John Grillos, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Grillos co-founded WorldSage with the vision of creating a world class private higher education system, a system focused on career relevance and professional life-long support for graduates, and one that utilizes technology to enhance the learning experience and access for students. Mr. Grillos has been involved in the information technology and education industries for over 30 years, as both a principal and investor. He has served since 1996 as founding Managing General Partner and Director of ITech Partners, L.P., a technology and services venture capital fund.
From 2004 until 2008 he served as Chairman of Transware PLC, a full-service provider of integrated globalization services. From 1988 to 1996 he served as a Managing Director at Robertson Stephens and Company, a San Francisco based investment bank and venture capital firm. Between 1999 and 2002 he served as the Chairman and CEO of MVC Capital, Inc., a public venture capital fund founded in cooperation with the venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. From 1993 until 2002 as a Director of SmartForce (formerly CBT Systems), an e-learning software company that merged into Ireland-based SkillSoft Corporation in 2002, and also served as its Chief Operating Officer from 1998 until 1999. Mr. Grillos has also served since 2001 as Director of FolioFN, Inc. a financial services company. From 1999 to 2002 he was a director of Wine.com, an online wine retailer, and was its Chairman from 1999 through 2001. From 1972 to 1983 he held several senior management positions American Management Systems, a consulting and application development company.
Mr. Grillos has held a variety of engineering and engineering management positions with the Institute for Computer Research at the University of Chicago from 1968 through 1972, and with the Bell Labs/Western Electric Company from 1965 through 1968. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS from Illinois Institute of Technology. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Santa Clara University, and taught mathematics in the United States Marine Corps.
Dr. Barbara Kurshan, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President
Throughout her life, Dr. Barbara Kurshan has honed her vision of "what can be" using technology, while supporting the growth of new companies and developing new innovative software products. Dr. Kurshan co-founded WorldSage with the vision of creating a for-profit higher education system to address education needs for the 21st Century. Dr. Kurshan has been involved with education and technology for over 30 years. She assisted in the development of the first children's software products for Microsoft -- Creative Writer and Fine Artist -- and also helped to create award-winning products for McGraw-Hill, Apple, CCC (Pearson) and other companies. As a professor, she helped students research the impact of technology on learning. Dr. Kurshan also publishes articles based on her personal research exploring women's attitudes toward technology, how kids use computers, and new ways of learning through understanding. She has been quoted in many influential journals and serves as a reviewer and advisor to research projects for the National Science Foundation and other government and business groups. Through her venture fund, Core Learning Group, she invests in companies and entrepreneurs who are impacting learning and the education industry. Her current investment focus supports those exploring creative ways to address the No Child Left Behind Act and international private higher education.
In 2006, Dr. Kurshan was appointed and continues to serve as Executive Director of Curriki on Java.net, where she is endeavoring to build a global community that will provide the best open source curricula, just a "mouse click" away. In 1989, Dr. Kurshan founded, and currently serves as President of, Educorp Consultants Corporation, a Roanoke, Virginia-based consulting and development firm serving the strategic and investment needs of businesses and educational institutions. From 1998 through 2004, Dr. Kurshan co-founded and served as co-Chief Executive Officer of Core Learning Group, a private equity investment company located in Roanoke, Virginia, that focused on educational technology. Dr. Kurshan has served as a director to FableVision, Inc., a multimedia and studio educational publisher located in Watertown, Massachusetts, since 2003, Headsprout, a provider of computer-based learning programs located in Seattle, Washington, from 2003 through 2006, InterScholastic Trading Company, LLC, a San Francisco, California-based seller of surplus goods from educational institutions, since 2006, and iEARN (International Education and Resource Network), a global non-profit organization of over 20,000 schools in more than 115 countries linking schools and students online, from 2003 through 2006.
Dr. Kurshan holds an Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Educational Technology from Virginia Tech University, an M.A. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech University, and a B.S. in Mathematics from Newcomb College, Tulane University. She has served as Director of Academic Computing and has taught computer science and education-related courses at Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, and has taught at the Virginia Tech College of Education in Blacksburg, Virginia. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Kurshan was appointed by Virginia Governor Mark Warner to serve on the Board of Advisors of the Virginia Business Education Partnership.
Among her various honors, Dr. Kurshan received the Education Academic Society's "Making It Happen Award" in 2005, and the "Highest Leaf Award" from the Women's Venture Fund in 2005. She is also listed in "Who's Who in Technology Today."
Gail Babitt, Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Babitt has over 15 years of finance experience, with a focus on rapidly growing companies, corporate turnarounds and start-ups. Prior to joining WorldSage in October 2007, Ms. Babitt was the Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer for Pamida Stores Operating Co., LLC ("Pamida") a national merchandiser operating over 200 stores in 16 states with annualized revenues in excess of $800M. While at Pamida, Ms. Babitt was responsible for accounting, finance, treasury, information technology and merchandise, planning, allocation and replenishment. A private equity firm recruited Ms. Babitt after they acquired ShopKo, Inc., the parent company of Pamida at that time, to separate the back-office functions and roll Pamida into a stand-alone corporation. In this role, Ms. Babitt was responsible for the financial separation of Pamida from ShopKo, and a related sale-leaseback transaction, with gross proceeds of $85 million and a credit facility of $167.5 million.
From 2004 until 2006, Ms. Babitt was a partner with Envision Management Group, Inc., a private consulting firm that provides financial consulting services across various industries. Ms. Babitt provided financial management for several companies, including DriveSol Worldwide, Inc., a Detroit-based automotive parts manufacturer with plants in Sweden, China and the U.S., and NationsRent Companies, Inc., a national retailer of equipment for rental or purchase. From 2000 until 2004, Ms. Babitt served as Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer for Onstream Media Corporation ("Onstream"), a NASDAQ-listed digital asset management and streaming media company headquartered in Florida. Ms. Babitt was hired and successfully completed the evaluation of the operating units and created a plan to restructure operations resulting in the company achieving positive EBITDA. Ms. Babitt was responsible for accounting, finance, legal, human resources and risk management while at Onstream. From 1999 until 2000, Ms. Babitt served as the VP of Finance NA and Corporate Controller for Telecomputing ASA, an applications service provider with operations in Norway, Sweden and the U.S. Ms. Babitt was hired to establish and manage the financial and legal operations in the U.S. and was additionally given the responsibility of controllership to provide guidance for the company's IPO, which was successfully completed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. From 1997 until 1999, Ms. Babitt was employed as a Manager with in the Transaction Services Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers, providing financial due diligence for mergers and acquisitions supporting financial and strategic buyers and sellers. Clients consisted of Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms and companies completing roll-up IPOs.
From 1992 until 1997, Ms. Babitt worked for Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse in the assurance and advisory practice. Ms. Babitt provided audit services for clients in diversified industries including entertainment, financial services, retail, technology and communication, with most of her clients being publicly-traded companies.
Ms. Babitt received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Nova Southeastern University and her MBA from Boston University. Ms. Babitt is a Certified Public Accountant.
Michael Ter-Berg, Head of European Business Development and Operations
Mr. Ter-Berg was the CEO of Medic-to-Medic, a medical education software spin out company of University College London, with a major role in the $24 billion National IT program for the UK's National Health Service. Previously he held a number of senior positions in the education and information software sectors including Director of Development for DMG Information (Daily Mail & General Trust Plc) making and managing investments in high growth international companies including Education & Careers, which operated schools, recruited students, published in the recruiting area, held events and conducted training. He was a member of the Chatham House China Committee, a geo political think thank including former UK Government Ministers responsible for recommending policy on China, and a director of EUbusiness.com, a leading website focusing on Business and Politics in the European Union. Prior to The Daily Mail, he held senior operating positions in education and information companies in the UK and USA.
Mr. Ter-Berg has an MSc and is a Sloan Fellow of London Business School, and he holds a B.Com (hons) from the University of Liverpool
Kenneth Years, VP of Operations and Systems
Mr. Kenneth Years has been active in post-secondary education as an owner operator for more than 15 years. In 1991, he and a partner bought a private for-profit post secondary school, and Mr. Years served as the managing partner for the first three years. In 1996, he was successful along with the help of the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools in pressing for a recalculation of default rates due to a break down in the state's loan processing systems. It resulted in saving a substantial number of California schools from being wrongfully forced out of business. In 1998, he successfully raised venture capital to buy out his partner and to buy additional schools in the west. In 2001, Mr. Years became the COO of Campus Management, a leading provider of administrative solutions for higher education. During his tenure, he oversaw dramatic growth in revenues and a revamping of the business to provide extensive professional services. He is currently the lead investor in developing and building two for-profit post-secondary schools in California.
Mr. Years has an extensive background in high technology products for military, aerospace, industrial, and consumer markets. He progressed through all stages of business development during 15 years at Texas Instruments and rose from a design engineer to a P&L business manager. He gained merger and acquisition experience as a group VP at Loral where he became responsible for multiple businesses shortly after they were acquired. Over a 30 year period, Mr. Years gained broad international business experience in the Navy, at Texas Instruments, Loral, and as an executive at Monitor Technologies.
Kenneth Years attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and received a BEE, was a member of Tau Beta Pi, and was commissioned as a Navy officer. He later attended Stanford University on a full scholarship from Texas Instruments. He has been a member of the San Diego Young Presidents' Organization and has served in leadership roles in the American Electronics Association and the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools.
Mr. Charles (Chuck) House
Chuck is the executive director of Media X, Stanford University's membership research program on media and technology, and a senior research scholar in the Human Sciences and Technology Advanced Research division at Stanford, continuing his work in technology-enabled communications, collaboration, and community. Previously, he was the director of Societal Impact of Technology, for Intel Corporation.
He has been deeply involved with questions of technology's effect on society, and is currently focused on issues surrounding the attributes and impact of software technologies, particularly distance learning and collaboration using multimediated Web networking.
Mr. House has been a high-tech executive for forty years, with Intel, Veritas, Informix, and HP. He is a graduate of Caltech, Stanford, University of Colorado, and the Western Behavioral Science Program in management and strategic studies He is a past president of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and an IEEE Fellow. His work has been cited widely:
Stavros Cadéménos
Dr. Stavros Cadéménos is an international executive with over twenty years experience in formulating and implementing international expansion strategies of US companies overseas. He has a track record in leading their international divisions and generating returns that significantly enhance enterprise valuations.
Within higher education Dr. Cadéménos has been involved with the commercialization of eLearning applications for academic institutions. Over the last 6 years, as Vice President International with Blackboard Inc (BBBB Nasdaq) --the leading global provider of e-learning technology for universities world wide, he led the expansion of the company and its acquisitions overseas to become the standard for online learning technology worldwide. Previous to that Dr. Cadéménos was Vice President International within the GartnerGroup (IT) and held executive positions at Dunn and Bradstreet Software (MSA), as well as a Articulate Systems (now Nuance).
Dr. Cadéménos holds a BA from the School of Law, University of Athens, and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. He did doctoral work as a Ford Fellow at the Harvard Graduate Business School in Organization Behavior and received his PhD from Brandeis University. His expertise is in cross-cultural organizational development and he is a frequent speaker on international trends in Online Teaching and Learning.
Ellis Gedney
Dr. Ellis C. Gedney is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ex’pression College for the Digital Arts located in Emeryville, California. He was formerly Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Silicon Valley College with campuses located in Fremont, Walnut Creek, Concord, San Jose and Emeryville, CA.
Dr. Gedney has devoted more than thirty years to education, the last twenty of which he has served as a college president or chairman of the board. Prior positions include director of student financial aid, dean of student services and professor of counseling psychology.
Dr. Gedney holds a B.A. degree from Denison University, a Master of Science degree from Columbia University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia. His publications include presentations at both national and international conferences on higher education.
Active in community service or leadership positions, Dr. Gedney is the former President of Rubicon Children's Center, a non-profit organization that provides treatment for special children; a board member of the Northington Foundation; a member of educational honoraries: Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi and Alpha Beta Kappa; Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Emeryville Chamber of Commerce and the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools. Dr. Gedney also serves on the board of directors of the Career College Foundation. Committee assignments included convention committee chairman, CCAPAC chairman and the Legislative Advisory Council. He is active as a team leader for ACCSCT and serves as a member of the appeals panel.
Stephen Heppell
Professor Stephen Heppell has been a professor for 17 years. He is a visiting Professor at Bournemouth University. He has been an external examiner for the ICT in Education masters degree at Trinity College Dublin. He occupies the Chair in Information Technology in the Learning Environment at Anglia Polytechnic University in the UK. He continues to be a member the governments BSF working group, and is a non executive board member of Teachers TV, among other things. Professor Heppell is founder of Ultralab & Director Learn3K, National College of Ireland. Ultralab projects included, Learning in the New Millennium, an early 90's project that pioneered broadband, mobile phones and online communities; Notschool.Net, a virtual school for excluded youngsters; Talking Heads, an online community of practice for all the UK's head teachers, now handed successfully to NCSL and Ultraversity; and "Be Very Afraid" an annual children's creativity event at BAFTA, a radical work placed learning, research based, innovative undergraduate degree with an exhibition based dissemination and a substantial number of m-learning phone based projects. He is a governor of the new Teachers' TV and an advisor to the BBC on their Digital Curriculum project. He is a non exec director of The Knowledge Zone.
Dr. Marjorie Peace Lenn
Dr. Marjorie Peace Lenn is Executive Director of the Center for Quality Assurance in International Education (CQAIE). Located in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, CQAIE is a collaborative activity of the higher education and quality and competency assurance communities both within the United States and between the United States and other country associations concerned with issues of quality and fairness in international academic and professional mobility, credentialing and recognition. CQAIE facilitates the comparative study of national quality and competency assurance mechanisms to improve efforts within countries and promote mobility among national systems.
A former senior administrator at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Vice-President of the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (the former umbrella organization for the accreditation of 6,000 institutions in the U.S.), Dr. Lenn is published in several languages and speaks extensively to international and domestic audiences. Dr. Lenn serves as a member of several international governing and editorial boards and is involved in such activities as: bridging western higher education practice with the ministries of Central and Eastern Europe through UNESCO, Council of Europe, and the World Bank initiatives; assisting the Committee of University Principals in the initiation of education evaluation in the Republic of South Africa, serving on the World Bank's Higher Education Sector Team for the People's Republic of China and living and working in China during 1995-96 as Senior Advisor to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council. Dr. Lenn consults with major international organization such as the World Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, OAS, OECD, and national governments. She has served on special councils, drafted legislation, conducted extensive training programs, and organized joint in-country activities with China, Romania, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria, Japan, Thailand, the English-speaking Caribbean, Mexico, Morocco, Hong Kong, Mauritius, South Africa, and Bolivia.
Andrew Rosen
Mr. Andrew H. Rosen is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Presidium Learning, an organization focused on enabling universities, colleges and commercial education providers to quickly deploy world class help desk, self help web portals, integrated customer contact management, and 24/7 end user support to their internet based distance and supplemental learning programs.
Prior to Presidium, Mr. Rosen was the President of the International Division and VP of Corporate development of Blackboard Inc., managing the activities of the firm in 50 countries outside of the U.S., and led the acquisition of 5 companies. Prior to this, he was the VP of Finance and acting CFO.
Formerly, Mr. Rosen was an International Tax Attorney at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. He also was a Tax Attorney at Parker Chapin Flateau & Klimpl LLP and an International Tax Consultant for Coopers and Lybrand LLP. He has an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University, a Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University Law School and a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan.
Vincent Tobkin
Mr. Tobkin is currently Head of Bain Consulting’s worldwide technical practice area. He spends considerable time in Europe and Asia. His practice areas include technology, aerospace, telecommunications and multimedia. His previous experience includes being a general partner at the venture capital firm Sierra Ventures. He was a partner at McKinsey and Company, a financial analyst at Memorex, and an engineer at HP and Fairchild Semiconductor.
Mr. Tobkin has S.B. and S.M. degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT. He holds a JD degree from Harvard Law School and graduated with Distinction with an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Kathleen M.H. Wallman
Kathleen Wallman is a consultant and writer in the field of technology policy. She is a former Visiting Research Professor in Georgetown University's Communication, Culture and Technology program, where she taught courses in technology policy and privacy, serving in that position from 2003 to 2007. She served in government as Chief of the Common Carrier Bureau at the FCC and in the White House, as Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Counselor and Chief of Staff of the National Economic Council. In that capacity, she was responsible for mass media and domestic and international telecommunications issues including cable, broadcast, satellite, wireless and wireline matters and for coordinating policy decisions with Cabinet agencies. Her professional training is in law and diplomacy; she received a J.D. and a Masters of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
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