Alex Cheung, Director
Alex's journey began when he interned for a startup that was showcasing at Venture Café. He was drawn to the innovation ecosystem and was fueled by the energy of new ideas. Early in his career, Alex managed all the sales and operations for CIC's coworking space; he helped clients make their first sales and saw them from inception to acquisition.He then went on to help open MIT's The Engine, a tough-tech accelerator. Following this, he traveled to Rotterdam and Tokyo to support the growth and expansion of CIC. Alex is deeply involved in initiatives aimed at engineering serendipity when it comes to collaboration and networking within the startup community across several countries, including: Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Canada, The Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Spain, and Chile.Alex is also on the Emerging Leaders Board of the Kendall Square Association — collaborating with other change-makers in the neighborhood to shape the future success of their global innovation hub. He continues to champion the startup ecosystem, leveraging his expertise and network to drive meaningful impact.
Tricia Bitetto, Program Manager
At Venture Café, Tricia curates weekly gatherings that bring together hundreds of innovators, investors, researchers, and community leaders from around the world. Under her leadership, community attendance has grown by 40% (460 average attendees) — a surge she has sustained for the last year and a half — while also producing programming featuring over 300 speakers and welcoming more than 20,000 attendees from over 20 countries, from Senegal to Japan to Iceland. Before joining CIC, she managed theater venues and guest experience at McCarter Theatre at Princeton University, welcoming 250,000 visitors per year. She produced major comedy festivals at ImprovBoston, built a career in creative production, startups, and the arts, and founded two companies of her own. She is the winner of the 2024 Innovator Award from Venture Café Global Institute and was recently invited to serve on the Advisory Committee for SXSW Pitch, where she will review 75–100 pitch decks and help select 25 finalists to compete at SXSW in Austin, TX in March 2026. Tricia is also thrilled to be on the speaker Curation Team for TEDxHarvard Square 2026.
Rachel Rehlinger, Program Coordinator
Rachel's path into the innovation ecosystem is rooted in people-first operations, from consulting to early-stage startups, touching everything from technical projects to investor relations, HR, and business operations. She's also the co-founder of Dune IRL, connecting event hosts with sponsors in the Greater Boston ecosystem. At Venture Café Cambridge, she helps founders, operators, and creatives find real opportunities for collaboration and growth, driven by a belief that intentional programming and good storytelling can unlock what's possible. Outside of Thursday Gatherings, you'll find her judging pitch competitions, mentoring youth, or volunteering.