SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It was about a month ago when Traci Geisler became director of Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad program, succeeding Linda Dickerson Hartsock in the role. Geisler began her duties March 17. Hartsock — founder and former executive director of the LaunchPad — has transitioned to the role of strategic-initiatives advisor at Syracuse […]
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It was about a month ago when Traci Geisler became director of Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad program, succeeding Linda Dickerson Hartsock in the role.
Geisler began her duties March 17. Hartsock — founder and former executive director of the LaunchPad — has transitioned to the role of strategic-initiatives advisor at Syracuse University Libraries, the university said.
Prior to joining the LaunchPad, Geisler served in an investment, program, and contract-management role at the Tech Garden since 2016. In that position, she provided business-development services to incubator member companies and managed procurement, funding programs, and the incubator’s investment portfolio.
The LaunchPad is “dedicated to inspiring, coaching, and empowering the world’s future innovators through connections with subject-matter experts, coworking space, individualized coaching, alumni and peer mentoring, workshops, professional networking events, demo days and talent fairs, competitions for seed funding, toolkit resources, technology platforms, access to accelerators and innovation grant funding,” per the Syracuse University announcement.
In her role as director of the LaunchPad, Geisler is responsible for creating programs and services that support Syracuse students, faculty, staff and alumni across all disciplines. This includes entrepreneurship resources for those who want to build and create, as well as intrapreneurship resources for those who want to strengthen leaderships skills.
“We’re thrilled to have someone with Traci Geisler’s experience and skills join Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad as the new director. Linda Dickerson Hartsock created a communal hub for student entrepreneurs that is well known across the region and has allowed the Libraries to serve Syracuse University’s schools and colleges in their various innovation programs, bringing new energy and capacity to entrepreneurship,” David Seaman, dean of the Libraries, university librarian, and interim dean of the School of Information Studies, said. “Having Traci now in this role will ensure the LaunchPad continues to evolve and grow organically. Traci’s background and connections will add another layer of depth that will translate to more opportunities for our student entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives.”
Geisler has more than 25 years of experience in corporate and finance law in 10 countries. She began her career in communications and sports/entertainment after graduating with a dual degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University.
She obtained her MBA from the City University of New York and her law degree from New York Law School.