Three new members have been appointed to the UMSI Advisory Board, effective July 1. Ben Sun, Kelli Turner and Paul Woods bring industry leadership in tech entrepreneurship, media and automotive UX design, respectively.

In this volunteer role, they will advance the mission of the University of Michigan School of Information by lending their expertise to UMSI leadership, engaging with students and alumni, and providing philanthropic support. All three are committed to shaping the future of information and technology by empowering students. 

“The diversity of expertise that Kelli, Ben and Paul bring to the board is expansive,” says Andrea Forte, dean of UMSI. “Much like our UMSI students, they come from different backgrounds with different goals and have each made an incredible impact on the world. I'm looking forward to hearing their unique perspectives in the coming years on new opportunities for UMSI to have impact, seize opportunity and rise to face challenges.”

Ben Sun (BA ’95) is a co-founder and general partner at Primary Venture Partners. Forbes' Midas List ranks him as one of the top 100 tech investors in the world. Sun focuses his investing activities primarily on consumer-facing companies and is known for his founder-first approach. His own experiences co-founding Community Connect, one of the first social networking companies, and LaunchTime, an incubator, inform how he supports founders in the portfolio. In 2024, he launched the Factor Fellowship, a nonprofit supporting the diversification of NYC's startup workforce, alongside Tom Ogletree, Lisa Lewin and the Primary team.

Sun has been active in the NYC tech community for over 20 years. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and investor, he worked at Merrill Lynch in the Technology Investment Banking Group. But he says his career really began at age 8, working in his parents’ Chinese restaurant.

Sun earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from U-M. As an advisory board member, he will lend valuable expertise in tech entrepreneurship — a growing area of interest among UMSI students. 

Kelli Turner (BBA ’92, JD ‘97) is a lawyer and financial executive with extensive experience in the media industry. She serves on the boards of both DoubleVerify and Downtown Music Holdings, and she is actively engaged in angel investing. Most recently, Turner was managing director, operating partner and chief financial officer at Sun Capital Partners, Inc. 

Turner has held key roles in the media industry, including CFO and executive vice president at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., where she managed financial operations and collaborated on business strategy, and senior vice president of operations in the Office of the Chairman and CEO at Time Warner, Inc. From 2014 to 2021, she served as president and chief operating officer, EVP, CFO and head of corporate development at SESAC, Inc., a Blackstone-controlled music rights licensing company. She has appeared multiple times on Billboard magazine’s Women in Music list of top executives. 

Turner earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration and law degree from U-M. 

“I was inspired to join the UMSI Advisory Board because I am very impressed by the mission and approach of the school and believe that information is at the core of everything we do,” Turner says. “The son of one of my close friends from my days at the University of Michigan just finished his first year at UMSI. He is one of the most amazing young people I know. He loves the practical and hands-on approach to learning at UMSI and believes moving into UMSI has enhanced his academic experience considerably.” 

Paul Woods is an award-winning designer, author and co-founder of design and technology consultancy Alice. 

Over the course of his career, he has led projects for clients including Google, Volkswagen, Lucid Motors, Red Bull and The City of Santa Monica. His bylines regularly appear in publications including Fast Company, Creative Review, AdWeek, The Drum and Automotive World. He holds several patents in automotive experience design. 

Woods’ bestselling book on creative culture, "How To Do Great Work Without Being An Asshole," was published worldwide in 2019 and has been translated into 10 languages. His follow-up book, "Sh*t They Didn't Tell You," a how-to guide for young creatives looking to start a career in the industry, was released in 2021. Woods is the current president of AIGA Los Angeles. He lives in Pasadena with his wife Nora and a very stubborn basset hound.

“I'm thrilled to be joining the UMSI Advisory Board this year,” Woods says. “As an immigrant from a working-class background in Europe, I know firsthand how transformative a great education can be. As professionals, it's our responsibility to ensure that we pay it forward to the next generation of emerging talent.

“UMSI is blazing a trail with the types of courses available to students, and how it enables close partnerships with industry. These two ingredients are essential for providing a relevant education that ensures graduates are prepared for the challenges they will face in industry. A prime example is the school's new automotive UX program — a first-of-its-kind program for an industry undergoing rapid disruption. I'm excited to support the school in any way I can during my term in the years ahead.”

During their renewable three-year terms, Sun, Turner and Woods will offer their expertise to UMSI leadership on matters including curriculum development and research initiatives, while supporting students directly through mentorship opportunities. 

— Abigail McFee, marketing and communications writer

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Listen to Paul Woods discuss the future of automotive UX on UMSI’s Information Changes Everything podcast.