Our team
We’re improving outcomes for millions of K-12 students by fostering and guiding transformative partnerships between families and schools through our leading Universal Family Engagement platform.
Staff

Adam Carruthers
Account Executive

Adam Carruthers
Account Executive
Adam has witnessed firsthand primary and secondary education in Europe and higher education in the United States. This enlightening journey has led to an appreciation regarding the importance of reliable, accurate, and unlimited communication between students, families, and teachers. He is an avid devotee to sharing the positive message of change that comes with accessible technology for students of all populations.
He brings to TalkingPoints over 7 years of progressive consultative sales experience as a top-performer working in the K-12 educational content market serving school districts nationwide. Adam holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science & Global Studies from Benedictine University and is elated to be presented with the opportunity to connect students, teachers, and parents through the TalkingPoints platform.

Adam Lindstrom
Account Executive

Adam Lindstrom
Account Executive
Adam joins TalkingPoints with over twelve years of experience in education as both a science teacher and a district administrator for educational technology and instruction. In 2019, Adam decided to move into the EdTech space, using his skills and background to have a greater impact on education, helping educators and students. Adam brings with him a deep understanding of systems processes and decision-making around supporting and implementing educational technology within a school district.
He is passionate about supporting TalkingPoints’ mission and is excited to help bring such an important communication and family engagement tool to educators and families. Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science from Richard Stockton University, NJ, a Teaching certification, and a Masters of Science in Educational Leadership from Monmouth University, NJ.

Agustín Cabral
Development Coordinator

Agustín Cabral
Development Coordinator
Agustín is excited to contribute to TalkingPoints’ mission of providing equal opportunities for students. With his extensive background as a backend developer, he hopes to make a difference in the lives of young learners. With 10 years of experience, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and a deep understanding of technical solutions, he takes pride in being part of a team that is dedicated to creating a positive impact on education and promoting a brighter future for all students.

Alex Gumbs
Analytics Engineer

Alex Gumbs
Analytics Engineer
Alex is an equity oriented data worker who believes in the power of people. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and has since worked in a variety of data roles at both mission driven and tech companies. As an analytics engineer at TalkingPoints, Alex is excited to contribute her curiosity and passion to improving educational outcomes.

Anke Weiss
Senior Product Designer

Anke Weiss
Senior Product Designer
As a parent in the public school system, Anke has experienced first hand the challenges teachers and parents of all backgrounds have to overcome to ensure an equitable education for all kids.
Anke brings almost 20 years of experience as a product designer to her role at TalkingPoints. One of her greatest joys and motivators has been creating products and services that make an actual difference in people’s lives. Anke has always been surrounded by educators and is most excited when helping companies and nonprofits in the education sector. Anke originally studied photography in Berlin before moving to California. In San Francisco she honed her design skills at SFSU Multimedia Studies Program long before UX design was even a profession.

Antares Nieves
QA Specialist

Antares Nieves
QA Specialist
Antares comes to TalkingPoints with over two years of experience as QA Specialist. Antares is passionate about TalkingPoints’ mission and understands how education deeply impacts lives and can open doors to opportunity. She is excited to use her skill set towards helping others.

Antonio Bracco
Senior Software Engineer

Antonio Bracco
Senior Software Engineer
Antonio is passionate about evidence-based work that can be used to help others. As TalkingPoints’ Software Engineer, Antonio develops new solutions and software for TalkingPoints’ partners.
Antonio has a degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on telecommunications from the Republic University in Uruguay.

April Beasley
Senior Partner Success Manager

April Beasley
Senior Partner Success Manager
April has over 20 years of experience in education. She started her career in secondary math and then moved to technology education. Partnering with Pitsco Education, she helped develop curriculum for students in elementary school to engage young learners in math, science, and technology through hands-on lab activities. After moving into leadership, she served as an Assistant Principal, Technology Director, and a Data Analyst prior to leaving K-12 education for the ed tech industry. Prior to joining TalkingPoints, she used her love of numbers and Big Data to provide support and guidance to districts across the country to identify and address achievement gaps and improve student success.
As a member of the Partner Success Team, April is responsible for guiding partners to effectively use the TalkingPoints solution to further improve educator to family communication and help build a sense of community. April earned her Master’s degree in Technology Education and her Educational Specialist degree in Leadership and Administration from Georgia Southern University. April is driven to help others and loves being able to make an impact on her community through her work at TalkingPoints.

Aram Gugusian
Head of Engineering

Aram Gugusian
Head of Engineering
Aram is a full stack developer with over 10 years of experience developing software. He has extensive experience on Web infrastructure and Networking and has architected the TalkingPoints web and mobile app. Aram has a master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Catholic University in Uruguay.

Ariadna Candir
Translation Program Manager

Ariadna Candir
Translation Program Manager
As a former teacher, Ariadna witnessed the struggles families in the US faced when their home world language was not English. After she moved on to become a District Translator in one of the nation’s most diverse school districts, she advocated for parents and students, created resources and provided professional development to teachers and administrators on translation technologies to bridge the communication gap.
Ariadna has 18 years of experience as a professional translator, editor and proofreader with over 15 translated books that have been published. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Universidad del Valle de México, and speaks 4 languages.

Ash Cruz
Support Specialist

Ash Cruz
Support Specialist
Ash deeply connects to many of the communities TalkingPoints serves. Having grown up in a Spanish-speaking immigrant household, Ash recognizes student success is a team effort, and they are committed to helping bridge language barriers between schools and families. They are thrilled to be a part of the Support team to ensure everyone can find success with TalkingPoints, no matter their background.
Ash joins TalkingPoints from the higher education field, where they worked to reduce equity gaps related to college knowledge and basic needs for first-generation students. Ash graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a double major in Education Sciences and Urban Studies.

Belén Grajales
Software Engineer

Belén Grajales
Software Engineer
Belén is an enthusiastic person who enjoys accepting new challenges and providing high-impact solutions. With more than 4 years in the IT industry, she specializes in solving problems related to product quality (QA).
Belén is currently studying for a degree in systems analysis at ORT University. Belén’s involvement in education includes teaching as a high school Chemistry teacher, and a degree in Dental Biochemistry that has allowed her to teach at the Universidad de la Republica (UdelaR).

Benjamin Dennis
Business Systems Administrator

Benjamin Dennis
Business Systems Administrator
Benjamin brings a wealth of consulting and technology-focused expertise to his role at TalkingPoints. With years of experience across a broad range of industries, he is committed to applying his diverse skill set to drive impact within the education sector. Passionate about the transformative power of education, Benjamin believes in its potential not only to shape the lives of students but to strengthen communities as a whole.
In his role as Business Systems Administrator, Benjamin is dedicated to enhancing operational efficiency within the TalkingPoints team and doing his best to support the organization’s technical goals.

