About Us

Bala Mulloth is a globally oriented educator who has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America. His focus areas are innovation and social entrepreneurship, and he is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He is also the Co-Founder of Hava, a materials science venture that creates advanced fabrics that help people breathe clean air. In addition to these roles, he is a Research Fellow at the U. S Army Research Laboratory.

He was formerly an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary and the Program Director of CEU’s experiential New York City MBA program; a Visiting Faculty Fellow at the National Defense University; and the Senior Manager of New York University Tandon School of Engineering’s Office of Innovation Development, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship.

He holds a PhD in Technology Management from New York University Tandon School of Engineering. 

Elizabeth Carden is a startup and innovation enthusiast in the Charlottesville community. She studied undergrad at the University of Virginia and attended K-12 at St. Anne's-Belfield School. Elizabeth currently serves as a product management and marketing analyst for Hava Inc. 

Elizabeth will provide relevant insight into the college experience and be a resource for students to ask questions throughout the course. From life as a UVA student, to venture and college essay brainstorming, she is passionate about helping high school students succeed and achieve their goal of continuing their academic careers at the highest level.