Noragh Devlin

35 | Director, LaunchVT
Residence: Chittenden

Career highlight: The career highlight I’m most proud of is my first Demo Night with LaunchVT. I joined LaunchVT only four months before, and there was much to do in preparation for the big day. In that short time — with a whole lot of community support — we recruited a cohort, ran a rigorous ten week accelerator that featured more than 25 guest speakers and more than 45 coaches & mentors, and prepped seven amazing companies for their next big leap.

Community involvement: I am so lucky that my job — LaunchVT — keeps me deeply connected and in the weeds with the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in the state. On top of that, I work at UVM’s SI-MBA program (my alma mater) as the Campus Leader for the Turner MIINT Impact Investment Competition, teaching impact investment to the next generation. 

I am also very proud to be the President of OmniArts, a non-profit focused on supporting interdisciplinary art. We’ve received two NEA grants so far: for our work on preserving Cherokee traditions through visual art and music, and on our work focusing on Muhammad Ali.

Motivation for living and working in Vermont: I moved to Vermont to attend the Sustainable Innovation MBA at UVM, and I fell in love the business ecosystem and the community here.

Favorite part of your job:  My favorite part of my job is how much I get to learn! Working with lots of startups means I get to learn about all kinds of things I never would have thought about: how we size pants, what causes chimney fires, why cows get sores on their feet. I’m a super curious person so it’s an awesome perk of the job.

Best career advice: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” – Dolly Parton

Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know:  I’m an avid birder. On a trip to New Zealand last year, I identified 14 bird species in a day and I don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited.

What would most people be surprised to learn about you?I was a professional opera singer before I pivoted into finance full time. I sang in the US and internationally for about 7 years, and I hold a Bachelors, Masters, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera from the Manhattan School of Music.

Favorite Vermont escape: Rock Point in Burlington. It’s a perfect little hike with completely fabulous views of the Lake & Adirondacks.