Raj Veeramani, PhD
Founder and Executive Director, UW E-Business Consortium and UW E-Business Institute
Professor, College of Engineering & School of Business
raj.veeramani@wisc.edu | 608-262-0861

Dr. Raj Veeramani is the Robert Ratner Chair Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with joint appointments in the College of Engineering and the Wisconsin School of Business. He is the Executive Director and founder of the UW E-Business Consortium, established December 1998, and the campus-wide UW E-Business Institute, established October 2003.

Dr. Veeramani is an internationally recognized scholar, educator and business advisor. His expertise runs deep in several areas of business: e-business strategy, supply chain management, RFID technology and applications, IT-business alignment and building customer-centered organizations. Dr. Veeramani is recognized for his practical, real-world perspective. His work has embodied active collaboration with leading companies in a variety of industries, helping them develop e-business strategies and implementation roadmaps.

Dr. Veeramani received his PhD and MS degrees in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison's faculty in 1992.

Beth de Garcia, MBA
Member Relations Director
beth.degarcia@wisc.edu | 608-265-0645

As the Member Relations Director, Beth serves as the primary contact for the consortium. She coordinates the planning and execution of strategies for the consortium's growth and development, as well as member engagement in UWEBC offerings. Beth has a wealth of knowledge and managerial experience across multiple industries including finance, insurance, supply chain software and telecommunications. Most recently, Beth was the Manager of Alternate Channels at TDS Telecom, where she was responsible for the development of the company's alternate residential sales channels on a national level.

Beth holds an MBA degree from Cardinal Stritch University and a BA in Business Management from Alverno College, with a minor in Computer Science.

Roger Paulson, MBA, CME
Managing Practice Director and Customer Service Practice Director
roger.paulson@wisc.edu | 608-261-1161

Roger Paulson directs all aspects of the UWEBC’s Customer Service practice area, as well as overseeing program development and execution for all other UWEBC practice areas.

Roger brings 15 years of diverse business experience to the UWEBC, including eight years as the top marketing and sales leader for an architectural coatings manufacturer and four years as a project consultant for a customer satisfaction measurement firm. His professional background also includes serving for four years as a facilitator for the Minnesota CEO Roundtables and Wisconsin Small Business Development Center's PeerSpectives programs. Both are innovative organizations that facilitate business improvement by providing experience-sharing forums for CEOs and presidents.

Roger holds an MBA in management from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Supply Chain Leadership Certificate from UW-Madison School of Business Executive Education and a Certified Marketing Executive (CME) accreditation conferred by Sales and Marketing Executives International.

Cavinda Caldera, ABD
Information Technology Practice Director
cavinda.caldera@wisc.edu | 608-890-1291

Cavinda Caldera directs the UWEBC's Information Technology practice area.

Cavinda brings extensive experience and expertise in IT strategy, security, governance, change management and IT organizational management. Cavinda has consulted Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies in multiple industries, including financial services, healthcare, defense, transportation and manufacturing.

Cavinda was an assistant professor in Southern Illinois University's School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies. He has a master's in telecommunications management from Western Michigan University and has completed all-but-dissertation PhD studies in information science at Syracuse University. His research has been focused on intellectual property, behavioral information security and IT organizational culture.

Dawn Meier, MBA
Marketing Practice Director
dawn.meier@wisc.edu | 608-265-3299

Dawn Meier directs the UWEBC's Marketing practice area.

Dawn's extensive marketing and communications career was built on transforming companies and brands. Most recently, Dawn worked in the digital marketing space leading the vision, strategy and activation of one of the largest digital marketplace platforms in healthcare for more than 500 hospitals nationwide. Dawn's expertise as a marketing strategist, focused on understanding and influencing consumer behavior across multiple industries. Dawn's diverse background also includes working as the Senior Vice President and Director of Client Services at Lindsay, Stone & Briggs, a leading brand strategy agency, where she was responsible for the joint development and implementation of the agency strategic vision/plan. Dawn earned a BA in Journalism and Psychology and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Wayne Thompson, MBA
Supply Chain Management Practice Director
wayne.thompson@wisc.edu | 608-890-1298

Wayne brings 17 years of experience to the Supply Chain Management practice area. Prior to joining the UWEBC, he served as the Vice President of E-Business at Pacific Cycle where he ran the global logistics and distribution network, which accounted for more than a third of the entire bike industry. Wayne's diverse background includes managing nine facilities and a robust reverse logistics network at Parts Now; leading the start-up team that opened Zulily's fulfillment center in Reno, Nevada; and mining exploration to set up project logistics in remote locations. He also has prior experience in academia, having developed and taught supply chain curriculum to industry professionals. 

Wayne has an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed his undergraduate work at Fleming College in Ontario, Canada.

Jen Anderson
Member Services and Events Manager
jen.anderson@wisc.edu | 608-890-1406

Jen Anderson is the Member Services and Events Manager. Jen has an extensive background in management, event-planning and sales. She has created and managed more than 3,000 events and works with Practice Directors to ensure consistently high-quality events.

Jen has a BBA in Marketing and Sales from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.

Alyssa Greiber, MBA
Member Services and Events Coordinator
alyssa.greiber@wisc.edu | 608-262-1145

Alyssa Greiber is the Member Services and Events Coordinator. She has a strong background in event planning and management. Prior to joining the UWEBC, Alyssa was responsible for coordinating special events and meetings, as well as marketing and communications for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

She has a BA in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.

Lori Wilson
Marketing and Communications Manager
lori.wilson@wisc.edu | 608-890-2449

Lori Wilson brings 10 years of marketing and communications experience in publishing, real estate, and architecture and engineering. Lori also has a background in event-planning, public relations and sales.

Most recently, Lori marketed aviation services for Mead & Hunt, a nationwide architecture and engineering firm. She was responsible for producing winning proposals and interview materials, designing advertisements and sales collateral, and writing and editing compelling technical copy. Prior to Mead & Hunt, Lori marketed homesites across Wisconsin, managing targeted direct mail and email campaigns, coordinating and executing publicity and advertising plans; and creating brands for developments. Lori holds a BA from Kansas State University with a minor in women's studies.

As the Marketing and Communications Manager, Lori leads the UWEBC's communication strategy, production and conference sponsorships.

Nicole Lipp
Marketing and Communications Specialist
nicole.lipp@wisc.edu | 608-262-1476

Nicole Lipp is the Marketing and Communications Specialist, a newly created position to take our marketing and communications to the next level. Nicole's experience includes digital marketing, technical writing and editing, and project management. Prior to joining the UWEBC, Nicole served as a marketing coordinator for an architectural and engineering firm providing marketing and business development services such as proposal development, collateral creation and tradeshow coordination. Nicole's diverse background also includes working on The Red Shirt campaign for the Wisconsin Alumni Association executing marketing plan tactics such as digital marketing and event planning. Nicole has a BA in Communications from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.