Garret Westlake, Ph.D.

Executive Director, The da Vinci Center, Virginia Commonwealth University  

Innovation Catalyst & Champion of Student Entrepreneurs

Dr. Garret Westlake is heading the transformation of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) into one of the nation’s leading universities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, innovation, and the inclusion of entrepreneurial thinking as a requisite skill for the innovation economy.  

As executive director of the da Vinci Center, Dr. Westlake advances university-wide student innovation and entrepreneurship, through curriculum and curated experiential education opportunities. 

  • As a technology entrepreneur, Dr. Westlake founded a social impact company that employed individuals with autism in STEM. Prior to joining VCU, Dr. Westlake served as the associate dean of student entrepreneurship for Arizona State University’s No. 1 ranked Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

    He has worked closely with Ashoka U, the Clinton Global Initiative University, and for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Students and startups under his mentorship have been named to Forbes 30 Under 30 for Healthcare Innovation, awarded Rhodes Scholarships, named Resolution Project Fellows, and accepted to SXSW and Y Combinator.