Matthew Pittinsky co-founded Blackboard, Inc in 1997 with a mission to transform the Internet into a powerful environment for teaching and learning. Today, Backboard is considered by most industry analysts to be the leading provider of e-Education systems around the world.
Matthew Pittinsky received his undergraduate degree from American University and a Masters in Education from Harvard University. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University Teacher's College studying the sociology of online learning.
Kate Jones has over fifteen years of experience in Sales and Marketing. Much of that experience was gained during her time at Procter & Gamble. Kate is an expert at developing multi-functional, customer-focused teams, and fully utilizing these organizations to generate competitive advantage for clients. As both a facilitator and leader, Kate applies customer relationship management principles to all areas of a client's business, enabling them to deliver faster results, achieve greater efficiencies, and reduce costs.
Kate Jones received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University.
Theresa Bergeron is the Founder and President of Thermohair, Inc. Thermohair produces goods - specifically socks - that are knitted with mohair (the fleece of angora goats). The company is located in South Mountain, Ontario - an hour's drive south of Ottawa. Theresa Bergeron holds a bachelor's degree in Life Sciences and a Master's degree in Human Nutrition.
Teacher Created Materials is an educational publishing company that was founded in 1982 by Mary Dupuy Smith and Rachelle Cracchiolo. The company experienced tremendous growth since its inception--so much that in August 2004, the company split into two distinct businesses: a Book Company under the name Teacher Created Resources headed by Smith, and a Curriculum Company that maintains the name Teacher Created Materials headed by Cracchiolo. Mary Dupuy Smith both worked as a teacher prior to starting the business. She holds Masters Degrees in Education.
Melvin Goldman is recently retired from his position at the World Bank. He is a Visiting Lecturer in the Entrepreneurship and Personal Enterprise Program at Cornell University.
Goldman joined the Peace Corp after graduation from college. He taught math and science in Nepal and began a mathematics program with some Nepali colleagues for high school students in various parts of the country. Later, he set up the first private consulting firm in Nepal with some young Americans. The firm is now 27 years old and 100% Nepali.
Goldman then went to Princeton and studied economic development at the Woodrow Wilson School, after which he joined the World Bank. From 1982 to 1985 he was in charge of the office in Colombia and lived there. Then, he worked for 12 years on industrial technology development in various countries, mostly Asian.
He has now retired from the World Bank and has started a venture capital operation with some Indian colleagues to invest in technology companies in India.
Goldman and his wife now live on a vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of New York. He holds an undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master's Degree from Princeton.
Carla Ginsburg is a gastroenterologist who runs her own private practice in Boston. In addition, she is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where she teaches students two months a year. Prior to starting a private practice, she focused on the research and administration areas of gastroenterology. These varied experiences provide her with a unique understanding of many different aspects of the medical field.
Dr. Ginsburg received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her medical degree from Yale University.
Mark Brandt is a Partner and Founder of The Maple Fund which invests in emerging technology - specifically nanotechnology.
Prior to his involvement with the Maple Fund, Mark Brandt was working at Notiva, a retail financial software company where he served as Cofounder, Board Member and Vice President of Corporate Development. Prior to Notiva, Mark worked at Andersen Consulting and Cargill Incorporated.
Mark Brandt is a graduate of Cornell University.
Maggie Coffey is the former CEO of Tetragenetics. At the time of this interview, Tetragenetics' mission was to bring to the marketplace a new technology for the large-scale production of recombinant proteins for use in human and animal medicine.
Coffey received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke, her MBA from Harvard Business School and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.
Jim Bittner is a partner in Singer Farms. In addition, he serves as President and General Manager of the operation. Singer Farms is a fruit farm which produces apples, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries and other smaller specialty fruit items.
Jim Bittner is a graduate of Cornell University.