Our Team
The Carolina Angel Network (CAN) brings together the UNC-Chapel Hill entrepreneurial community and alumni network to empower the early stage startup ventures that drive our future.
Our mission is to support the UNC-Chapel Hill startup community with funding and advice from experienced alumni who are members of the network. CAN is a membership-based angel investing platform.
In 2016, CAN was founded and supported by the UNC Office of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, UNC Development Office, Kenan-Flagler Business School and Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration. The team started evaluating its first deals in February 2017.
Maureen O'Connor - Executive Director
Maureen O’Connor is an entrepreneur and healthcare industry veteran passionate about driving transformational change in our health care system to improve access, health, and wellbeing through scalable technology, delivery redesign and payment innovation.
In addition to her role as the Executive Director of CAN, Maureen was founding CEO of ZealCare, and continues to support the company as a board member and executive advisor. ZealCare is a tech-enabled health care services company, spun out of Duke Health System, with a mission to empower individuals with complex chronic conditions to make necessary behavioral changes to allow therapeutics to work and to live a more vigorous life.
Prior to launching ZealCare, Maureen served as president of Whiterabbit.ai, an early-stage Silicon Valley company with a mission to eradicate late-stage breast cancer using artificial intelligence. Before joining Whiterabbit.ai, Maureen spent 17 years as an executive with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, serving as: executive vice president of diversified businesses and president of Mosaic Health Solutions, the corporate venture arm of the company (now Echo Health Ventures); chief strategy and innovation officer; chief administrative officer; and general counsel.
Maureen serves in board and advisory roles for a number of health care technology, biotech, and investment companies. She currently chairs the board of APIE Therapeutics and serves on the board of Carolina Angel Network. She is a venture partner with SpringTide Ventures and is a founding member of OnBoard NC, supporting women on corporate boards.
She received a law degree from Suffolk University Law School and a bachelor’s degree in English from College of the Holy Cross. In her free time, Maureen enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography and is a regular contributor to LinkedIn writing posts that integrate lessons of leadership, life, and photography.
Brett Luing - Director
Brett Luing is a passionate advocate and capital facilitator for startup founders, supporting early-stage innovation through his role with CAN. Brett has a dedicated background in early-stage venture capital investments, developed through his previous roles across the innovation landscape.
Brett started his career on the “build” side, supporting founders and teams at accelerator programs and venture studios, later positioning himself as a capital allocator. Prior to joining CAN, he was the Program Director and Portfolio Manager at Capital Innovators, a prominent venture fund and startup accelerator in the Midwest. In this role, Brett actively led 21 early-stage investments and orchestrated startup accelerator programs, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Accelerator program.
Beyond his venture capital work, Brett has leveraged his background to positively impact the communities he is a part of. While residing in St. Louis, he launched a local philanthropic education innovation grant fund, where he continues to contribute as a committee member. Additionally, he serves as a trustee of a private foundation exploring the applications of venture in philanthropy and community development.
Brett received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business. Outside of the world of venture and startups, he enjoys culinary and travel adventures.
Randy Myer - Former Executive Director (Retired)
In addition to running the Carolina Angel Network, Mr Myer is a professor at the Kenan-Flagler Business School on the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill campus. He joined the UNC faculty in 2000 and became a full-time faculty member in 2002, teaching Entrepreneurship courses. Besides his UNC activities, he is an investor in two venture capital funds, a private equity fund, and two local angel groups. He is a Board member of the Carolina Research Venture Fund. He is a former Board member of NC Idea and the NC School of Science & Math. Mr. Myer founded Best Friends Pet Care in 1991 (a national chain of high-quality pet care facilities). It was sold to a private equity firm in 1998. Before starting Best Friends, Mr. Myer was a partner with Booz, Allen & Hamilton for 13 years. Mr. Myer received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and received his MBA from Harvard University.