Erin Mote is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of InnovateEDU, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit focused on closing the achievement gap through the development of innovative models and tools that serve, inform, and enhance teaching and learning. In this role, Erin leads the organization and its major projects including technology development, work on data interoperability, an urban-education Fellowship for new educators, support for the growth of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools, and an afterschool program in downtown Brooklyn. She leads the development of Cortex, a next generation learning platform, student information system, and formative assessment engine that supports personalized learning.

Erin is also the co-founder of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School. She is a recognized leader in technology, mobile, and broadband and has spent much of her career focused on expanding access to technology in the US and abroad. She has led ground-breaking initiatives, including scaling wireless communications to the developing world, developing strategic technology plans, and work with Intel, Cisco, Google and HP. Erin has served in an advisory capacity to the White House/OSTP’s US Ignite Initiative, the President’s Global Development Innovation Policy, the State Department’s TechCamp program, and the Obama Administration’s intra-agency process for Rio 2.0 and Rio+20. Erin served as the founding Chief of Party for the USAID Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance – a $19.5 million global technology expansion project.

Erin served in senior positions with CHF International and Coulter Companies after starting her career in as the Director of External and Strategic Relations for Arizona State University. A recognized leader in alliance building, Erin has facilitated working groups and has served in an advisory capacity for several leading international organizations, including the Clinton Foundation, GSMA, and the Business Center for Civic Leadership at the US Chamber. A recognized leader in technology and development, emerging markets, and public private partnerships, Erin is an Aspen Institute Socrates scholar. She has an MPA from Arizona State and is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan.

Kate Cochran serves as InnovateEDU's Chief of Staff. She played an integral role in the design and launch process of Brooklyn LAB Charter School, as well as InnovateEDU’s engagements with Next Generation Learning Challenges and Charter School Growth Fund. She supported development, school partnerships, and user testing of Catalyst Literacy, a Common Core-aligned adaptive learning and assessment courseware system, and managed grant reporting to the New York Community Trust. At Design Innovation Factory, Kate supported work with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop on the Common Core and the design of innovative learning models and tools. Kate has a B.A. from NYU, where she graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. 

Eric Butash is the Director of Digital Programs at InnovateEDU where he oversees the digital programs and initiatives including Project Unicorn, Landing Zone, Cortex, and the Data Viz Starter Pack. Prior to joining InnovateEDU, Eric served as Director of Operations at the Highlander Institute, and was responsible for the design, creation, and operations of various information technology systems as related to implementing Highlander’s nationally recognized FUSE model for blended learning.

He also spent 15 years in various technology leadership roles across K-12. He currently serves as the Sr. Advisor to the K12 National Advisory Council on Cybersecurity Executive Board, CommonSense Media National Ambassador and treasurer of RISTE (Rhode Island Society of Technology Educators) Organization. He has worked with RI Department of Education on various statewide initiatives, including Erate 2.0, Wireless Classroom Initiative, Ed-Fi Data Team, and many others.

Eric has a degree from Penn State University and lives in Rhode Island with his wife and two boys.

Marcos Alcozer is the Project Director for the Data Viz Starter Pack. The Starter Pack is a data visualization library, reporting toolset, and professional development track to help schools get started with looking at data. Previously he was the founding Director of Technology at Intrinsic Schools, a high performing 7 to 12th grade school on the Northwest side of Chicago focusing on blended and personalized learning. At Intrinsic Marcos helped to turn an old lumber yard into a thriving community school with 1:1 technology, a robust data process, and happy teachers and students. Prior to that, he was the Technology Coordinator at Northside College Prep High School, a top-ranking school in Chicago Public Schools. Throughout all of his work with technology and data in schools Marcos has also helped support youth leadership programs in Chicago, and helped to create green spaces in Chicago Public Schools and community sites.

Mr. Emmanuel joins the InnovateEDU team as Director of Afterschool Programs. For the past ten years, he developed and managed youth programs in New York's low-income communities and Senegal, West Africa. Mr. Emmanuel is the recipient of the AmeriCorps Local Leader Award from Public Allies New York and the NSEP/Boren Fellowship for International Development and Language Learning. He has a B.A. in Urban Studies from the New School and an M.A. in International Relations from New York University.