Bethany Kreider
Product Manager

Bethany Kreider
Product Manager
Bethany is passionate about improving educational equity globally. She believes that the intersection of education and technology has immense potential to create a positive impact, and is thrilled to get to support students by increasing family engagement as part of the Product team at TalkingPoints.
Over the past ten years, Bethany has worked across the education sector, from classroom teaching in the U.S. and Indonesia to conducting educational research, to curriculum development and working in EdTech. Bethany studied Elementary Education at the University of Tampa and later earned a master’s degree in International Education Policy and Management from Vanderbilt University.

Brett Wheeler
Account Executive

Brett Wheeler
Account Executive
Brett has spent his career partnering with school districts across the country beginning with supporting curricular programs and most recently working with districts to help support equity and diversity via their literacy programs.
Brett holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Northern Illinois University. Brett is passionate about helping reduce barriers for families to be actively involved in their student’s education and looks forward to positively impacting student outcomes through his work at TalkingPoints.

Bruno Galli
Junior Software Developer

Bruno Galli
Junior Software Developer
Bruno studied Electrical Engineering at Republic University in Uruguay and has over 6 years of experience in the technology sector. He is passionate about using his background to build a better future. Bruno joined TalkingPoints to collaborate on the development and maintenance of web and mobile apps.

Cali Stephens
Support Manager

Cali Stephens
Support Manager
Cali spent the first part of her career in higher education, supporting PhD student progress. From that first role, Cali cultivated a deeply student-first lens she still uses to center people in their own learning experiences. She pivoted from the higher education field into the world of education technology. Across various online learning programs, products, and experiences, Cali continued to provide the same student-first support at scale.
From a young age, Cali has been delighted by the act of learning. She has always loved a great story. Cali graduated from Boston University with a double-major in Spanish Language & Literature and History. As Support Manager, she focuses on providing the best possible support to TalkingPoints families, teachers, and school administrators. She is thrilled to be part of a company that remains so deeply committed to centering students by enabling teachers and families to help students be the stars of their own stories.

Chris Dudak
Senior Manager, Product Management

Chris Dudak
Senior Manager, Product Management
Chris is passionate about bringing people together across language barriers. As a parent who changed school districts during the Covid pandemic, he has seen firsthand the importance of establishing communication between schools and families, and the trust that follows when this level of communication is maintained.
Chris has an M.A. in Translation (Spanish > English) from Kent State University. A linguist by training, he began his career in localization operations before moving on to implementing machine translation solutions and ultimately transitioning into product management. In his role on the Product team at TalkingPoints, he brings together this unique skill set to focus on quality and breadth of translation, ensuring successful communication and better outcomes for students and their families.

Chris Sorrell
Account Executive

Chris Sorrell
Account Executive
Chris brings over fifteen years of sales experience to TalkingPoints, making the jump into K-12 EdTech in 2019. He’s worked to support educators with a variety of impactful instructional technology tools; covering classroom engagement, digital assessment, and student mental health support. Chris takes pride in being a consultative partner and provides a continuous system of support so that teachers and administrators feel confident investing their time, energy, and resources into these solutions.
Chris is a father, and he joins TalkingPoints because he knows that teachers and families deserve the ability to communicate clearly and consistently to support the well-being and success of their children. TalkingPoints helps eliminate traditional barriers to communication, making more equitable family engagement possible for schools and districts. Chris graduated from the University of Iowa.

Ciro Gronrroz
Junior Software Developer

Ciro Gronrroz
Junior Software Developer
Ciro brings a rich background in software development to his role, with a strong focus on applying technology into society, aligning perfectly with TalkingPoints’ mission to enhance education through technology.
Outside of work, Ciro is an avid sports enthusiast, and enjoys running and cycling, which complement his dynamic approach to software development. Ciro holds a degree in Information Technology from the Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC).

Claudine Ryan
President

Claudine Ryan
President
As a first-generation college go-er, Claudine personally experienced how invaluable education can be. As a parent and community member, Claudine believes that parents, regardless of their own backgrounds, can be tremendous champions in their children’s educational success. Claudine has spent her career in technology for the past 25 years, focusing for the past decade on building technology for social impact at scale for nonprofit education organizations, previously as COO & Head of Product at GreatSchools and now as President of TalkingPoints. Claudine studied information technology at the University of Virginia and has an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Business.

Crissie Tucker
Controller

Crissie Tucker
Controller
Over the course of the past 8 years, Crissie has played a vital role as a leader of the finance department in the nonprofit sector, guiding and overseeing various financial operations and strategies. Her expertise and dedication have been instrumental in ensuring the financial stability and success of the organizations she served. Through her strategic decision-making and meticulous attention to detail, she has successfully navigated the ever-changing financial landscape, adapting to new regulations and market trends to drive sustainable growth and the organization’s mission. Crissie enjoys actively engaging with the community, making a meaningful impact through her dedicated efforts and noteworthy achievements, and delivering exceptional results that reflect her unwavering passion for service.
Crissie obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Indian River State College, where she gained a strong foundation in financial management, auditing, and taxation. She is a dedicated professional who is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry practices and regulations. As a testament to her expertise, she is a proud member of the prestigious American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), an organization renowned for its commitment to excellence in the field of accounting.

David Golkin
Principal Product Manager, Solution Incubator

David Golkin
Principal Product Manager, Solution Incubator
David is passionate about unlocking ways to make learning more accessible to all students and removing barriers that prevent educators from teaching at their best. He began his career teaching elementary school in Harlem where he experienced firsthand the impact of building strong and trusting relationships with families can have on student achievement and he is excited to further that mission at TalkingPoints.
For the last decade, he has worked in product development at various EdTech companies where he specialized in creating innovative products and experiences through a focus on customer research and iterative experimentation. David studied Psychology at Williams College and later received his masters in General and Special Education from Touro College, and an MBA from the Wharton School.

Davis Jett
Data Integration Manager

Davis Jett
Data Integration Manager
Davis joins TalkingPoints with over 6 years of experience in the Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) field, and 5 years of experience in the EdTech industry. He is eager to assist the TalkingPoints Data Integration Team in making product usage fun, easy, and impactful for our partners. In his free time, Davis enjoys listening to and dancing to music, relaxing in the backyard, and grilling.

