Our team

Hello, I'm Jessica and I lead UX Design at LE. I have a background in Cognitive Science (B.S.) and Sociology (B.A.) from UCSD. During college I was introduced to UX and Product Design and became interested in ethical and equitable approaches to building technology, driven by the positive impact that it can have on our world. I joined Learning Equality as an intern in 2014 and transitioned to full time in 2015. Since then, I've been focused on improving craft, process, and ways to collaboratatively design products that empower learners and educators around the world. I'm an L.A. native and in my spare time, I likes trying new recipes, going on road trips with friends, dancing, and expanding my musical taste.

I'm a tech enthusiast-turned-teacher, someone who believes that everyone in the world should have access to free, high-quality education regardless of their socio-economic status. As someone who is passionate about edtech and open source software as a tool to expand access to quality education around the world, I studied Information Technology at the International University of East Africa (IUEA) and upon graduating, I worked as a teacher in a rural primary school in Mayuge district, eastern Uganda. There, along with a colleague, I mobilized resources to acquire tablets to support self-paced, practical scientific learning, and the continuity of learning during the pandemic school closures. Now, I'm delighted to be a part of the Learning Equality team, for Learning Equality's commitment to closing the digital divide and fast-track educational equity resonates strongly with me. I'm also a natural water systems lover and I like to spend my free time watching birds, learning how to sing children’s songs, listening to the BBC’s "Click" podcast, and showing off my newly-acquired baking skills.

I'm Alex Vélez, a Junior Full Stack Developer at LE. I help build different products to make education more accessible for everyone. Before joining LE, I questioned my purpose in coding, aspiring for more than just enriching other people. Since joining LE, I've found fulfillment in writing code for positive social impact. Additionally, I organize the Google Developers Groups (GDG) of Guayaquil, where we volunteer to educate the community on technology. Off the clock, I'm a tiny adult pretending to be a functional one. I love cats and algorithms; I am a chess player by passion, an introvert by birth, and an overthinker par excellence. Sarcasm is my favorite form of communication, but only with trusted people.

I'm Samson Akol, a Senior Full Stack Engineer at LE, dedicated to enhancing our products ecosystem to facilitate learning in disconnected communities. Drawing from my 10 years in tech, I've contributed to improving the browsing experience in Kolibri, particularly when browsing remote content. My desire for access to free education and information sharing, coupled with a strong belief in leveraging technology for positive change, led me to join LE. Outside of coding, you'll find me enjoying quality time with family or catching a soccer match.

I'm Blaine, a Staff Full-Stack Software Engineer at LE. I'm a San Diego native who loves Physics, programming, and the web. I graduated with a degree in Applied Physics from CSU San Marcos. I began doing web development in 2008, and have continued ever since. My enthusiasm for constant improvement was established through my college experiences, as a Learning Assistant, and my 7 years developing TakeLessons.com. In my free time, I play games of any kind, look at doggo pics and memes, and experiment with cooking (not very good at it).

I’m Radina Matic, Accessibility and QA Lead at LE, where I oversee our team efforts to release inclusive and accessible products, able to be used by everyone regardless of their abilities. After almost two decades of experience that goes from technical communication and translation, and digital content management in four different countries, today I most enjoy the challenge of designing and testing accessible user experiences in the Kolibri ecosystem. Off the clock you’ll find me having fun in science museums, walking around Catalan countryside, and caring about my permaculture garden.

I’m Liana Harris, a Full Stack Engineer at LE, where I create innovative solutions that support equitable access to quality education for all. With a degree in Computer Science and a knack for problem-solving, I've optimized systems, integrated new technologies, and delivered seamless user experiences. Joining LE has allowed me to combine my passion for solving problems through tech with my goal of empowering educators and students alike. Beyond coding, I enjoy reading, traveling, and interior decorating.

Hi, I'm Navya. I'm Head of Training & Impact and lead program development and training strategy to support effective implementation of blended learning across low-resource contexts, ranging from formal schools in rural areas, orphanages, refugee camps, and community centers. I'm a Teach for India alumna, and my experience as a former teacher and teacher trainer in India has shaped my lifelong purpose in fighting for educational justice.

