Alumni Spotlight is pleased to announce The Top 100 Brown Alumni in Technology of 2021. Founded in 1764 in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University was the first Ivy League school to accept students from all religious affiliations, a statement to the spirit of openness that is still exemplified at Brown today. Brown is continuously ranked highly within the United States but has also been noted as one of the top 100 colleges around the globe. Their mission to serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating and preserving knowledge is embodied with this year’s awardees.
Brown alumni are having a deep impact on today’ technology, changing trajectories for years to come. Alumni John Chen of Blackberry completely changed the outlook for the failing smartphone maker into a thriving cyber security company. Others like Andrew Yang have chosen a not so traditional path by shifting his decade-long focus in new graduates to politics by running for President in 2020 and now NYC Mayor in 2021. Aneel Bhusri of Workday, Jai Das of Sapphire Ventures and Dara Khosrowshahi of Uber all started their successes on the campus of Brown University. One common trend in this year’s awardees is their desire to better the world we are living in. Regardless of their professional field, this year’s awardees have proven their place in the Top 100 Brown Alumni in Technology of 2021. Please join us in celebrating their achievements.
3. Dara Khosrowshahi
Uber
Dara Khosrowshahi is the CEO of Uber, where he manages the company’s fast-growing business in 65 countries around the world and leads a global team of more than 16,000 employees. At Uber, they ignite opportunities by setting the world into motion, taking on big problems to help drivers, riders, delivery partners and eaters get moving.
Khosrowshahi was previously CEO of Expedia for over 12 years and before that the CFO at IAC for 7 years. Before joining IAC, Khosrowshahi served as VP of Allen & Company and spent a number of years as an analyst. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Expedia and was previously on the Board of the New York Times Company. Khosrowshahi earned a bachelors of science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Brown University.
7. David Ronick
Minded
David is a Co-founder and CEO of Minded, a consumer telehealth company that makes getting mental health medication easy and affordable. Ronick is also the Co-founder and CEO of StashInvest, a personal finance app that helped over 6 million people start investing and saving.
Prior to Minded and Stash, Ronick was Founder and CEO of WinWin and CreatorBox. He served as a Chief Operating Officer at Move Collective LLC and Moby Entertainment. Ronick earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelors in English and History from Brown University.
9. Andrew Yang
Venture for America
Andrew Yang is the Founder of Venture for America, and previously served as CEO until 2017. Venture For America is a two-year fellowship program for recent college grads who want to work at a startup and create jobs in American cities. Fellows learn important startup skills at the month-long training, apply for jobs within the company network, and work for two years as full-time, salaried employees. While he is still involved in Venture for America, Yang has shifted his focus to politics. Currently he is campaigning for the 2021 election for New York City Mayor.
Previously, Yang was the CEO, President and Managing Director of Manhattan GMAT. Before that he served as Vice President of MMF Systems and Crisp Wireless. Yang previously ran in the United States Presidential election in 2020. Yang earned a JD from Columbia University School of Law and a BA in Economics from Brown University.
11. Jai Das
Sapphire Ventures, LLC
Jai Das is the President, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Sapphire Ventures, LLC. Sapphire Ventures partners with visionary teams and venture funds to build companies of consequence. Das has over 22 years in the venture capital and private equity industry. He began his career in 1999.
Before founding Sapphire Ventures Das was a director at Agilent Ventures and before that a principal at MVC Capital. Earlier in his career, he worked with Intel Capital as a Strategic Investment Manager. Das earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Brown University.
12. David Chao
DCM Ventures
David Chao began his professional career over 25 years ago. Today, he is the General Partner and Co-founder of DCM Ventures. DCM Ventures assists entrepreneurs in building world-class companies that will ultimately change how institutions and people use and live with technology.
Chao first got his start as a Co-founder, CFO, and CTO at Japan Communications Inc. Chao graduated from Stanford University with an MBA and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in economics and East Asian studies.
15. Jonathan Nelson
Providence Equity Partners
Jonathan Nelson is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Providence Equity Partners, first starting the company in 1989. Providence Equity Partners is the leading PE firm specializing in growth-oriented investments in media, communications, education, software, and services.
Previously, Nelson was a managing director at Narragansett Capital. Nelson earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Brown University.
16. James Joaquin
Obvious Ventures
James Joaquin is the Co-founder of Obvious Ventures. Obvious is a venture capital firm investing in startups reimagining trillion-dollar industries through a world positive lens. Joaquin has over 35 years in the venture capital and technology industry.
