Rhiannon Clifton is the Assistant Director of the Technology Entrepreneur Center.  She joined the TEC’s staff in 2005, and is responsible for the development and implementation of programs, policies, procedures and objectives of the Center and its role in promoting technology entrepreneurship through courses, lectures, new venture activities, alumni networking, and other events and experiences for students and faculty within the College of Engineering and across the Illinois campus. Rhiannon directs all aspects of the external relations efforts of the Center, including activities relating to communications with media at the local, state, and national levels; funding entities; strategic partners; alumni; and the University community.

Rhiannon also leads curriculum development for the Center, and is an instructor for the TEC’s Sales and Marketing for Engineers course. Additionally, Rhiannon recently joined the College of Media’s advertising department as an instructor for their Audience Analysis course. 

Rhiannon is a member of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation’s Technology Advisory Committee, assisting the county in efforts to attract and retain high-tech companies. She is also an advisor to several student organizations at Illinois including the Illini Entrepreneurship Network.

Rhiannon is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a BS in Advertising.  Prior to joining the TEC, she was a Media Supervisor, and later, the training class instructor for Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a sister company to Leo Burnett in Chicago.  During her tenure at SMG, Rhiannon and her team were recognized for innovation in media and won several awards including an SMG Fuel Award, and Media Magazine’s “Media Plan of the Year.”

Rhiannon lives in Savoy, IL with her husband and two young children, who always keep her laughing. She recently participated in the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer walk, where she walked 39.3 miles to raise funds for breast cancer research.