Leadership

JENNY OWENS, SC.D., MS

Assistant Dean, Graduate School
Faculty Executive Director, the Grid 
jowens@umaryland.edu 

Dr. Jenny Owens is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Faculty Executive Director of the Graduate Research Innovation District, “the Grid.” Jenny is a passionate social entrepreneur with a decade of experience in higher education, seven of those years at UMB in a graduate health science and human services environment. Jenny’s research interests include social innovation, academic entrepreneurship, and patient-centered healthcare design. Dr. Owens has a doctorate in Information and Interaction Design which emphasizes human-centered design and design thinking. Her master’s program focused heavily on business systems, marketing, finance, and organizational behavior. These graduate degrees, along with her undergraduate foundation in principles of health, anatomy, and physiology, give her a unique background in health science, business, and design-thinking. 

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J. HOWARD KUCHER, DPA

Program Director, Social Entrepreneurship 
jkucher@umaryland.edu

Dr. J. Howard "Jim" Kucher serves as the Program Director of the Social Entrepreneurship graduate certificate he cultivates strong entrepreneurial skill development for students, researchers, and professionals through experiential learning courses and workshops. Dr. Kucher is an internationally recognized thought leader in social entrepreneurship. Previously, Dr. Kucher was the Founding Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Programs at the University of Baltimore, where he led the Baltimore Social Enterprise Collaborative. In addition to his teaching duties, Kucher works as a consultant to leading and emerging social benefit initiatives to help them improve outcomes and increase sustainable revenues. Kucher earned a Doctorate in Public Administration with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship, as well as a MBA with an Entrepreneurship specialization from The University of Baltimore. He holds a B.A. from Kean University and has also earned certification as a project management professional and a new product development professional. He has been recognized as a Baltimore Renaissance Seed Scholar, an Unsung Hero of Small Business and a Fulbright Specialist Scholar in Social Entrepreneurship.

TAYLOR DEBOER, MA

Assistant Director, the Grid
taylor.deboer@umaryland.edu

Taylor DeBoer, MA, brings over a decade of marketing, programming, and design expertise to his role as Assistant Director of the Grid, UMB's Student Innovation Hub. Responsible for 50+ annual events, mentoring students, and leading initiatives, he oversees Grid Pitch, supporting student entrepreneurs. Taylor also serves on the Staff Senate, co-chairing the Community Outreach Committee and serving as the member-at-large. Taylor is dedicated to fostering innovation and empowering students to succeed.