Divya Das
Production Designer

Divya Das
Production Designer
Divya is a skilled visual designer from Mumbai, India, with a passion for crafting aesthetics. She leverages her design prowess to amplify causes close to her heart. Her creative journey has been recognized through features in publications and exhibitions across the nation, including her noteworthy undergraduate thesis.
Divya has made impactful contributions to several distinguished organizations, including 826 Valencia, Essie Justice Group, The ACLU, The SF LGBTQ Centre, and Fern Design. Thriving in collaborative settings, she embraces opportunities to acquire new skills and master innovative tools.
In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, playing video games, and scrolling through dog videos on Reddit while sipping chai.

Dominique Tunzi
Strategic Data Project Fellow

Dominique Tunzi
Strategic Data Project Fellow
Dominique is passionate about the use of data and research to build equitable systems and structures that support student well-being and success. Prior to TalkingPoints, she worked on early childhood and socioemotional/behavioral intervention evaluations and technical assistance projects for SRI International. She started her career trajectory in education and youth research as an AmeriCorps reading interventionist. Dominique holds a PhD in Community Research and Action from Vanderbilt University.

Emma Berry
Director, Partner Success

Emma Berry
Director, Partner Success
Emma is driven by student success — and knows that starts when schools and families work as a team. As a former English teacher in rural and urban multilingual communities, she grounded her instruction in the power of language and voice. Emma sees her role at TalkingPoints as a natural extension of her classroom experience to ensure all families and teachers have access to the tools to communicate effectively.
In addition to her time in the classroom, Emma is a graduate of the University of Richmond and worked as an instructional coach and learning experience designer for teachers. She is thrilled to be the Director of Partner Success at TalkingPoints and to increase family engagement in service of students.

Evelyn Hulsey
Director of Operations

Evelyn Hulsey
Director of Operations
Evelyn joins TalkingPoints with over a decade of project management and leadership experience in the software industry. After building a strong foundation in client-facing initiatives, Evelyn pivoted to focus on internal programs supporting operational excellence and scalability within growing software organizations.
Evelyn has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Melbourne. As Director of Operations, Evelyn drives strategic TalkingPoints initiatives and implements best practices across the organization, allowing us to maximize our impact on the communities we serve.

Facundo Echevarria
QA Analyst

Facundo Echevarria
QA Analyst
For Facundo, education is the fundamental key to building a more equitable and just world. It is essential that everyone has access to quality education, regardless of their socio-economic background, geographical location, or any other circumstance. As someone who enjoys helping others and believes in equal opportunities for all, Facundo is excited to contribute to TalkingPoints as a QA Analyst.
One of Facundo’s main objectives is to help people, and this position at TalkingPoints has given him the opportunity to do so. With his software testing studies and experience in personal attention, he has hopes to contribute to helping all students who deserve opportunities and fight every day to be better.

Felicia Marshall
Senior Data Engineer

Felicia Marshall
Senior Data Engineer
Felicia brings decades of teaching experience, extensive technical expertise, and a data-driven approach to improving processes and products to her role at TalkingPoints. She comes from a family of educators covering the full spectrum of ages and currently teaches a college class remotely to students all over the world. Throughout her career, she has taught a wide range of subjects, including programming, robotics, machine design, manufacturing processes, and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). In addition to teaching, Felicia has also worked in technical writing and training, quality assurance and test automation, software development and delivery metrics, value stream mapping and process improvement, data pipeline architecture and CI/CD, and data observability with associated dashboards and alerts. Felicia holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University.
Growing up with first-generation American friends, Felicia developed a love for various cultures and languages. This passion was further strengthened by formal schooling in foreign languages. She is driven by seeing the impact of education improving the quality of life, particularly for those in underserved communities.

Felipe Aranda
Sales Development Representative

Felipe Aranda
Sales Development Representative
Felipe began his career in sales as a bank teller and fell in love with offering products and services specifically to customers whose first language was not English. As a seasoned professional, his current focus lies at the intersection of sales and the EdTech community, a field that has been particularly invigorating for him. He has carved out a niche that aligns seamlessly with his passion for connecting with people. Throughout his career, he has thrived on engaging with customers, building lasting relationships, and driving business success.
Felipe is excited to be part of the TalkingPoints team because he resonates with the product on a personal level. As a child, he had to interpret school assignments, letters and even bills to his parents. Felipe is fluent in Spanish and his two cats, Mochi and Zoe, have become the unofficial mascots of his journey.

Gabriel Castiglioni
Senior Software Architect

Gabriel Castiglioni
Senior Software Architect
Gabriel is our lead iOS developer and designer with extensive experience in both areas. He studied Computer Science at Republic University in Uruguay and is passionate about building products that address social problems.

Gonzalo Silva
Senior Software Engineer

Gonzalo Silva
Senior Software Engineer
Since childhood, Gonzalo has been interested in using technology to make a positive impact in the world. At TalkingPoints, Gonzalo brings over 3 years of experience as a software engineer and is passionate about using his skill set to drive student success. Gonzalo holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of the Republic Uruguay.

Guillermo Rodriguez
Software Developer

Guillermo Rodriguez
Software Developer
Guillermo studied Industrial Engineering at Republic University in Uruguay. His passion for TalkingPoints’ mission and software engineering led him to join our team as a junior software developer. He is excited to collaborate on building products that address social problems.

Guillermo Siriani
Database Administrator

Guillermo Siriani
Database Administrator
Guillermo is passionate about using technology to improve education and helping parents stay engaged in their children’s education. After years working for financial institutions, he felt the need to move to a more fulfilling path and joined TalkingPoints so that he could use his skills to support teachers, families and students.
As our lead AI software engineer, Guillermo works on improving our machine translations and natural language processing capabilities. He is a first generation college graduate and has a degree in Computer Science at Republic University in Uruguay with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing.

Heather Dooley
Senior Director, Brand Marketing & Communications

Heather Dooley
Senior Director, Brand Marketing & Communications
Heather is inspired by how education can empower students to reach their potential and help build productive healthy communities. As a public school parent in a diverse district, she’s seen how fostering positive connections between schools and families can make a big difference in student learning and the important role that access and inclusion play in building these relationships.
She has spent most of her career in digital marketing, including nearly a decade working in the nonprofit education sector to advance the adoption of effective school practices and help parents understand and use education data. Heather is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College, where she studied history and French.

Heejae Lim
Founder and CEO

Heejae Lim
Founder and CEO
Heejae Lim is the Founder and CEO of TalkingPoints. Previously, Heejae worked on education reform for public schools in the Middle East. She also served as Chief of Staff to a special advisor to the Secretary of Education in the UK. As a consultant at McKinsey, she advised the Gates Foundation and Teach First UK. Heejae is a graduate of Oxford, LSE and has an MBA from Stanford Business School where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar, and has been recognized as an Echoing Green Fellow, Stanford Social Innovation Fellow, Ashoka Changemaker and Forbes 30 under 30 to change education.