Joaquin co-founded his first startup, Clearview Software, in 1985 while studying Computer Science at Brown University. Clearview was acquired by Apple where James spent six years in engineering and marketing roles. Joaquin was the CEO of photo service Ofoto.com and money transfer service Xoom.com. In venture, he has led investments in a wide range of startups including TenMarks Education, Olly, Beyond Meat, Gusto, Diamond Foundry, and Incredible Health. Joaquin graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree.
View the complete list of awardees.
23. Aneel Bhusri
Workday
Aneel Bhusri is the CEO and Co-Founder of Workday. Workday delivers financial management, human capital management, and analytics applications designed for the world’s largest companies, educational institutions, and government agencies. Bhusri has over 33 years in the computer software industry. He began his career in 1988.
Before founding Workday, Bhusri was a Senior Vice President at PeopleSoft and before that a Corporate Finance Analyst at Morgan Stanley. Bhusri graduated from Stanford University with an MBA and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering.
24. Angela Sutherland
Yumi
Angela Sutherland is the CEO and Co-Founder of Yumi. Yumi is the definitive source for parents seeking to understand what they are feeding their children and why, offering a science-based early childhood meal delivery program that is the most convenient and most nutritional option in the market. Sutherland has over 15 years in the food and beverages industry. She began her career in 2006.
Before founding Yumi, Sutherland was a Director at SierraConstellation Partners, LLC and before that an FDP associate at Toyota North America. Earlier in her career, she worked with Goldman Sachs as an analyst. Sutherland graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in mathematics and economics.
35. John Chen
BlackBerry
John Chen is the Executive Chairman and CEO of BlackBerry. BlackBerry provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. Chen has over 42 years in the computer software industry. He began his career in 1979.
Before joining BlackBerry, Chen was a chairman, President, and CEO at Sybase and before that a President, COO, and Director at Pyramid Technology. Earlier in his career, he worked with Burroughs Corp. as a design engineer, GM and VP. Chen graduated from California Institute of Technology with an MS in electrical engineering and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering.
44. Rufus Griscom
Heleo
Rufus Griscom began his professional career over 24 years ago. Today, he is the CEO and Founder of Heleo. Heleo is a full-service architecture and design practice dedicated to the creation of progressive experiences through the built environment.
Griscom first got his start in 1997 as a CEO at Nerve Media. From there, he went on to Babble Media, before eventually rising to Vice President of GM of Disney Interactive, his most recent position prior to founding Heleo. Griscom graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in literature and society.
48. Gaurab Chakrabarti
Solugen
Gaurab Chakrabarti is the CEO and Co-founder of Solugen. Solugen is a venture-backed biotech startup that produces high-performance chemicals from plant-derived substitutes. Chakrabarti has over 11 years in the biotechnology industry. He began his career in 2010.
Chakrabarti is currently a member of the World Economic Forum. He graduated from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas with a Ph.D. and MD and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and computational biology.
53. Geoffrey Bernstein
Indicator Ventures
Geoffrey Berstein is a Co-founder and General Partner at Indicator Ventures, an early-stage venture firm focused on investments in accessibility and infrastructure across enterprise software, digital health and fintech. They invest at the pre-seed and seed stage and focus on capital-efficient businesses solving high-impact problems across a broad spectrum of industries.
Prior to founding Indicator Ventures, Bernstein was a research associate and member of the Investment Committee at HighVista Strategies. He spent four years in Leveraged Finance and Debt Capital Markets at Jefferies & Company in Los Angeles, New York and London. Bernstein a graduate of Brown University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a major in Economics and a minor in Applied Mathematics.
55. George Pyne
Bruin Capital
George Pyne is the Founder and CEO of Bruin Capital. Bruin Capital is building a new generation of world-class sports, media, entertainment, and technology companies together. Pyne has over 27 years in the venture capital and private equity industry. He began his career in 1994.
Before founding Bruin Capital, Pyne was a President and a board member at IMG and before that, Chief Operating Officer and board member at NASCAR. Earlier in his career, he worked with Portman Architects as an Executive Director. Pyne graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in political science.
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57. Ghazi Atallah
Club Feast
Ghazi Atallah is the Chief Operating Officer of Club Feast. He founded the company in 2020. Club Feast is a technology company that connects subscribers with their favorite local restaurants and saves them 40% on their pre-scheduled food delivery. Club Feast has closed 2 funding rounds led by General Catalyst.
