Management Team

Dr. Celia Merzbacher is Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), a consortium that aims to enable and grow the U.S. quantum industry. QED-C is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and nearly 250 industry, academic and other members and is managed by SRI International. Dr. Merzbacher is U.S. Co-Chair of the Quad Investors Network’s Quantum Center of Excellence and serves on as an advisor to several quantum research organizations. Previously, Dr. Merzbacher was Vice President for Innovative Partnerships at the Semiconductor Research Corporation. In 2003-2008, she was Assistant Director for Technology R&D in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Dr. Merzbacher is a Fellow of the AAAS and served as Chair of the National Materials and Manufacturing Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and on the Board of Directors of ANSI. Dr. Celia Merzbacher is Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), a consortium that aims to enable and grow the U.S. quantum industry. QED-C is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and nearly 250 industry, academic and other members and is managed by SRI International. Dr. Merzbacher is U.S. Co-Chair of the Quad Investors Network’s Quantum Center of Excellence and serves on as an advisor to several quantum research organizations. Dr. Merzbacher is a Fellow of the AAAS and served as Chair of the National Materials and Manufacturing Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

Dr. Jonathan Felbinger is the deputy director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C). In his career spanning academia, industry, and government, he has developed research and development (R&D) strategies, exercised oversight of portfolios, and implemented advanced R&D programs. Prior to joining QED-C, Jonathan was with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), where he led studies and managed technological aspects of reports to Congress. Previously, he was awarded a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship to explore frontiers in fundamental research while serving the Department of Defense's grants office. IEEE elevated Jonathan to Senior Member in recognition of sustained, significant scientific and engineering performance. He is dedicated to furthering the development and adoption of quantum and related emerging technologies for national and societal benefits. Outside of the quantum realm, Jonathan is an active volunteer and nonprofit board member and enjoys the outdoors.

Erin Weeks comes to QED-C from the professional and trade association space with 7 years of experience strengthening components, managing volunteers, and creating process efficiencies for a professional association. She achieved the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2020. Erin stumbled into the space after graduating with her MA in International Relations and International Economics from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She worked abroad as an Assistant Language Teacher with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program from 2008 - 2011, interned at the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, and conducted open-source research on Japanese Nuclear Policy. Erin lives in the DMV with her watch-dinosaur Vivi and her plants where she takes classes on any subject that catches her interest.

Ms. Bouverot has more than 10 years of experience in strategic and operational support for the U.S. federal government, non-profit organizations, and private sector companies. As Head of Operations for Labor Solutions, Ms. Bouverot led projects utilizing proprietary mobile applications to connect global companies with their factory workforce and to empower workers through e-learning and information sharing. Ms. Bouverot also served as the Head of Innovation for Labor Solutions, guiding the pursuit of new products and services based on user feedback, competitor analysis, and internal interests. Previously, she worked at Elevate where she implemented mobile surveys and information blasts, collected and analyzed data, and piloted new technology, such as mobile telepresence. Ms. Bouverot has also advised and managed projects for a sanitation-focused social enterprise in Kumasi, Ghana, and provided process analysis and recommendations for U.S. federal agencies. Ms. Bouverot received a master?s degree in Business Administration from INSEAD Business School and a bachelor?s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia.

Anish recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with a triple major in Computer Science, Physics, and Mathematics. During his undergraduate years, he gained a breadth of research experience across quantum simulation, quantum computing, experimental physics, and cosmology through a combination of academic labs, internships, and independent projects. He is particularly drawn to quantum computing for the way it reshapes conventional logic and intuition, offering a new paradigm for solving problems through uniquely powerful algorithms. This intellectual shift not only fascinates him but also motivates his deep commitment to building expertise in the field, with the long-term goal of becoming a pioneer in quantum technologies. He will be joining the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) for his Ph.D. in the fall, where he plans to focus on quantum algorithms and quantum information science. This summer, he is excited to contribute to the QED-C initiative.