New business leaders enhance OSU’s impact | Finance and Administration

Karley has over a decade of experience at Oregon State University with over six years in finance and strategic operations within the College of Liberal Arts. She holds an M.A. in Psychological Science from California State University Chico. In 2024, she received the Professional Faculty Excellence Award in recognition of her dedication to the development of accessible, actionable tools covering scheduling, enrollment, and other elements of budgeting. She is passionate about harnessing the power of data to effectively communicate actionable insights to the campus community. 

Eric Zeece, a business leader with more than 25 years of experience has been appointed executive director of the new Central Oregon Innovation Hub based at OSU-Cascades. Zeece began his new role on Nov. 11. 

 As executive director, Zeece will collaborate with a steering committee of diverse regional economic and entrepreneurial stakeholders to develop and provide services that help innovation-based companies in Central Oregon grow, attract investment capital and create jobs. 

 “I’m thrilled to welcome Eric to OSU-Cascades and to advance the Innovation Hub’s work with more than 20 area organizations as we strengthen an ecosystem where entrepreneurs from all backgrounds have opportunity and access to tools and knowledge,” said Rebecca Robinson, associate vice president of economic development and industry relations for OSU, and senior advisor for strategic initiatives at OSU-Cascades.  

 The Central Oregon Innovation Hub is one of nine newly founded regional collaborations around the state. Innovation Hubs are funded by Business Oregon and the Oregon Innovation Council to support regional economies and entrepreneurs, help advance innovation-based economic development, and encourage participation among populations currently underserved in the innovation economy. The Central Oregon Innovation Hub is also funded by Economic Development for Central Oregon, The Ford Family Foundation and OSU-Cascades. 

Most recently, Zeece was chief executive officer of Thyreos Inc, a startup biotech vaccine company that is commercializing technology developed at University of Nebraska, Northwestern University and Tufts University. Zeece received an MBA from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.