Diana Cugliari serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG), and Director of the Accelerator Fund overseeing the complete financial operation of the organization.
Her experience in guiding portfolio companies, coupled with her sharp business acumen, has served the region’s life sciences community well. Prior to assuming the position of President and CEO, Diana served as VP of Finance for the PLSG and Associate Director of the Accelerator Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on high impact investments in the life sciences and health care sectors. Cugliari’s prior position was Senior Investment Manager, responsible for providing strategic and tactical guidance during a company’s crucial formative stages while also assisting in the fundamental business strategy for PLSG’s growing portfolio company roster. In addition, she identified funding strategies and sources of potential capital.
Prior to her time at PLSG, Cugliari founded and ran The Money Tree Financial Corporation, a startup providing mortgage banking products and solutions. She expanded the company footprint from a one-state licensed mortgage broker to a 10-state mortgage banking operation, generating annual sales in excess of $170 million.
Cugliari earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master’s in Business Administration from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh.