Advisory Board
Our advisory board plays a vital role in shaping Curio XR’s strategic vision.
Nilanjana Caballero, PhD
Health Sciences Department Chair, Santa Fe College. Dr. Caballero holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Florida (UF), has been department chair for more than 10 years, and educates hundreds of students across various educational levels in Anatomy and Physiology each semester. She contributes her expertise to guide the development of Anatomy and Physiology content for Curio, emphasizing the integration of cutting-edge educational technologies.
Gionni Carr
Assistant Director of Academic Tutoring, Tennessee State University (TSU). Gionni, an accomplished K-12 educator with a decade of experience in Nashville, TN, has received recognition from the White House and earned the prestigious MNPS Blue Ribbon Award. Appointed to the Tennessee Board of Regents in 2008 by former TN Governor Phil Bredesen, Gionni has demonstrated dedication to educational equity. He earned his M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction, with a concentration in Education Technology, from Tennessee State University (TSU), where he is currently a doctoral candidate. In 2016, his 6th-grade math students achieved the highest growth in the state of Tennessee on the TNReady State Assessment. Now, Gionni collaborates with peers on innovative tutoring programs at TSU. These initiatives aim to enhance the academic experience for deserving students and the broader TSU community, emphasizing increased access and training in the latest academic technologies.
Herman Castro
Senior Consultant, Technology Transformation Services practice of Ernst & Young. Herman has a wealth of experience with implementing next generation technologies and improving efficiencies across IT operations.
Caroline Dias
Director, PLUS Program (Program Leading to University Success), Eastern Washington University. Caroline has dedicated over 30 years to education, with nearly 12 of those years as an Assistant Director of Advising & Retention, where she mentored and trained new academic advisors across 26 campuses in California and Washington. She notably served as the lead advisor at the Modesto campus, focusing on at-risk and probation students. In 2017, Caroline transitioned to the PLUS Program team as a Retention Specialist, overseeing tutoring services. PLUS is the centralized academic support center at Eastern Washington University, where Caroline now leads as Director, continuing her commitment to student success and retention.
Tamara Galoyan, PhD
Educational Research Associate, Cornell University. Tamara has more than a decade of experience in teaching, education research, instructional design, curriculum development, evaluation, and training in the context of higher education, Pre K-12, and continuous workplace learning. Her research is multidisciplinary and lies at the intersection of Learning Sciences, learning technologies, neuroeducation, STEM education, and online and blended learning.
Nicole Green
Director, Animalearn. Nicole Green oversees a national advocacy program focused on helping educators and students find innovative non-animal science teaching resources for K-12 classrooms and beyond. With over 20 years of dedication, she enlightens the public about the latest in science education technology, including AR/VR. Nicole holds an MA in Education and Innovation and has also served as a Board Member for the Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE).
David Harris
Editor-in-Chief, OpenStax at Rice University. David is dedicated to enhancing access to high-quality educational materials by collaborating with a diverse group of contributors. His academic journey began at the University of Connecticut, leading to a career across higher education publishing and ed-tech startups. In his various leadership roles, David has worked closely with authors, editorial teams, and media development groups, contributing to the development of over 60 titles that have saved students more than $1 billion since 2012. At OpenStax, he focuses on leveraging Open Educational Resources (OER) to address challenges in access, learning, and academic integrity. Prior to OpenStax, he was the president of WebAssign, the largest independent online homework provider at the time. Beyond his professional pursuits, David holds a sixty-ton captain’s license and enjoys sailing the California coast whenever possible.
Richard Hill
Senior Instructional Tech Analyst/Designer and Instructor. Richard Hill brings over 20 years of experience in creating educational applications, from web simulations to AR and VR experiences, to his current role in higher education. Internationally recognized for his award-winning instructional design, notably the creation of the virtual dissection site Froguts.com, Richard now leverages his expertise to enhance teaching and learning for both faculty and students.
Cedrik Jean-Baptiste
Current student, Syracuse University – College of Engineering and Computer Science. While maintaining a GPA of 3.9 in pursuit of a BS/Masters in Computer Engineering, Cedric has served as an Academic Excellence Workshops (AEW) Facilitator and Academic Coach. He has received two certifications: J.P.Morgan Chase and Co. Software Engineering Virtual Experience Certification: Forage, 2023, and Shields Up: Cybersecurity Virtual Experience program certification: Forage, 2023.
Cathrin Jerie
Program Manager, Jacob Foundation. Cathrin specializes in building multi-stakeholder coalitions to foster cross-sectoral cooperation. She manages the exclusive Jacobs Fellows community, uniting members from diverse sectors. By organizing regular events, Cathrin facilitates the exchange of crowd intelligence, aiming to create impactful change communities within the Jacobs Foundation’s networks. Her efforts are crucial in enhancing collaboration and innovation across various fields.
