Eric is an economic development leader with experience spanning the private sector, federal and municipal government, and academia. He currently serves as the Managing Director at the Alliance for Southern California Innovation where he leads capital access, thought leadership, and innovation community building efforts with startup communities, local government, and community partners. Eric is a member of the Catalyst Venture Fund Investment Committee.Before joining the Alliance, Eric grew the Government Relations team at startup electric scooter company Bird and expanded operations domestically and internationally. Previously, Eric served as Director of International Trade and Investment on behalf of the Mayor of Los Angeles. In this role, Eric increased international business activity, facilitated the import and export of goods, and attracted investment. Eric also served in the U.S. federal government as an Advisor for Strategic Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State, where he collaborated with U.S.-based entrepreneurs, firms, and universities with interests in South and Central Asia. In a prior role, Eric represented the U.S. Small Business Administration with the startup community and improved the overall performance of a $4.5 billion federal SBIR program that funds early stage technology companies.Eric holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, where his research focused on innovation ecosystems, industrial policy, and globalization.