Hi, I'm Rana, an educator, life long learner, and teacher advocate. I came to Learning Equality with over 10 years of experience in education. I've worked primarily in Jordan and the Middle East, supporting teachers and students’ access to learning in classrooms, refugee camps, and under-served urban areas. As a former teacher myself, I'm well aware of the challenges teachers and students face inside and outside the classroom. I have two Masters degrees; English Language and Literature from UJ and Education and International Development from UCL. When not at work, you can find me snuggled up to a good book, sweating it out in the gym, or playing peek-a-boo with my baby boy.

Hello, I'm Jamie, Learning Equality's co-founder and co-Executive Director. I have a PhD in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego and before Learning Equality, I also co-founded several educational technology platforms, including thisCourse, ESL Genie, and KA Lite. I love taking things apart and putting them back together again, eating delicious vegan food, and thinking about what an awesome world we live in and how to make it even better.

Hello, I'm Revanth, and I'm deeply committed to promoting equity in education. I've spent six years at Teach For India in various roles, and although I studied engineering as an undergrad, my time as a Teach For India Fellow inspired me to pursue a career in education. I have a Master's Degree in International Education Policy from Harvard University, and have worked at Khan Academy India before joining Learning Equality, where I partnered with state governments to drive large-scale implementation efforts. Outside of work, I'm deeply passionate about Carnatic music and have trained in it for over a decade.

Hi, I'm Michaela. I'm a Senior Front-End Engineer, working remotely from the Czech Republic. To me, education is one of the best tools for solving social and environmental problems. I believe deeply in cooperation, volunteering, and open-source. Before finding Learning Equality, I moved through various development positions in the areas of energy monitoring, medical education, and global climate change research. I'm grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a wonderful team of caring, talented, and hard-working people, for the friendships I've made over the years, and for having innumerable opportunities to learn new skills in education, communication, planning, and much more.

Hi, I'm Laura. I am extremely motivated by the dual goals of creating equitable access to educational resources and utilizing technology to help meet the needs of all learners. At Learning Equality, I drive strategy for engaging with our community of implementers and support the development of our teacher training models. I have a B.S.Ed. from Northwestern University and an Ed.M from Harvard University, and I've also previously taught elementary school in Chicago. I typically spend my free time reading, running, and trying not to burn my oatmeal in the oven.

I joined the team 7+ years ago to continue my ongoing journey to bring people together around innovations to break down barriers to education. This journey has ranged from supporting the work of corporates engaging in education to fighting crime by investigating international financial movements. I have a M.A. in International Educational Development with a focus on Peace Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.A. in Comparative Politics and a Certificate in African Students from Princeton University. On a personal note, living in Brooklyn, NY for 15+ years heightened my senses for what I consider good cold brew, so if you swing through town, let's grab a coffee.

I'm Jacob Pierce a senior software engineer at LE where I've worked primarily on adding to and improving the Kolibri Learning Platform while supporting across our various software. I love to dive into new programming languages and learn how to write better software and I'm pleased to have the chance to do what I love while building software that helps people access educational resources freely around the world. I think that if anything can build a better and more equitable future it is a world of well-educated people from all backgrounds.

Hi, I’m Hiba. I have nearly 20 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation in education, and I bring a rigorous lens to both prove and improve educational outcomes. I enjoy research design and making data actionable - utilizing traditional mixed methods research approaches as well as more innovative Improvement Sciences ones, depending on project needs. I have served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on a spectrum of projects encompassing teacher professional development, integration of blended learning in educational settings, Montessori education initiatives, and enhancement of workforce readiness. I also hold a B.Sc. from Northwestern University, an Ed.M. from Harvard University, and an Ed.D. from Southern Methodist University (SMU). When I’m not at work, you can find me traveling the world with my husband and two kids.

Hi, I'm An, a Site Reliability Engineer and dog mommy. As a first generation immigrant, I have a strong belief in the value of universal education and desire to help improve global learning through the use of technology. I spend my free time reading, staring at my dog and doing DIY projects around the house. When I can get away from my responsibilities, I like to travel and explore the world.

I'm Tomiwa, a Senior Product Designer at LE. My design experience spans marketing and product development, allowing me to craft impactful user experiences. My design journey began as a university hobby, igniting a lifelong passion that fuels my career. From co-developing a digital waste collection service in undergrad to leading the design of Africa's first agritech crowdfunding app at Farmcrowdy, I've turned challenges into milestones. Witnessing my parents overcome poverty through education firsthand instilled in me a commitment to using design thinking for social good. My focus lies on education and agritech solutions that empower underprivileged communities like the ones I grew up in—a mission central to my role at LE. Outside of work, I'm passionate about exploring tech, design, food, music, and movies.

