Meet The Team

Dr. Paul Robinson is dedicated to expediting the development of innovative technologies in the resilience sector. Funded at $10M, RISE grows resilience-related businesses in the coastal Virginia region and assists in access to the worldwide market for their technologies.

Dr. Robinson is the founder and CEO of AeroTech Research, a company specializing in weather hazard detection for aircraft. He is also Senior Advisor to Focus Investment Bank in the areas of government, aerospace and defense. He is also a member of a local angel investment groups 757 Angels and Abundance 360, and works with several startups in technical and managerial roles.

Dr. Katerina Oskarsson works as a consultant to NATO and as the Adjunct Assistant Professor at Old Dominion University. Previously, she was the Deputy Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Norfolk where she worked on the development and implementation of the City’s Resilience Strategy as part of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities initiative, and a winning proposal of $120 million from the HUD’s National Disaster Resilience Competition. Her work has been published by the Stanford University Press, NATO, and a range of policy and academic journals. Dr. Oskarsson earned B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Old Dominion University.

As the Chief Strategy & Communications Officer, Betsy leads the development and execution of the organization’s strategic vision, brand identity and stakeholder engagement. In addition to her 15 years of diverse experience spanning higher education, financial services, and healthcare sectors, Betsy’s personal essays have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Huffington Post and USA Today.

As the Communications & Operations Manager, Katie combines experience in sales, marketing, event planning, and project management to drive success. With a focus on alumni company engagement, marketing and communications, and operational efficiencies, she plays a key role in RISE’s external communications and internal work flows.  

Before joining the team, Katie managed sales and marketing teams and worked extensively as an event planner. She is passionate about working with youth from disadvantaged communities to build pathways to success via training programs. Katie believes in the power of relationships to drive business development and change communities for the better. 

Katie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Old Dominion University and is a proud Lady Monarch.