Joaquín Piedra Cueva
QA Specialist

Joaquín Piedra Cueva
QA Specialist
Joaquin loves computers and has always wanted to be a part of the IT world. He grew up in a household where education was highly valued. As a QA Analyst at TalkingPoints, he gets to combine his passion for computers and his dedication to education.

Jocelyn Gutierrez
Senior Support Specialist

Jocelyn Gutierrez
Senior Support Specialist
As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Jocelyn is passionate about ensuring everyone has access to an equitable educational experience. From both personal and professional experience, Jocelyn has seen the positive correlation between family engagement and student success. Jocelyn brings the compassion and skill set needed to be the liaison between teachers and families at TalkingPoints.
Jocelyn is a graduate from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on empowering marginalized communities to pursue active and healthy lifestyles. She also is a proud AmeriCorps Alumni where she supported families and students access mental health resources.

José Soarez
Software Engineer

José Soarez
Software Engineer
José enjoys learning new technologies and using them to improve education for children. José brings over four years of experience as a full-stack engineer to TalkingPoints and worked in QA before becoming a developer. José has a Programmer Analyst degree from ORT University.

Josephine Tritsch
Sales Development Representative

Josephine Tritsch
Sales Development Representative
Josephine began her career in education in 2014 and brings extensive experience working with multilingual learners in immersion settings. With a deep understanding of the power of language and communication in driving student success, she is passionate about bridging gaps for learners and their families. As a Sales Development Representative at TalkingPoints, Josephine partners with schools and districts to identify solutions that enhance engagement and reduce absenteeism. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Master’s in Teaching from the American College of Education.

Kaleigh Dimillo
Support Associate

Kaleigh Dimillo
Support Associate
Kaleigh is a former educator whose experience in education began in 2015, teaching 5th grade and focusing on Elementary Education and Special Education. After completing her undergraduate studies, she earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Reading Specialist certification from Valdosta State University.
Her passion for fostering student growth and supporting teachers has always been at the heart of her work. After the birth of her son, Graham, Kaleigh made the decision to step outside the classroom, seeking a role where she could continue to make an impact. This led her to TalkingPoints, where she integrates her dedication to education by helping bridge communication gaps between teachers and families. Since joining the team, Kaleigh has found great fulfillment in empowering educators and families with the tools they need to create stronger connections and ultimately support student success.

Kara Davis
Senior Philanthropy Manager

Kara Davis
Senior Philanthropy Manager
Kara is passionate about human rights issues and believes language access and human rights go hand-in-hand — access to information in your preferred language is critical to your livelihood, happiness, and success. That’s what inspired her to join TalkingPoints and drives her role as Institutional Philanthropy Manager. She brings nearly a decade of development experience in education, family engagement, and, most recently, the language industry, supporting the growth of a variety of entities reaching immigrant, refugee, and global communities.
Kara graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & Journalism from New York University and received a Master of Arts in International & Intercultural Communication with a concentration in human rights and migration from the University of Denver.

Katherine Frazier-Archila
Director of Philanthropy

Katherine Frazier-Archila
Director of Philanthropy
Katherine has a passion for educational equity and is committed to ensuring all students thrive in school. With well over a decade of fundraising experience, she has served in various leadership positions at national and San Francisco Bay Area nonprofits focused on youth services and public education. Prior to joining TalkingPoints, Katherine was the Director of the Philanthropy Team at KIPP Public Schools Northern California. In 2012, she earned a Master of Social Work degree from Georgia State University with a concentration in community partnerships.
As Director of Philanthropy at TalkingPoints, Katherine partners with funders who share TalkingPoints’ vision of transforming our education system through robust family engagement. As a parent herself, Katherine knows firsthand the important role that families play in the social-emotional and academic well-being of a child.

Katie Fodor
Operations Manager

Katie Fodor
Operations Manager
Katie is passionate about educational equity for all students and families, and working towards policy reform to rectify the injustices in the current educational landscape. She has a wide scope of knowledge in non-profit and educational operations, and tactical experience in understanding the needs of educators. As a former administrator, Katie has seen firsthand the tremendous impact that parent engagement has on student outcomes and is happy to be a contributing part of a team focused on increasing that effort.
As the Operations Manager at TalkingPoints, Katie is responsible for ensuring effective high-level systems and processes to ensure our team is logistically sound and able to focus on providing service and innovation for the folks we serve in schools and classrooms. Katie received a Bachelor’s degree in Human & Consumer Science with a minor in Business Administration from Ohio University.

Katie Rivard
Senior Product Designer

Katie Rivard
Senior Product Designer
Katie began her career teaching high school English in Memphis, which sparked a passion for designing equitable and impactful experiences that allow all students to thrive. She spent the next decade working as a teacher and an instructional coach and partnering with families to foster inclusive classroom communities and create memorable learning experiences for students.
In addition to her time in the classroom, Katie brings experience working in several capacities across the ed tech industry, including sales, customer success, and product design. Katie studied English and Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and later returned for a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has a deep understanding of the motivations and challenges of teachers and administrators, which will help inform her work designing impactful, user-centric experiences for students and families. Katie is excited to join the TalkingPoints team, and create products and services that will make a difference in the lives of students and families.

Kiki Greenacre
Data Integration Support

Kiki Greenacre
Data Integration Support
Kiki joins TalkingPoints with over 4 years of experience in the data field and 2 years of experience in the EdTech industry. She is eager to assist the TalkingPoints Data Integration Team in making the product easy to use for all partners. In her free time, Kiki enjoys painting, sketching, reading, and playing with her cat Mittens.

Kristie Werner
Director of Product Marketing

Kristie Werner
Director of Product Marketing
Kristie has a passion for education and as a parent herself she understands the importance of school and family engagement and partnership and the role it plays in bettering student outcomes.
Kristie brings a diverse background to TalkingPoints, including many years of marketing, customer support and program management experience. She has been working in Ed Tech since 2015, with not-for-profit organizations that are highly mission driven.
As the senior product marketing manager at TalkingPoints, Kristie helps educators better understand and recognize the value and benefits of the TalkingPoints products. In addition, she helps bring the voice of customers and their needs to the TalkingPoints team.
Kristie completed her undergraduate work at Portland State University and earned an MBA from the University of Oregon.

