Judith Sheft is the Executive Director of the NJ Commission of Science, Innovation and Technology. The Commission’s mission is to accelerate economic development through science, innovation and technology by stimulating academic-industrial collaboration, encouraging and supporting entrepreneurs and inventors. Previously she was involved with regional economic and cluster development at the New Jersey Innovation Institute @ NJIT for managing the HealthIT Connections entrepreneurial cluster development program, the NJIT I-Corps Site and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center. She has been engaged with technology /IP innovation and commercialization efforts working with faculty and students to create startup companies and establishing licensing relationships with corporate partners. She advised external startups at NJIT’s high technology / life sciences business accelerator/incubator. She is a former member of the NJ – Israel Commission and serves on the Board of Greater Newark Enterprise Corporation, StartUp Newark, Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corporation, Einstein’s Alley, SheTek and NJEDA Technology Advisory Board.