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.

Antonia Dean is Director of Startup Pipeline Diversity for Comcast Strategic Development. In that role, she works to ensure that the startup founders engaged with Comcast are as diverse as its customer base. Antonia turned down a career in corporate law after graduating from Harvard Law School to work in the cosmetics industry. She helped build some of today’s most well-known and profitable cosmetics brands, including Calvin Klein Fragrances, Michael Kors, Vera Wang, and Le Labo, before she was bitten by the startup bug. Prior to joining Comcast, Antonia helped recent college graduates build their own businesses at Venture For America and led engagements at Archetype Solutions Group, a venture fund, and consultancy.

Isaiah Jenkins is the Senior Manager, Startup Programming & Employee Engagement at Comcast NBCUniversal. In that role, he is working to help educate, support, and inspire the next wave of founders through LIFT Labs. Isaiah works with national partners to develop dynamic programming, mentorship opportunities, and LIVE@LIFT events. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and is an alumni of the DiverseForce on Board Professional Development at the University of Pennsylvania. He also founded and led ​​IMJ Productions and worked with the Philadelphia Youth Network, NJ LEEP, Inc. at Seton Hall Law School, and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.

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.

Tito Obaisi is a Market Intelligence Analyst with 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.

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.

Zach Santo is Marketing Coordinator at Comcast NBCUniversal. In that role, he works to spread the word about LIFT Labs as a leader in tech entrepreneurship. After nearly 10 years working in the food and beverage industry, Zach took his experience and love of travel to a leading national travel and tourism publisher. He managed the operations, events, and industry relations for multiple major U.S. markets and helped expand readership while expertly managing budgets. Zach thrives on the creative experience, organization, and finding the most productive process for all things.