Kristin Daniels
Partner Success Manager

Kristin Daniels
Partner Success Manager
Kristin is inspired and energized when new voices are heard in education! Kristin’s career started in the classroom and her innovative experiences led her to a career in education technology. Prior to joining TalkingPoints, Kristin worked as an innovation consultant with districts across the country to identify top ideas from educators and students and launch them into a structured innovation pipeline for testing and implementation.
Kristin has spent her career advocating for educators and students and is thrilled to be at TalkingPoints on the Partner Success Team where she is able to help elevate the voices of families! Kristin has a B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University and a M.Ed in Elementary Education from DePaul University.

Krystal Key
Senior Compliance Manager

Krystal Key
Senior Compliance Manager
Krystal has a passion for helping others and positively impacting her community. She values the role accessible technology has in allowing all families to be involved in and fuel their child’s education. Krystal graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Krystal uses her combined experience to support internal operations so that the team can maximize its impact on empowering students, families, and teachers.

Laila Brenner
Head of Philanthropy

Laila Brenner
Head of Philanthropy
Laila has over 20 years of fundraising experience and has served in various positions at Habitat for Humanity, The Trust for Public Land, Craigslist Foundation, and KCETLink. Prior to joining, Laila was with Code for America where she spent 6+ years scaling philanthropy and helping millions access food and other basic needs. Laila earned her Masters in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco and is co-author of the book Nonprofit Fundraising 101.
As Head of Philanthropy at TalkingPoints, Laila leads the organization’s fundraising team and philanthropic revenue strategy. Laila views fundraising as an act of love and an invitation for others to help change the world. Outside of work, Laila keeps busy with two kids, chickens, and a variety of rotating hobbies.

Lauren Fogel
Director of Product Management

Lauren Fogel
Director of Product Management
Lauren is dedicated to driving impact and social change by working at the intersection of technology and social service – she is excited to bring that focus to TalkingPoints. For over 20 years, Lauren held product development leadership positions in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She led the expansion of a resource information and referral platform that supports under-represented communities and led the development of online products in higher education STEM disciplines that are in use by millions of students around the world.
An experienced mentor and coach, Lauren co-founded a cross-functional mentor group and donates her time to different organizations. Earlier in her career, Lauren lived in Asia and those experiences of living in dramatically different cultures continue to influence her work and perspective. Lauren graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania with a degree in English Literature and Women’s Studies.

Lisa Sanchez
Sales Development Representative

Lisa Sanchez
Sales Development Representative
Lisa’s professional background includes extensive experience in the educational sector, having worked as both a Foreign Language teacher and a Professional Development Trainer. She also spent eight years as an Adult ESL Instructor, teaching English as a Second Language to non-English speakers. Her passion for language is deeply rooted, and she possesses a strong understanding of the communication barriers that can arise due to language differences.
Lisa has served as a District Parent Engagement Coordinator, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges faced by teachers, administrators, and parents when trying to support students in overcoming language barriers. As a child of two Cuban immigrants herself, Lisa deeply resonates with and understand the urgency of TalkingPoints’ mission.
Lisa holds a Master’s in Training and Performance and a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Education. She is excited to merge her skills and passion for helping others to enhance the value and impact of TalkingPoints.

Lucia Alfaya
QA Specialist

Lucia Alfaya
QA Specialist
As an academic researcher, Lucia has learned to be proactive and apply her analytical skills when facing challenges. Her work experience has also taught her to be inquisitive and adapt to different situations. She has seen how education impacts and opens doors and is excited to share this experience with others.
Lucia has a BA in biochemistry and is finishing her PhD in chemistry at the Universidad de la República. She has also studied Web Development and Big Data.

Majo Pais
Office Manager

Majo Pais
Office Manager
Majo is passionate about supporting student success through technology. Prior to joining TalkingPoints, she worked in the travel industry. Majo has a technical degree in accommodation and travel management and enjoys photography in her spare time.

Mallary Swartz
Director of Research

Mallary Swartz
Director of Research
Mallary Swartz, Ph.D. brings over 20 years of experience as an applied researcher and thought leader in family engagement within education. She has held various positions at Start Early, Fred Rogers Productions, Brazelton Touchpoints Center, was Co-Principal Investigator (PI) of the Office of Head Start National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement, and PI of two National Science Foundation research and innovation grants. Most recently, Mallary served as Senior Director of Learning and Impact at ParentPowered, PBC, where she provided subject matter expertise, led research, and oversaw impact strategy.
Mallary has spent her career cultivating relationship-based partnerships, engaging in cross-organizational work, and leading research, evaluation, and innovation projects at family-oriented and education-focused organizations. She is deeply committed to centering the diverse voices of educators and families in her work. Mallary has a Ph.D. in Child Development from Tufts University, an M.S. from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.A. from Duke University. Outside of work, Mallary enjoys spending time with her family (including her dog, Rookie), cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Yankees, and hiking.

Marcelo Rodriguez
Junior Software Developer

Marcelo Rodriguez
Junior Software Developer
Marcelo is excited to continue his career in Quality Assurance (QA) at TalkingPoints. As a child, his family instilled in him an appreciation for studying and education by reading books to him and nurturing his curiosity. He is eager to pursue his passion for QA and help other students discover the same appreciation for education that his family helped him find.

Martín Calcagno
Senior Software Engineer

Martín Calcagno
Senior Software Engineer

Martín Cortada
QA Specialist

Martín Cortada
QA Specialist
Martín is excited to continue his career in Quality Assurance at TalkingPoints. With nearly two years of experience in QA, he is eager to contribute his skills to ensure that the company’s mission of improving communication and education reaches even more families. Growing up in an environment that emphasized the importance of education, Martín developed a deep respect for learning and believes in the power of quality systems to make a meaningful impact. He is passionate about combining his technical expertise with his dedication to supporting educational initiatives, and he looks forward to the growth and challenges his role at TalkingPoints will bring.

Martín Mislej
QA Lead

Martín Mislej
QA Lead
Martín brings more than four years of experience in the testing field to TalkingPoints. He previously worked as a testing consultant, improving workflows and methodological processes for different organizations. In relation to education, Martín worked as a coach and professor teaching testing courses.

Mauricio Sabaj
QA Specialist

Mauricio Sabaj
QA Specialist
Mauricio joins TalkingPoints with a BA in Mass Communication and Media, as well as 13 years of experience working as a content manager on various websites. He is excited about the growth and professional challenges that his role as a QA Analyst will bring.
Mauricio acknowledges the significance of TalkingPoints’ social and educational mission and strongly believes that it is essential to work in an environment where he shares the same objectives.

