Juvo Ventures, the venture capital arm of Western Governors University, has appointed Tara Rosander as managing director to lead the firm's investment strategy and operations. Rosander, who joined the firm on Oct. 14, 2026, succeeds interim leader Zane Busteed and follows the departure of former managing director Sean Brown, who transitioned to a role at Valore Health last month.
Professional Background and Expertise
Rosander transitions to the venture capital role from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, where she has served as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer since December. Her recent tenure included a role as chair of the investment committee for the Nucleus Fund from August 2025 until last month. The Nucleus Fund was established by the state to provide backing for deep tech spinouts originating from Utah's research institutions and universities.
Leadership in Utah Tech
The new managing director brings more than two decades of experience spanning corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and operating, as well as investing. According to Juvo Ventures, Rosander has provided strategic guidance to numerous leading founders and funds in Utah to help accelerate company growth. Her expertise covers a range of business sectors and focuses on both early-stage and growth-stage companies.
In addition to her leadership role at Juvo, Rosander remains an active participant in the Utah tech and innovation ecosystem. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Women Tech Council. Her previous work with the Nucleus Fund Investment Committee focused specifically on deep-tech ventures emerging from the state's colleges and research institutions.
Strategic Vision for Juvo
In her new capacity, Rosander will report directly to Western Governors University President Scott Pulsipher. Pulsipher stated that Rosander's combination of experience in tech innovation and venture capital will be a significant asset to the organization.
"Tara brings a valuable combination of venture capital and tech innovation experience to this role," Pulsipher said. "I am confident that her knowledge across those sectors and commitment to advancing economic mobility will accelerate Juvo's impact on innovative solutions that connect talent to opportunity."
Fund Details and Focus
Zane Busteed, who has served as the interim leader of Juvo Ventures since July, will remain with the firm as a principal. Busteed will work alongside Rosander to manage the fund's operations and investing activities.
Juvo Ventures focuses its investment efforts on early-stage startups that promote innovation within workforce development, learning, and economic mobility. The firm previously filed to raise a $100 million Fund II in January 2025. While the firm has begun investing from that fund, it has not disclosed the total amount of capital raised or the identity of its limited partners.
Leadership Transition
The appointment of Rosander follows a leadership transition at the firm. Former managing director Sean Brown left the position last month to become the managing director and general counsel for the connected care platform Valore Health.
