Donald Marinelli

Donald Marinelli cofounded the world-renowned Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University with computer science professor Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture).  

During his 31 years at Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Marinelli was a tenured Professor of Drama and Arts Management, serving as Assistant Head and Associate Head of Carnegie Mellon Drama. He was integral in creating Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Arts Management program, as well as the Master of Fine Arts in Acting degree program with the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia.

Dr. Marinelli’s book The Comet and the Tornado (Sterling Innovation, 2010) was Barnes and Noble 'Book of the Month" for April 2010, and recounts the six years he and Pausch shared an office creating the center that has become recognized internationally as Carnegie Mellon’s “Dream Fulfillment Factory.”

Currently, Dr. Marinelli is Director of Innovation for Inven Global, the English-language branch of Inven-Korea, the largest Esports and gaming site in Korea. He is also Executive Vice President of SD Technologies, a division of Vissman Management, a merger, acquisition, and venture capital firm based in Washington, PA. Additionally, he is a Visiting Professor in the School of Arts, Media, and Engineering at Arizona State University.

He has served as an Adjunct Professor in Duquesne University’s School of Leadership and Professional Advancement, and as a Visiting Lecturer and Advisory Board member in Robert Morris University’s Sports Management program.