I’m Richard, a co-founder and Product Lead at Learning Equality. I’m responsible for building the roadmap for the Kolibri Ecosystem, to serve the diverse needs of the learners, educators, and organizations who make up our community. I’m passionate about student centered learning and I see technology as a scalable and flexible tool to help learners and educators create learning environments that support this experience. Prior to co-founding Learning Equality, I spent 3 years as a Secondary Science Teacher in the United Kingdom and 2 years as an educational consultant, working in K-12 schools in New Jersey and New York, training teachers in Problem-Based Learning, Educational Technology, and Student-Centered Teaching. I have a PhD in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego, and my dissertation research focused on how forgetting impacts Mathematics learning over time.

Hi, I'm Jess! A Graphic Design Specialist celebrating over half a decade with the Learning Equality team! I came to Learning Equality as a recent college graduate, dance instructor, and self-taught graphic designer interested in enabling equitable access to educational resources, and the rest is history! I've touched several aspects of digital media in my time here, including social media, newsletter management, webinar support, graphic design, and video editing. All channels and outlets I enjoy working with to build community. Outside of Learning Equality, you can find me making a Spotify playlist.

I'm Prathamesh Desai, a Computer Science Engineering graduate with a profound passion for computers and hardware. I consider myself the quintessential engineer with an artistic flair for architecture and designs. My journey to Learning Equality started with Google Summer of Code (GSoC), where I became captivated LE's commitment to using technology for social good, its innovative ideas and impactful work. I have a xxxxx and beyond my professional interests, I enjoy video games, travelling, admiring breathtaking sunsets, playing chess, and wandering the streets at night to soak in the tranquil urban atmosphere.

I'm José, a Staff Full Stack Engineer with Learning Equality. My role primarily involves spearheading the development of some of the core functionalities within our applications. While most of my tasks lean towards data backend work, I'm equally passionate about exploring new technologies to enhance user experiences. I've been a teacher for most of my life. I've also been involved in the development and deployment of the educational technology network of Extremadura in Spain, where I live. I've been instrumental in the creation of LinEx, one of the first Linux-based educational distributions. My experience as a teacher has also led me to actively participate in support initiatives and training sessions to optimize the use of our educational tools. When I'm not coding, you'll find me outdoors, surrounded by nature and my large family. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll trade my laptop for a life on a farm (albeit an automated one).

Hello, I'm Sumaira. I'm dedicated to advancing social justice, supporting marginalized communities, and fostering a vision of collective liberation by employing an anti-oppression framework and community-centric fundraising principles to my work. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Biology and Religious Studies from Stony Brook University and a Master's degree in Social Work from Columbia School of Social Work. I have over eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector in fundraising and philanthropy. Before joining LE, I've worked as a Development Manager at Womankind and as a Grant Writer at Funding for Social Change. As Learning Equality's Donor Relations Manager, I colead operations for philanthropic giving, combining my fundraising expertise with a deep alignment to Learning Equality's mission of supporting quality education for under-resourced communities around the world. I'm based in New York and outside of work, I find joy in hiking, contemplative walks, zen writing, gardening and traveling the world.

I’m Francis B. Bizoza, also known as The African Travelling Teacher, a curriculum designer at LE. I am a Pan-Africanist and education enthusiast passionate about revolutionizing learning to empower African youth by leveraging EdTech. My experiences as an educator and curriculum designer with LE, as well as my time as a LEAP Social Entrepreneur Fellow at Solve-MIT, combined with my degree in Education from Makerere University and my status as an alumnus of the Master Teacher Programme under the ALforEducation Network of the African Leadership Academy, have equipped me with a deep understanding of the educational challenges and opportunities in Africa

Hi, I'm Anna, a multi-media digital storyteller with international work experience in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, Australia, and the U.S. I'm passionate about promoting human rights, social justice and sustainability through honest storytelling. I've spent 10+ years working with women, children, and people with learning disabilities in underserved communities through global health and education initiatives, as well as on a rural grassroots legislative campaign. I've earned an M.A. in International Development from the University of Sydney and a B.A. in Sustainability with a focus on Society and a Minor in Global Health from Arizona State University. I live and work remotely from Colorado where I'm learning how to raise chickens and grow food in hydroponic vertical gardens.