Julia serves as a Project Manager for Project Unicorn at InnovateEDU. Julia comes from Taylor & Francis where she was an editorial assistant overseeing the publication of humanities monographs for Routledge Research. She also held an acquisitions editorial internship at Columbia University Press where she worked on books on American politics and social studies. Julia has a BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics with a minor in literature from The King's College.

Daniel serves as InnovateEDU's Finance Manager. He has a B.A. in Economics from Brown University, and has a particular passion for nonprofit administration and ensuring that organizations are effectively managed and structured to best serve their mission. Prior to his current role, he was the Manager of Business Development and Operations at the Harmony Program, an arts education nonprofit that provides free intensive musical training to students across New York City. At Harmony, he oversaw new partnerships with various educational and cultural institutions, and also managed all aspects of its daily operations.

Briana serves as Project Manager for Cortex at InnovateEDU. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Studies from the University of North Texas and has worked in various creative and educational institutions. Briana's latest endeavor was at the Rubin Museum Art where she created and implemented various workshop materials and planned cultural community events with the School and Family Programs team. With experience in art education and a passion for community engagement, she is intrigued with the development and design of educational platforms. Briana is looking forward to increasing accessible curriculum and convenient/user-friendly web design.

Manaswini joins the InnovateEDU team as Data Engineer. Based in Rhode Island, Manaswini works closely with school districts in Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Department of Education on projects related to the Ed-Fi data standard. Before InnovateEDU, Manaswini worked as an application developer and analyst at IBM, where she focused on a data warehousing project that included development, deployment, administration, monitoring, and testing related activities. She has a versatile skill-set with experience in business analysis, relational databases, SQL, ETL, and reporting tools. She has received multiple awards, applauds, and appreciations in her career for my contribution to the projects mentioned above and pursued her masters in Information systems.

Patrick Yoho is joining the InnovateEDU team as a Lead Software Developer. Prior to InnovateEDU he worked with Summit Public Schools as the Manager of Data and Information Systems. His role there included doing what it takes to make sure that data flowed freely, with quality, and high availability. His role shifted between project manager, data engineer, data analyst, or operations manager. He is passionate about closing the technical achievement gap between industry and educational institutions and am actively pursuing the implementation of data-related industry best practices across teams.

Alejandro is excited to join the InnovateEDU team as the Technical Lead for Project Unicorn. Prior to this he was a Student Data Coordinator at Bright Star Schools where he managed and assisted in data related tasks for a cluster of 3 schools from underserved communities in Los Angeles. While at Bright Star he took it upon himself to begin learning SQL and this allowed him to work on reports and visualizations in a more time efficient manner. Alejandro has a degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and he likes to spend most of his free time playing football (soccer).

Gabrielle Oates serves as an Operations Associate with InnovateEDU. She graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in Communication, specializing in Public Relations and Women’s Studies. Prior to her current role, she was a Communication Intern with Boston Public Schools, as well as Boston University’s Public Relations department. She is passionate about facilitating the communication and operational needs of educational organizations, in order to promote optimal execution of programs that serve students nationwide.

Ann Lopez is excited to join InnovateEDU as the Project Associate for Data Viz Starter Pack. Ann holds a B.A. from Hunter College in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, a M.Ed. from University at Buffalo in T.E.S.O.L and a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership from CSU-Global. Prior to joining InnovateEDU, Ann spent 8 months serving as a Principal Intern at LEARN Charter School where she spearheaded a blended-learning professional learning community (PLC) for teachers while learning about the various aspects of educational leadership in an elementary school setting. With over 10 years of teaching experience, Ann understands that the key to closing the achievement gap begins with a teacher’s ability to recognize, process and analyze student’s data. Her goal in taking on this position is to promote and support school districts in developing their own community of data analysts. 

Aurora is excited to join the InnovateEDU team as the Afterschool Program Associate. She’s spent the last ten years teaching dance to Middle, Elementary, and Pre-School students throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. When she’s not teaching, Aurora is active in many local and community theaters, both as a performer and as a director/choreographer. She holds a B.A. from Long Island University, and an M.A. in Dance Education from NYU.