Panelists & Speakers

Don Linford

Professional Title: Director of Innovation Ecosystems

Organization: ASPIRE, Utah State University

Sessions: Session 13

Biography

Don Linford is the Director of Innovation Ecosystems at the ASPIRE NSF Engineering Research Center, which focuses on advancing sustainable roadway electrification. Don oversees collaborations with over 60 industry, government, and nonprofit partners to drive research, foster intellectual property commercialization, and strengthen strategic industry connections in transportation electrification. Before joining ASPIRE, he held senior leadership roles in international banking across the Northeastern U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Born and raised on a small ranch in Wyoming, he combines a global perspective with collaborative leadership. Don holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Utah. He is a graduate student in Anticipatory Intelligence at Utah State University, applying foresight methodologies to strategic infrastructure, mobility, and technology challenges. With a background in finance operations, risk assessment and management, and product management, Don bridges the gap between emerging technologies and real-world implementation, fostering partnerships that advance electrified transportation solutions globally.