Ben Lerner
Software Engineer, Google. Ben, a proud alumni of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), brings a wealth of experience in natural language processing and machine learning to the Curio Advisory Board. His expertise from working on search and assistant technologies at Google offers a unique perspective to enhancing virtual reality classroom experiences. Ben’s contributions are vital in driving Curio’s efforts to provide innovative VR education solutions.
Shelby Montalto
School District Mathematics Coach. Shelby, with her dual background as both a teacher and coach in Florida schools, offers valuable insights to the Curio Advisory Board. Her transition from classroom teaching to coaching positions her uniquely to provide targeted recommendations for enhancing Curio’s virtual reality education application.
Purnendu Mukherjee
Founder and CEO, Convai. Purnendu brings a rich background in Conversational AI to the Curio XR Advisory Board. His passion for creating software that enhances people’s lives is evident in his work. Before founding Convai, an AI startup, he led the development of Conversational AI applications at Nvidia, demonstrating his deep understanding of and experience with this transformative technology.
Charlie Patton, PhD
Mathematician, inventor, and technologist. A graduate of Princeton University, Charlie spent more than a decade at both Hewlett-Packard and SRI. He is widely recognized for his innovations in technology for individual and collaborative learning of mathematics. From counting to calculus, in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Charlie’s research has helped lower barriers to learning for all, but has especially targeted under-served learners, Charlie sees the Curio efforts as the next frontier in collaborative learning technology and is excited to pitch in to make a difference.
Jeremy Pederson
Assistant Vice President of Federal Relations, AT&T. Jeremy is responsible for growing relationships with members of Congress and advocating for policies that further technology in education. He has many years of experience and expertise around the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 5G technology, rural broadband, and telecom as a whole.
Don Pemberton, PhD
Nationally recognized education innovator known for his commitment to improving college access to low-income and underserved populations. Dr. Pemberton’s simple philosophy is that all children can succeed. He established the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning, and founded the Take Stock in Children Foundation, providing mentors, college success counselors and guaranteed college scholarships to children in every Florida school district.
Sonya Sabb
8th Grade Science Teacher, and STEAM Coordinator, Morgan Village Middle School, Camden, NJ. Sonya brings over two decades of educational experience to Morgan Village Middle School, where she passionately teaches 8th-grade science. As the orchestrator of the school-wide STEAM Fair alongside the science team, and leader of both the Project REACH Club for 8th graders and the STEAM Club for 6th graders, Sonya plays a pivotal role in enriching students’ learning experiences. In her capacity as the 8th Grade Chair, she further contributes to the academic and social development of her students. Beyond her professional endeavors, Sonya enjoys gardening, singing, and participating in theater, blending her love for science with her artistic interests.
Jim Stigler, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles; CEO of CourseKata.org. Dr. Stigler applies his expertise to the intersection of teaching, learning, and technology. His research delves into how students learn complex subjects like math, science, and statistics. At CourseKata.org, a startup nonprofit, he leads the development of interactive online textbooks aimed at enhancing educational experiences in colleges and high schools.
Bryan Tebbenkamp
Extended Reality Manager, University of Central Missouri. Bryan is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technology with practical expertise to transform higher education learning environments. He leads the strategic deployment of XR technology, enhancing the academic experience to unprecedented levels. Collaborating closely with faculty, Bryan translates innovative ideas into immersive XR resources, merging established applications with pedagogy for a seamless educational integration. His efforts are pivotal in redefining the University of Central Missouri’s approach to education, advancing the possibilities within immersive learning.
Portia Thompson
Advisor to several start-ups across the globe. Portia brings her passion for working with inspired individuals to create value and make an impact, making her an exemplary member of the advisory board. Holding a BMS Hons with first-class honors in economics and strategic management from the University of Waikato, New Zealand’s top business school, she has a strong foundation in strategic innovation. As a former tutor for Crimson Consulting, Portia recognized the potential of VR for education early in the modern VR era and is a firm believer in the transformative benefits it can bring to global education. Her advocacy for VR (and AR) technology aligns with her commitment to enabling technology-driven and sustainable solutions.
Omar Villarreal
Director of the Student Success Center, Del Mar College. Omar brings a wealth of experience in educating students from diverse backgrounds. He was among the first to recognize the potential of the Curio XR project, immediately embracing the opportunity to collaborate on bringing virtual reality technology to students. Omar’s commitment highlights his belief in the power of institutions working together to innovate and enhance educational experiences through cutting-edge technology.
Bill Vining, PhD
Chemistry Department Chair, SUNY Oneonta. Dr. Vining earned his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from UNC-Chapel Hill and has taught chemistry for over 35 years. He pioneered simulations of chemical systems for education and contributed to the Online Web-based Learning (OWL) homework system. At SUNY Oneonta, he co-authored interactive web-based general chemistry textbooks with Cengage Learning, combining traditional materials with conceptual exercises and dynamic homework.
