Addison MBA ’23 brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as Mentor in Residence at Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship, where she helps students and alumni accelerate entrepreneurial ventures. She also serves as Director of Venture Design at GuideWell, guiding teams through end-to-end transformative innovation in the health solutions space. As the founder and CEO of Allergood, Michelle has transformed dining for people with dietary restrictions through her innovative B2B software. Her entrepreneurial journey includes founding South Florida Dental Sleep Center and Tots in Bloom, as well as practicing corporate law at leading firms. Michelle has participated in prestigious accelerator programs including Visible Hands, sponsored by Google for Startups, and was recognized as a “Latina Disruptor in Tech” in 2022 by the Deal MakeHERS. An alumna of Northwestern University for both her undergraduate and law degrees, Michelle completed her MBA at Duke in 2023 and joined the Blue Devil family.
Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship
Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship are dedicated volunteers who offer valuable advice, connections, and ad hoc support to alumni and students during weekly 1:1 office hours. These seasoned entrepreneurs and innovators are committed to supporting others on their entrepreneurship journey, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the Duke community, and building and strengthening the Duke I&E Network.
Ask a Blue Devil
Use a simple form to ask a question, seek advice, or request introductions, and Ask a Blue Devil’s AI technology will match you up with experts from the 185,000-strong Duke alumni community.