Michael Phan
Data Engineer

Michael Phan
Data Engineer
Growing up in an English-learning family, Michael understands the crucial link between family involvement and students’ achievements. He strongly believes that when families are engaged, students thrive. And that’s why he sees breaking down the language barrier as the crucial first step in closing the gap.
Michael has many years of experience working in the EdTech space and is passionate about using data as a driving force to help students in their academic careers. Using the power of analytics, he loves the insights that data can provide to educators and drive the direction of progress. As a Data Engineer, he advocates for the accessibility of data, recognizing its immense power for everyone.

Moritz Mueller
Senior Account Executive

Moritz Mueller
Senior Account Executive
Moritz (Mo) has been a dedicated professional in education technology since 2016, bringing nearly a decade of experience to his role at TalkingPoints. Throughout his career, he has worked with leading companies like DreamBox and Renaissance, where he has been instrumental in forging strong partnerships and driving positive student outcomes.
Mo’s passion for supporting families, students, and educators is further fueled by his wife, who is a high school biology teacher in their local district. This personal connection to education inspires Mo to champion transformative technologies that enhance student achievement and foster a collaborative educational environment.

Nancy Lee Bromberger
VP, Strategic Partnerships

Nancy Lee Bromberger
VP, Strategic Partnerships

Natalia González
Junior Software Developer

Natalia González
Junior Software Developer
Natalia joins TalkingPoints with a strong belief in the importance of motivation, particularly for children, and the essential role parents play in supporting their child’s education. She is excited to join TalkingPoints as a Junior Software Developer and contribute to its mission of fueling students’ learning, growth, and future success.

Nelson Campos
Senior Software Engineer

Nelson Campos
Senior Software Engineer

Nicole Turney
Director of Philanthropy

Nicole Turney
Director of Philanthropy
Nicole is dedicated to supporting organizational growth through strategic philanthropy and senior-level engagement. She has advised on investments as diverse as international development and mental health for UNICEF, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, and many others. She earned her MA from University College London in International Economy, State and Society, where she researched the pivotal role of teachers in media education in the Czech Republic. She also served in AmeriCorps and holds two BA degrees in Politics and Film and Digital Media from UCSC.
As Director of Philanthropy, Nicole drives TalkingPoints’ impact by expanding philanthropic support for low-income, underserved families. As a first-generation college student from a similar background, she is committed to advocating for equity in the education system and actively seeks partnerships with philanthropists and funders aiming to bring about transformational change.

Pablo Márquez
Senior Software Engineer

Pablo Márquez
Senior Software Engineer
Pablo is passionate about using his technology background to improve education. Pablo studied Biochemistry at the Science University of Uruguay and computer science in the private sector. His academic work included combining biology and programming as a bioinformatician, and he tried to find key genes that help combat diseases caused by parasites, like Toxoplasmosis.
In addition to his academic work, he has worked as a game developer in several educational and children-oriented projects. Pablo joined TalkingPoints to collaborate on the development of the web and mobile apps, working on adding new features and improving the experience and accessibility for parents and teachers alike.

Paige DeLozier
Senior Engagement Marketing Manager

Paige DeLozier
Senior Engagement Marketing Manager

Ramiro Moreira
Software Engineer

Ramiro Moreira
Software Engineer
Ramiro enjoys facing challenges and developing technological solutions that bring social impact. He believes education is the best way to provide equal opportunities and finds pleasure in developing software for educational purposes. Ramiro has a degree in computer analysis from the University of the Republic Uruguay. He is continuing his education in Robotics and Artificial intelligence. He also has experience as a Math teacher and semi-senior web developer.

Rita Kirzhner
Senior Data Product Manager

Rita Kirzhner
Senior Data Product Manager
As an immigrant and an NYC public school alum, Rita deeply resonates with TalkingPoints’ mission. Growing up in Brooklyn, Rita went to school with students from a variety backgrounds, countries, and languages, and gained firsthand insight into how important family engagement is to student success. She is thrilled to be supporting immigrant and under-resourced communities and improving access to resources in education.
Rita has a decade of experience leveraging technology to address complex problems and drive meaningful change. She previously worked in HR tech, helping transform hiring to be more equitable, effective, and efficient, and helping individuals realize their career potential. Before transitioning to startups, Rita worked in management consulting at Ernst & Young (EY), advising financial institutions on harnessing AI/ML technologies to drive business innovation. Rita holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Psychology from Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter College.

Rob Bayuk
Product Marketing Manager

Rob Bayuk
Product Marketing Manager
For over 15 years, Rob has worked as an educator, EdTech advocate, and product leader. A connecting theme in his work has been empowering educators to transform their teaching practice with technology to create better outcomes for students.
Drawing from his experience teaching high school Social Studies, English, and Humanities, Rob brings a practitioner’s perspective to EdTech. This classroom background informs his role as Product Marketing Manager at TalkingPoints, where he helps educators and families understand and take advantage of technology to support student success.
Rob has worked in diverse education and EdTech organizations – from innovative startups to established enterprise companies and mission-driven nonprofits. Beyond his professional work, he dedicated 12 years to fostering a positive youth sports culture as a leader in a volunteer-run soccer organization, creating a supportive and diverse environment for players, coaches, and families. Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Arizona State University and a Master in Teaching from Seattle University.

Robyn Etzler
Events Manager

Robyn Etzler
Events Manager
Robyn is a detail-oriented B2B Marketing and EdTech corporate event organizer specializing in helping companies grow through events. She is a creative, out-of-the-box thinker and problem solver who is strategic and data driven while being hands-on to ensure TalkingPoints is seen as ‘Best in Class’ at events. Robyn is a collaborative team player with building internal and external relationships to maximize achievement of goals. When it comes to budgets, she is a tough negotiator with a proven track record of getting the most out of every dollar.
Prior to B2B Marketing and EdTech corporate event planning, Robyn was a former educator. She received a BA in Education at the University of Florida, then continued her education at Teachers College, Columbia University with a MA in Special Education. Robyn is mission driven, wanting all children to be successful on their educational journey. She believes that an education is the foundation to allow students to become productive citizens in our society.

Rosina Vera
Director of Project Management, Engineering

Rosina Vera
Director of Project Management, Engineering
Rosina is dedicated to delivering quality products and possesses extensive experience in project management within the IT sector. In the field since 2015, she excels in facilitating collaboration across various departments and ensuring effective task completion. Joining the company as Director of Project Management for Engineering, Rosina is passionate about leveraging technology to transform education. She believes in the pivotal role education plays in shaping our world and is enthusiastic about contributing to its evolution through technological innovation. Rosina is particularly excited about fostering parent-school integration to enhance the educational experience for all stakeholders.

