Entrepreneurship
is in our DNA

Aize Asowata is the Senior Marketing Manager at Comcast NBCUniversal. In this role, she is establishing LIFT Labs as the expert in tech entrepreneurship, the champion of startups, and the desired destination for startup content. She is the co-creator and producer of three-part docuseries, Founding in Color—the story of nine Black and Latino founders and their journey through entrepreneurship. She is a member of For(bes) The Culture. She has previously executed digital campaigns for Serena Williams’ HSN line Signature Statement, Toyota Music for The 60th Annual Grammy Awards, 2 Chainz, John Legend, and more.

Allison Bishop is Program Manager at Comcast NBCUniversal. In that role, she coordinates and manages projects for the LIFT Labs team, ensuring that all stakeholders stay on track and meet deadlines. She also serves as the Community Manager at LIFT Labs, supporting programming/events as well as giving tours of the space to create a welcoming environment. Allison previously served in manager roles with Stockton & Partners Meetings and Events, Marriott International, Independence Visitor Center Corporation, and GEP Destination Management.

Luke Butler is an Executive Director of Startup Engagement for Comcast NBCUniversal. He leads the LIFT Labs Accelerator and programming for startups interested in working with and accessing opportunities at Comcast NBCUniversal. Luke previously led strategy and operations at venture-backed startup Curalate and served as Special Assistant to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor. He has served on the boards of Philly Startup Leaders and World Café Live and the GreenLight Fund’s Selection Advisory Council.

Tykia McWilliams is the Marketing Manager with the Startup Engagement Team at Comcast NBC Universal. In this role, she amplifies LIFT Labs’ brand and portfolio through compelling marketing campaigns. She is a detailed-oriented digital marketing professional with years of experience specializing in social media management, brand partnerships, PR, and events coordination. She has previously held marketing and business development positions with Vanguard, Fanatics, AOI Events and PR, and NSM Insurance Group. Before joining the Startup Engagement team, Tykia worked on the Xfinity Brand IMC account, building tv, radio, print, and digital ads. Tykia graduated from Penn State University with a B.A. in Public Relations and a minor in African American studies.

Tito Obaisi is the Senior Manager of Pipeline and Insights for the Startup Engagement Team at Comcast NBCUniversal. He has experience in growth, product, operations, and expansion strategy at early-stage startups across various industries, including digital health, Web3, supply chain logistics, and food sustainability. Tito has worked with numerous founders as a venture partner with GoingVC Partners and a freelance business strategy consultant. As the Founder and Principal of TTOX, Tito guided first-time entrepreneurs through developing business plans, conducting market research, developing buyer personas, go-to-market strategies, and more. Tito graduated with a B.A. in Government, Economics, and Philosophy and a M.A. in International Business & Policy from Georgetown University. He also completed post-graduate Social Innovation Management studies at the Amani Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil. An avid soccer fan, Tito has spent seven years as a weekly contributor to SB Nation's Liverpool FC blog delivering team news, opinion, and analysis.

Laura Plunkett is an Executive Director of Startup Engagement at Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. In this role, she bridges Comcast and the startup ecosystem to identify opportunities that accelerate innovation to meet customer needs. Her experience in corporate development—including new market entry, new product/service development, technology commercialization, route to market optimization—enables her to forge pathways to cooperation between Comcast NBCUniversal and startups worldwide. She previously worked in finance and strategy roles with Saint-Gobain, CertainTeed, and more.

Kristina Rahusen is the Manager of Startup Engagement at Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. In this role, she supports the LIFT Labs Accelerator Programs, helping to cultivate relationships between Founders and Leaders throughout Comcast NBCUniversal to accelerate innovation. She is no stranger to cross-functional collaboration as she previously served as the Program Manager for Comcast’s enterprise-wide internal controls over financial reporting. Kristina holds a B.S. in accounting and an MBA from Jefferson University.

Katie Teuber is the Director of Startup Engagement at Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. In that role, she drives business development opportunities and innovation for Comcast NBCUniversal brands and businesses through Startup Engagement. Katie collaborates with internal stakeholders to define, develop and test specific innovation opportunities generated through the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator.