Dr. Appu Kuttan, NEF Founder & Chairman
Appu Kuttan, a philanthropist, is the recognized national expert on QZAB. He has worked tirelessly with the US Administrations and Congress to extend the QZAB program and to ensure its success. Through NEF, he has given more QZAB 10% match donations and set up more quality QZAB academies than anyone else since 2000.
He has been an advisor to many national and world leaders, including three US Administrations — Clinton, Bush and Obama, U.S. Congressional leaders, former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (in helping to make India a global IT power) and Mauritius Prime Minister (on transforming Mauritius into an IT-focused nation). He is also the author of many innovative concepts such as MBS (Management By Systems), CyberLearning, Total Tennis, Win-Win-Win, Happy Executive, Holistic Executive, Kuttan Preschool (Mind-Body-Soul Life Style Development), and acclaimed books such as “From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity,” and Happy Executive – A Systems Approach to Happiness: Nurturing Mind, Body and Soul. He is a Philanthropist who donated most of his personal funds from the sale of the World-famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy to the National Education Foundation (NEF), described as a “Dedicated Difference Maker;” He is the winner of several awards-2016 World Economic Forums’ Global STEM Leadership, 2011 University of Wisconsin Distinguished Achievement and 2006 Global Digital Literacy Champion. He has been a mentor to many, including world tennis champions Andre Agassi and Monica Seles, and U.S. Presidential Honoree Roger Kuttan. Dr. Kuttan University of Wisconsin Award Bio
Dr. Todd Ullah, NEF Vice-President for STEM Education
Dr. Ullah holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership. He is the winner of the 2014 CSTA Administrator of the Year Award, and has wide-ranging experiences in STEM education and marketing. As the former Director of Instructional Technology Applications and STEM for the Los Angeles Unified School District, he oversaw all educational technology programs, including district, state, and federal grants, and all STEM and Computer Science programs including curriculum, professional development, technology, STEM facilities development, and STEM grants for LAUSD. He served as Principal at George Washington Preparatory High School in South Los Angeles where achievement increased for five straight years. Dr. Ullah helped implement the first charter schools in Los Angeles. Until recently, Dr. Ullah worked as the General Manager for California and Hawaii for Pearson Education.
Supt. Art Stellar, NEF Vice-President
Dr. Stellar , the winner of AASA’s 2015 Distinguished Service Award, is a seasoned superintendent. He is nationally known as an author of 60 plus articles on education, and a former national president of ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development). He has served as a superintendent in many states including MA, OK and NC. Dr. Stellar provides QZAB assistance to school superintendents and their curriculum, business, technology and facilities deputies. He knows how to structure the QZAB. His loyalty is to the fellow superintendents, school districts and most-importantly the students. He understands their world, and how difficult it is for them to find funds. He has an open invitation to superintendents across the US and their deputies to invest 5 minutes with him to learn about receiving millions of QZAB dollars to meet their urgent priorities.
Prof. Anthony Betrus, NEF’s QZAB STEM+ Academy Program National Director
Prof. Tony Betrus, a national expert in digital education systems and instructional technology, is a professor of Computer Science, Organizational Leadership, and Technology at the State University of New York (SUNY). Tony and his team implement the NEF CyberLearning STEM+ Academy Total Solution programs in the Nation’s schools, and provide course completion certificates. Tony and his team, guided by NEF Chairman Dr. Appu Kuttan, have succeeded in attaining a 100% graduation rate for Mohawk Reservation students in NY.
Patricia Dengel, NEF Advisor
Pat Dengel retired recently as the state QZAB director at the PA Department of Education PDE). Pat has the unique distinction of issuing all of PA’s QZAB allocations ($290 million) since the inception of the QZAB program. Working with NEF, she also made sure that the PA QZAB school districts implemented QZAB academies that “prepared students better for college and workforce,” as required by the Federal QZAB law. In her capacity as an NEF advisor, Pat assists school districts with their QZAB applications. She also advises state QZAB directors.
Robert Eichorn, NEF K-12 Learning Advisor
Bob Eichorn is a national expert in alternate, at-risk and high school education & turn-around schools. He is also a national expert in differentiated digital education and standards-based learning. Bob is the recipient of several national, regional and local awards including the 2011-12 STEM Education Leadership Award. He is the principal of New Directions Alternative Education Center in Manassas, VA where he has improved at-risk student graduation rates from 61% to 91%.
Sushant Mohanty, NEF Chief Technology Officer
Sushant Mohanty has vast experience in IT and technology applications, elearning and
ecommerce. He is the former CTO of several IT companies, including Register.com.
Roger Kuttan, NEF VP for Strategy and General Counsel
Roger Kuttan is a U.S Presidential honoree and graduate of Stanford with a JD and MBA. Roger has vast experience in business and investment strategies.
Carey Kriz, NEF Software Applications Platform Expert
Carey Kriz has over thirty years of experience in higher education, healthcare and technology, including substantial experience with IBM, a variety of health care and technology enterprises, and Web 3.0 interactive secure video platform development. He is the former CIO of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is also the author of “The Patient Will See You Now” (2009) series, a view on the future of healthcare, featured weekly on the CISCO website.