Ryan McLaughlin
Senior Marketing Operations Manager

Ryan McLaughlin
Senior Marketing Operations Manager
Ryan has built his career in the EdTech industry for the last 13 years, focusing primarily in the K-12 sector while also serving as a professor in Higher Ed. Combining his BS in Computer Science from St. Norbert College and MBA from the University of Iowa, Ryan found his true passion in marketing technology and digital marketing. He is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional through the Digital Marketing Institute and a Professional Certified Marketer in Digital Marketing through the American Marketing Association.
As the Senior Manager of Marketing Operations, he analyzes marketing technology systems and digital marketing as a whole. He enjoys working with the marketing team to build repeatable and sustainable lead generation processes and marketing campaigns that spread the TalkingPoints mission.

Sara Hathaway
Senior Product Manager

Sara Hathaway
Senior Product Manager
Sara cares deeply about connecting people with the information, resources and networks they need to thrive. As a former children’s librarian in multilingual, resource-constrained communities, Sara worked closely with families trying to navigate the challenges of equitable access to information and education. Witnessing the immense impact moments of connection can have for an entire community, she moved into product management in 2018 to dive deeper into the possibilities at the intersection of communities, equity and technology.
At TalkingPoints, Sara’s background in public service and building technical products will help her as she works closely with our users defining and developing meaningful, user-centered solutions. Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in French from Miami University and a Master’s of Library and Information Studies from the University of British Columbia.

Sergio Sánchez
Senior Data Engineer

Sergio Sánchez
Senior Data Engineer
Sergio is passionate about using his research and data skills to empower people who have historically been underserved by the traditional power structures. Sergio’s work lives at the intersection of public policy, data, and tech. Born to a family of educators, Sergio understands the impact education has on individuals, families, and communities.

Shawna Hemphill
Senior Philanthropy Operations Manager

Shawna Hemphill
Senior Philanthropy Operations Manager
As Philanthropy Operations Manager, Shawna manages the systems and tools that support the fundraising team. She brings over 15 years of experience in fundraising and finance and a commitment to equitable educational outcomes to the TalkingPoints Team.
Shawna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and certifications from the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations in Non-Profit Management and Accounting Fundamentals.

Simón Miera
Senior Partner Success Manager

Simón Miera
Senior Partner Success Manager
Simón has a wide range of knowledge related to education and holds a Masters degree in Education from Lesley University. He has utilized his experiences to lead professional development for school districts throughout the nation and help educators build systems supporting their district’s multi-tiered system of supports goals.

Stephanie Kaufman
Head of Product

Stephanie Kaufman
Head of Product
Stephanie is all-in to help move the needle for social change. Closing the equity gap in education can have an immediate and drastic social impact in the US. Stephanie believes that the intersection of education and technology will make this possible. She is excited about the opportunities that TalkingPoints provides for students and families who face equity gaps every day.
Having come from a family of educators, Stephanie has spent the majority of her career in EdTech. Her experience in both sales and product management shaped Stephanie into a user-obsessed advocate for students and educators, and she will use that passion to impact and improve TalkingPoints. Stephanie graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in English Literature and Cinema Studies.

Sujeiry Gonzalez
Community Partner Success Manager

Sujeiry Gonzalez
Community Partner Success Manager
A former teacher and Parent Liason, Sujeiry believes in empowering multilingual families by equipping them with information and providing them with access. Born in NYC to Dominican parents, Sujeiry knows first-hand the importance of family advocacy and engagement. She has a passion for bridging the communication gap between multilingual families and school administrators.
Sujeiry is a graduate of Rowan University with an MA in Writing Arts and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a BA in Communications and Psychology. She is also a New York State licensed ELA educator. Sujeiry loves being able to continue to make an impact through her work at TalkingPoints.

Todd Bishop
Director of Sales

Todd Bishop
Director of Sales
Todd serves as the Director of Sales at TalkingPoints, where he leverages over a decade of experience in the education technology sector. Over the course of his career, Todd has played instrumental roles in shaping sales strategies for organizations like DreamBox Learning and Renaissance Learning. With a deep-seated passion for driving student outcomes through innovative technology solutions, Todd firmly believes in the transformative power of education in shaping our society. He holds both graduate and postgraduate degrees in language studies, further underlining his commitment to the educational field.

Veronica Tappe
Director of People

Veronica Tappe
Director of People

Vrinda Kokje
Senior Manager, Marketing

Vrinda Kokje
Senior Manager, Marketing
Vrinda is a creative, data informed and results focused marketing strategist. She believes that impactful marketing campaigns serve as a powerful tool to convey your unique story to potential buyers – creating relevance, building context, and forging a strong connection with them. She has spent more than 10 years driving revenue pipeline by building engaging integrated programs for B2B SaaS organizations.
Vrinda thrives on challenges, inspired by growth and positive change. For her, education wasn’t just schooling, it was her springboard to overcome obstacles and forge her own path. As an immigrant and a public school parent, she wants to leverage her marketing expertise to equip educators with tools and tech they need to ignite the love of learning in their students. Vrinda strives to see communities come together and support student success.

Xiaoyuan Tan
Research Scientist

Xiaoyuan Tan
Research Scientist
Dr. Xiaoyuan Tan has over a decade of experience in educational research and evaluation. Before joining TalkingPoints, she served as a Senior Research Scientist for the Arizona Department of Education, working on evaluating state-wide initiatives that were designed to improve K-12 public education. She also worked as a psychometrician and an educational product developer for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Being a first-generation immigrant herself and with both of her children attending a public school, Dr. Tan fully understands the challenges faced by children from underserved multilingual immigrant communities. She strives to promote the TalkingPoints platform as a valuable tool that allows families and schools to work together to close achievement gaps and accelerate learning for all students.
Board of Directors and Advisory Board

Doug Borchard
Secretary and Board Member

Doug Borchard
Secretary and Board Member
Doug joined New Profit in 2005 and serves as Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer. In that role, he oversees New Profit’s internal infrastructure (finance,talent, operations) and portfolio grant-making and support. Doug has also worked closely with several of New Profit’s portfolio organizations, including Achievement First, iMentor, KIPP, Year Up, Leading Educators, and New Classrooms, and currently serves on the boards of CodePath, UnboundEd, Equal Opportunity Schools, and TalkingPoints.
Doug brings diverse experience to New Profit as an accomplished entrepreneur and senior executive in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Most recently, Doug was Vice President of Prospecting Solutions at Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business information. At D&B, Doug led a $140mm business unit, with broad P&L responsibility for product strategy, sales and marketing, and product development. Doug came to D&B through its acquisition of iMarket, Inc., a venture-funded provider of sales and marketing software and internet solutions that he co-founded. Doug also spent several years as a consultant at Bain & Company, a leading international management consulting firm, where he worked on assignments in the information services industry.

