About
Our Team
Meet aiEDU. We’re a diverse and dynamic team of builders with backgrounds in technology, education, curriculum design, policy, journalism and more. We’re united by a common belief in the next generation’s potential to shape technology and our future for the better.
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Alex Kotran
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Alex is founder and CEO of aiEDU. He oversees strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and external relations.
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Emma Doggett Neergaard
CHIEF PROGRAMS OFFICER
Emma is the Chief Programs Officer at aiEDU responsible for leading the development and delivery of content and services to support students in building AI Literacy.
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Christian Pinedo
VP, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS & ADVOCACY
As the VP of External Affairs & Advocacy, Christian leads strategic initiatives to convene stakeholders, inform systemic change, and amplify the organization’s voice in the national AI education landscape.
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Khushali Narechania
DIRECTOR, LEARNING
Khushali is the Director, Learning at aiEDU, leading the student curriculum and educator professional learning strategy and development to support students and educators in building AI literacy skills.
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Joshua Westfall
DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT
Josh leads aiEDU's development and fundraising efforts to ensure all students are ready to live, work, and thrive in a world where AI is everywhere. Prior to joining aiEDU, Josh worked at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, National PTA, and consulted for other education nonprofits.
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Ally Kupcewicz
DIRECTOR, PEOPLE
With over a decade of experience in recruiting and people operations, Ally leads all things Talent and People at aiEDU. She is passionate about process-driven systems and empowering & engaging workplaces for all.
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Lindsay Berger
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LeNard Pitts
SENIOR PROGRAMS LEAD, EAST COAST
LeNard serves as the Senior Programs Lead of the East Coast for aiEDU. He spearheads pivotal initiatives to advance AI literacy across East Coast school districts.
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Ashley Renick
SENIOR PROGRAMS LEAD, WEST COAST
Ashley serves as the Senior Programs Lead for the West Coast at aiEDU, where she collaborates with various stakeholders in our education systems to support them in building AI literacy and AI readiness. She is committed to dismantling barriers to equity, and empowering students, educators and communities to thrive in our ever-changing world.
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Drew St Lawrence
SENIOR LEAD, CURRICULUM
Drew supports efforts to develop student-facing AI literacy curricular projects.
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Na'taja Flood
LEAD, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Na’taja is the Professional Learning Lead, leading conversations about AI literacy to inspire and equip learners and educators!
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Ashley Flynn
LEAD, RESEARCH & EVALUATION
Ashley is the Research & Evaluation Lead at aiEDU responsible for leading the research and impact measurement across the organization’s program and learning teams. Ashley works in a part time capacity to develop the programs and learning research strategy, collect, manage, and analyze data aligned to aiEDU’s impact metrics, and supporting the organization in setting data-backed priorities.
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Melanie Whitfield
SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
As the Strategic Assistant at aiEDU, Melanie plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and focus of the leadership team. She expertly manages executive calendars, coordinates travel arrangements, conferences and meetings to ensure aiEDU leaders can represent the organization with maximum effectiveness. Her work streamlines operations, prioritizes tasks, and enables senior staff to optimize their productivity.
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Haley Ziegler
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION LEAD
Haley manages financial resources, budget development, and implementation of financial strategies. She also optimizes operational processes, streamlines workflows, and works to enhance organizational effectiveness.
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Hetal Bhatt
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
As a communications specialist, Hetal works across aiEDU’s initiatives, including aiEDU Studios. He has worked in political media and the Silicon Valley startup scene, where he handled public-facing communications for companies in mobile game development and AI content moderation.
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Shelby Christenen
LEARNING OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Shelby serves as a Learning Operations Specialist at aiEDU, bringing more than seven years of experience in education and operations to her work. She spearheads community engagement initiatives that support educators in integrating AI literacy into classrooms, ensuring both accessibility and impact.
Our Board of Directors
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Tiffany Taylor
Board Member
Chief People & Impact Officer at GSV Ventures; former Deputy Chief People Officer of Teach for America
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Karen Silverman
Board Member
Founder & CEO, The Cantellus Group; former Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins’ San Francisco office
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Marcus Brauchli
Board Member
Managing Partner of North Base Media; former Executive Editor of the Washington Post
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Julie Brickell
Board Member
Lecturer at Columbia University; former General Counsel of H5
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Ehrik Aldana
Board Member
aiEDU Co-Founder; Policy Manager at Credo.ai
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Alex Kotran
Board Member
aiEDU Co-Founder & CEO
Advisory Board Members
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Matt Gee
Director, Data & AI, US Program,
Gates Foundation -
Dr. Christina Grant
Executive Director, Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University
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Jeff Livingston
CEO, EdSolutions
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Jennie Magiera
Global Head of Education Impact, Google for Education
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Loni Mahanta
Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer, HopSkipDrive
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Lakshmi Nidamarthi
CEO & Founder, Waymakers
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Jamil Poonja
Former Senior Advisor to the Governor of Michigan
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Geo Saba
Former Chief of Staff, Rep. Ro Khanna