Meet Team LOVA
Meet Minsoo L., Catherine O., Hana V., and Katerina A., also known as Team LOVA! From Big Pharma to restaurants, from project management to fundraising, Team LOVA’s experiences and expertise couldn’t be more different. But in spite of our differences, what ties us together are shared values, a passion for driving positive change through business, mutual respect, and the sense of humor needed to navigate the surprises coming our way on the Road!
Team LOVA’s vision is to partner with entrepreneurs working to build resources and uplift people throughout the Appalachian region. We want to support places and spaces that are oftentimes neglected by public attention, yet face urgent challenges — from the opiod epidemic to environmental impacts of coal mining. We’re excited to bring to bear our depth of experience across many industries and functions to help our entrepreneur partners manage and grow their businesses — while learning a great deal from them in the process.
TEAM BIOS
Minsoo Lyo graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Subsequently, Minsoo embarked on a varied and meandering career, working with an NGO in D.C., running a British gastropub in Seoul, and developing diagnostic devices at a medtech startup. He is passionate about healthcare and hopes to be at the forefront of innovations that will harness technology to improve access and outcomes. To this end, he is involved with the Social Venture Fund at Ross, in search of impactful companies in the healthcare space, and with Sling Health to develop (and hopefully commercialize) a device for catheter aspiration. Through Open Road @ Ross, Minsoo is excited to work with fellow entrepreneurs who are committed to creating businesses that deliver on more than just the bottom line. He is also Korean-American-British, a wannabe gastronome, and likes sports and the color black.
Catherine O’Donnell A Midwesterner through and through, Catherine grew up in Arlington Heights, IL, a suburb of Chicago. Prior to Ross, she worked in human resources at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis. In the community of Indianapolis, she volunteered at School on Wheels, providing one-on-one tutoring to students experiencing homelessness, and served on the board of the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Catherine graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in Honors Anthropology. Catherine is passionate about sharing the power of positive organizational scholarship with the people and teams that she encounters. Outside of class, Catherine enjoys listening to podcasts, discovering new sour beers, and taking scenic walks with her dog, Rooney. Motivated by her father’s experience as a small business owner, Catherine is excited to use the skills she has learned in the Ross MBA to provide meaningful solutions to entrepreneurs.
Hana Viswanathan Hana aspires to live a compassionate life in service of her communities, and she is excited to work with entrepreneurs on Open Road @ Ross to this end. Prior to joining Michigan Ross, she was a fundraising professional, partnering with NGOs and philanthropists to move the needle on human rights issues such as education, hunger, and human trafficking. Post-MBA, Hana hopes to leverage Responsible Investing and business best practices from the private sector to help transform the social sector. At Ross, she is learning how to invest in socially-responsible, for-profit businesses as a member of the Social Venture Fund; learning how to cultivate flourishing organizations as a +Lab Fellow with the Center for Positive Organizations; and stretching her leadership skills as Co-President of Michigan Business Women. She is also fiercely committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and standing alongside historically oppressed groups. Hana holds a Bachelor’s from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a proud Washington, D.C. native and is obsessed with her faith, outdoor adventures, game nights, and trying new restaurants (especially ramen!).
Katerina Athanasiou is driven by a commitment to public service. She is passionate about cities, technology, and improving quality of life for all. Prior to Ross, she worked as an urban planner for New York City Parks and briefly in corporate social responsibility and NBCUniversal. While living in New York, Katerina led volunteer community gardening groups through New York Cares as well as the Cypriot Young Professionals of the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce. Post-MBA, Katerina hopes to spend her career commercializing technologies that help combat climate change and improve cities. Through Open Road, Katerina is excited to put her business school education to good use by serving the Appalachian community. Katerina graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional studies. Outside of class, Katerina enjoys cooking for friends, rewatching West Wing, and searching for the most delicious cup of coffee.