Dan Braga
Board Chair

Dan Braga
Board Chair

Tyler Coats
Treasurer and Board Member

Tyler Coats
Treasurer and Board Member
Tyler Coats is the CEO of Falcon Critical Care Transport, a $20m revenue business employing over 250 personnel in the SF Bay Area. Formerly Tyler was the Managing Partner of Cascadian Capital. Tyler also served in the US Navy aboard the USS Henry M. Jackson, a strategic nuclear submarine, where he led over 70 personnel with overall responsibility for the operation of the nuclear reactor as Head Engineering Officer and Officer of the Deck. Tyler has an MBA from Stanford GSB and has a B.S. in Quantitative Economics and Applied Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy.

Dr. Sharon Contreras
Advisory Board Member

Dr. Sharon Contreras
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Contreras is passionate about providing a high-quality education to each child. She is a teacher at heart, a transformational leader and a passionate advocate for children and education. Growing up in Uniondale, New York, with nine brothers and sisters, she learned early to advocate for her right to an excellent education. Over the course of her 30-year education career, she has been the first woman of color to lead one of New York’s “Big 5” school systems in Syracuse, and the first woman and Latina to lead Guilford County Schools in North Carolina. She holds multiple degrees including: a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis and a Master of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; a Master of Arts, English Literature; a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
Dr. Sharon Contreras, CEO of the Innovation Project, joins us with unparalleled experience as a public education leader and a passionate advocate for children. Her insights will help shape our market strategies and ensure our work aligns with the needs of educators and families.

Kumar Garg
Advisory Board Member

Kumar Garg
Advisory Board Member
Kumar is a passionate champion of education reform and started his career working on behalf of parents and children as an education lawyer and advocate. Kumar led the Obama Administration’s efforts to bolster federal STEM education initiatives, serving for nearly 8 years in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). He then led partnerships at Schmidt Futures, working with Eric Schmidt to design and launch moonshot initiatives in education while building ongoing multi-donor and multi-sector collaboratives. Kumar is now president of Renaissance Philanthropy, a nonprofit that surfaces breakthrough ideas and incubates ambitious initiatives. He received a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Yale Law School.
Kumar Garg is an expert in education and technology and brings a wealth of experience in research, development, and government partnerships. His guidance will strengthen our ability to innovate and collaborate across sectors.

Greg Gunn
Advisory Board Member

Greg Gunn
Advisory Board Member
Greg Gunn is a leader in using technology, innovation, and venture capital investing to promote progress in education. As co-founder of Lingo Ventures, he makes early-stage investments in education and workforce technologies. In 2000, Greg co-founded Wireless Generation (now called Amplify), a leading educational software company serving millions of students annually with groundbreaking assessment and instruction products. Greg is a director of Zearn, FHI 360, Bridgespan, and Girls Who Code.
Greg Gunn will contribute his expertise in product innovation and scaling tech organizations to support our growth and market strategies.

Heejae Lim
Founder and CEO

Heejae Lim
Founder and CEO
Heejae Lim is the Founder and CEO of TalkingPoints. Previously, Heejae worked on education reform for public schools in the Middle East. She also served as Chief of Staff to a special advisor to the Secretary of Education in the UK. As a consultant at McKinsey, she advised the Gates Foundation and Teach First UK. Heejae is a graduate of Oxford, LSE and has an MBA from Stanford Business School where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar, and has been recognized as an Echoing Green Fellow, Stanford Social Innovation Fellow, Ashoka Changemaker and Forbes 30 under 30 to change education.

Jeff Livingston
Advisory Board Member

Jeff Livingston
Advisory Board Member
After a long career at McGraw-Hill Education that included roles in sales, marketing, education policy and general management, Jeff formed EdSolutions, LLC in 2015 as a vehicle for focusing education innovation, investment and philanthropy on underserved students, scaling proven innovations to reach the students who will benefit most from them. Today, EdSolutions help organizations to find impact through the markets for education goods and services primarily via: Ecosystem Maps, Target Product Profiles, Go-to Market Strategies and other customized consulting services.
Jeff holds a baccalaureate degree in Government from Harvard University. He has served as a director of the Association of Educational Publishers, the Association of American Publishers- Education Division, the Software and Information Industry Association, The Harlem Educational Activities Fund, UnBoundEd Learning, New Meridian, LaborX, Yenko and Allhere. Jeff currently lives in New York City with his wife, Sahily Artiles, a naturalized American citizen and certified Spanish/English court interpreter.
Jeff Livingston’s strategic leadership will guide our efforts to scale and rapidly evolve our solutions to increase our impact on educators and families.

Dr. Karen L. Mapp
Advisory Board Member

Dr. Karen L. Mapp
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Mapp is a leading expert in the field of family engagement, and her 2010 book, Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships, is considered a foundational text in the field. She created the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships, the research and practitioner framework that TalkingPoints bases itself on and has advised the U.S. Department of Education and multiple states and school districts on family engagement. She is currently a Professor of Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).
Dr. Mapp will play a vital role in helping us develop a research-driven standard for excellence in family-school partnerships.

Bob Runcie
Advisory Board Member

Bob Runcie
Advisory Board Member
Bob is the chief executive officer of Chiefs for Change, and previously served as superintendent of Broward County Public Schools – the sixth-largest district in the United States. Under his leadership, Chiefs for Change has increased its technical assistance for members and expanded leadership development initiatives to build the pipeline of diverse, talented educators ready to lead K-12 systems. His professional experience also includes founding a management and technology consulting company and holding several strategic leadership positions with Chicago Public Schools. He became the first in his family to finish high school and graduate from college, earning his bachelor’s from Harvard College and MBA from Northwestern University.
Bob Runcie’s connections and strategic insights will enhance our partnerships and market outreach.
Join us to make a difference, to change lives
Our team
Our fast-growing team is focused on the best experiences for our teachers and families.
At TalkingPoints, we are passionate about changing our education system for the better, and we believe deeply in the value of what we do. We bring an empathetic, entrepreneurial spirit to our work—and we have fun while we’re at it!
What we offer
- An incredible opportunity to build a mission-driven, rapidly growing startup tech nonprofit
- Competitive salary, health insurance, benefits, and flexible time off
- Flexibility to work remotely

Our organizational values
User & mission orientation
We are devoted to our mission with empathy towards the communities we serve.
All in together
We go above and beyond the job description, working together as a team.
Agile & action-oriented
We get things done, knowing that our progress is urgent to our communities.
Always learning
We are always learning, with a growth mindset, to reach our our full potential.
Boldly courageous
We take risks in order to achieve big things.
Open positions
