Meet Our Team

Patents and Compliance

Diana Madrigal
Innovation Office Coordinator
dianamad@usc.edu
(213) 740-2517
Maria Stein, CP
Senior Intellectual Property Paralegal
steinmar@usc.edu
(213) 821-6077

Marketing and Communications

Henry Groome
Marketing and Research Intern
hgroome@usc.edu
(917) 593-3099
LinkedIn for Henry Groome

Licensing Assistants and Interns

Cohort 3 2026-2027

Zohaib Suhail
Licensing Intern, Physical Sciences and PhD Candidate
zsuhail@usc.edu
Jared Cristobal
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and MBA Candidate
jaredkyl@usc.edu
Leah Kim
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PhD Candidate
yeeunk@usc.edu
Carys Layton, PhD
Licensing Assistant
carys.layton@usc.edu
Chudi Okafor, MBA
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PharmD Candidate
cdokafor@usc.edu
Jazmine Prana
Licensing Intern, Physical Sciences and PhD Candidate
prana@usc.edu

Cohort 2 2025-2026

Farbod Amirghasemi
Life Sciences Licensing Intern and PhD Candidate
amirghas@usc.edu
Oscar Alberto De La Fuente
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PhD Candidate
oalberto@usc.edu
Carys Layton, PhD
Licensing Assistant
carys.layton@usc.edu
Chudi Okafor, MBA
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PharmD Candidate
cdokafor@usc.edu
Austin Paul-Orecchio, PhD
Licensing Assistant
austin.paulorecchio@usc.edu
Evans Pope, III
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PharmD Candidate
edpope@usc.edu

Cohort 1 2024-2025

Andrew Chareunsouk
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences PhD Candidate
achareun@usc.edu
Oscar Alberto De La Fuente
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PhD Candidate
oalberto@usc.edu
Nikki Higa, PhD
Licensing Intern, Life Sciences and PhD Candidate
nhiga@usc.edu
(213) 821-1859
Padideh Nasseri
Life Sciences Licensing Intern and PhD Candidate
pnasseri@usc.edu
Abel Salinas Jr.
Licensing Intern, Physical Sciences and PhD Candidate
abelsali@usc.edu
Adam Samuel
Licensing Intern, Physical Sciences and PhD Candidate
adamsamu@usc.edu

📷 Staff Directory Photo Credit: Lily Sandoval