Hello, I'm Liddy, a research, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialist with a background in education, health and humanitarian innovation. My work sits at the intersection of analytics, qualitative data and information design to capture learning and support evidence-informed decision making. I'm particularly interested in applying creative, participatory tools and data visualization to improve evaluation insights and the uptake of findings. I have a Masters in International Development from the University of Cambridge, I currently live in the UK, and when I'm not talking about M&E, I can be found rock climbing, taking photos and/or on a hiking trail with my dog.

I am a software engineer, currently focused on managing our team's cloud infrastructure. My recent projects aim to improve the developer experience and online stability of Kolibri and many of Learning Equality's other products. I've contributed to our work in various capacities, having progressed from a design intern to a UI-focused software engineer, and settled into my current role after recognizing the interesting design problems inherent to the distributed architectures I work on today. I earned degrees in Human-Computer Interaction and Computer Science at UC San Diego, where I first got to know the team. After developing my skills in problem-solving and User-Centered Design, I try to carry these methodologies into all of my work—no matter how much technical gibberish is involved. Learning Equality's commitment to equity in education aligns with my belief in lifelong learning and fosters the desire for justice I developed as a child of immigrant parents. I'm honored to work with the brilliant friends I've made here and look forward to furthering our mission in any way I can. Outside the office, I'm usually neck-deep in some kind of story: I thirst for the immersion offered by books, games, movies, and podcasts. I love exploring—whether it's the city's latest offerings or the the local wildlife reserve. I've also been known to obsessively research bizarrely mundane subjects, making me an unreliable resource for fun facts.

Hi! I'm Carine, Learning Equality's Director of Communications. I have a Bachelor's degree in Media & Communications with a major in French Studies and a minor in Film from the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Curious by nature, my life path has been particularly winding. Before Learning Equality, I worked across various roles in Print and Digital Media, TV, Radio and Film, shifted to Marketing and Branding in Fashion, and also had a PR business. I was a happy-go-lucky gal until cancer hit and with it, the decision to focus on things that would hopefully make a difference in the lives of others. I place a very high value on justice and have a strong belief that education is the way to not only a purposeful life but more importantly to a more equitable and just society. So finding Learning Equality felt like a true gift, a place where my work could have a real impact. I also have a love of languages, learned how to speak four, and became a Certified Translator, which comes in handy as I lead our internationalization efforts, and contribute to the LATAM work at LE. I'm a cat mamma and feel like I too have had nine lives: I’ve lived in 5 cities across four continents, became a Certified Integrative Nutrition Coach and will soon be a Pilates Instructor. When not at work, my passions include but are hardly limited to traveling to faraway places, film buffery, watching sporting events, dancing, and optimistic-but-so-far-failed attempts at becoming a good singer. I also know the words to more 80's and 90's cheesy tunes than I'd like to admit.

I'm a software developer and technical product manager based in Brooklyn, where I live with my cat, Chico. I studied Political Science and Sociology at Middlebury College and then transitioned to engineering. I've built software and websites at UNICEF Innovation, Census Open Innovation Labs, and a college counseling consultancy. I joined Learning Equality to bring together my interests in education technology and open source software. I enjoy spending my free time cooking, knitting poorly, reading magical realism, and wandering around my neighborhood seeking out dogs to pet.

Hi! I'm Rosanna, Head of People at Learning Equality and I am responsible for the experience for our internal team members. From planning and executing hiring to thinking about organizational processes, I am passionate about keeping HR as human as possible and with all the little details that make Learning Equality a great place to work. My previous positions have also revolved around education at the intersection between operations and people. I've supported program logistics for adult English language learners and most recently spent 7 years supporting public school classrooms across the US at DonorsChoose, where I led the volunteer operations as well teacher-facing customer support. I joined Learning Equality 5+ years ago eager to support access to offline education and I continue to be energized by our global, distributed team. After hours, you'll find me exploring coffee shops, watching soccer, or playing in a park with two favorite cuties: my daughter and my golden retriever.