Prior to founding Club Feast, Atallah was an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs and a portfolio manager at a hedge fund. Atallah earned an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics and economics from Brown University.
60. Chris Savage
Wistia
Chris Savage is the Co-founder and CEO of Wistia, first starting the company in 2006. Wistia is a more business-forward video hosting platform that focuses on hosting videos for professionals. Their software makes it easy to find, engage, and grow audiences with video.
Previously, Savage was an editor and associate producer at Big Orange Films. Savage earned an undergraduate degree in arts-semiotics from Brown University.
61. Mary Lou Jepsen
Openwater
Mary Lou Jepsen is the CEO and Founder of Openwater. She first started the company in 2016 as CEO. Openwater is devising a new generation of imaging technologies to change how we read and write our bodies and brains.
Previously, Jepsen was an Executive Director of engineering at Facebook/Oculus and before that a Head of Display Division at Google. Earlier in her career, she worked with Philips as a senior member of the technical staff. She also previously founded and was the CEO for Pixel Qi and held the CTO and Co-founder roles with One Laptop per Child. Jepsen earned a Ph.D. in optical physics and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and studio art from Brown University.
66. Dan Ratner
Public Good Software, Inc
Dan Ratner is the Co-founder and CEO of Public Good Software, Inc. Public Good Software empowers people to make a difference on the most important issues of the day through partnerships with leading news media and cause-focused brands. Ratner has over 24 years in the internet industry. He began his career in 1997.
Before starting Public Good Software, Inc, Ratner was a Director of Technology at Obama for America and before that a CTO at Sittercity. Earlier in his career, he worked with Snapdragon Technologies as a Founder and CEO. Ratner graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in engineering and economics.
75. Vadim Slavin
Startup Monthly
Vadim Slavin is the Co-founder and COO of Startup Monthly, a leading startup community. They curate valuable articles, tips from thought leaders and distribute to their subscribers. Slavin has over 22 years in the marketing and advertising industry. He began his career in 1999.
Before founding Startup Monthly, Slavin was a Co-founder and VP of Engineering and Product Owner at VERITAMO and before that a staff research scientist at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Earlier in his career, he worked with Acadia Creative as a software developer. Slavin graduated from Brown University with an MS in computer science and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in math-physics and computer science.
80. Ronald Tse
Ribose
Ronald Tse is founder and CEO of Ribose. Ribose is an award-winning developer of asymmetric security and standardization technologies trusted by industries with heightened cybersecurity needs, including leading international standardization bodies and government agencies.
Tse is the VP of CalConnect, serves on the boards of CalConnect, ECCMA and the Enosema Foundation, and is a representative of the Standards Council of Canada at the International Electrotechnical Commission and the International Organization for Standardization. He is named Research Fellow by the Cloud Security Alliance, and holds an Sc.M in computer science and an undergraduate degree in computer science and biology, all from Brown University.
82. Scott C. Ganeles
WestCap Group
Scott Ganeles is a Partner at WestCap Group, a growth equity firm led by a team that has founded, invested in, and operated tech-enabled marketplaces for over 20 years. They are leading families and institutions from around the world with flexible capital that can compound returns over the long term with their lifecycle investing approach.
Prior to joining WestCap, Ganeles served as the CEO of Ipreo for over 17 years. Ganeles was previously a Co-founder and President of the Carson Group, a financial information services firm focused on corporate strategic intelligence and investor relations. Ganeles earned his BA in Political Science from Brown University.
View the complete list of awardees.
86. Eric Chijioke
Pagatech Limited
Eric Chijioke is the Chief Technology Officer of Pagatech Limited. Paga is building an ecosystem to enable the emerging middle-class to pay and get paid, shop, and sell. Chijioke has over 21 years in the financial services industry. He began his career in 2000.
Before joining Pagatech Limited, Chijioke was a lead software architect at Harvard University and before that, a senior systems analyst at ERisk. Chijioke graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering.
93. Leah Belsky
Coursera
Leah Belsky is the Chief Enterprise Officer and SVP of Coursera. Coursera builds skills with courses, certificates, and degrees online from world-class universities and companies. Belsky has over 15 years in the e-learning industry. She began her career in 2006.
Before joining Coursera, Belsky was an SVP of customer success, growth, business operations, and professional services at Kaltura and before that an Executive in Residence at Learn Capital. Earlier in her career, she worked with Noank Media as a VP of global strategy and product development. Belsky graduated from Yale Law School with a JD in law and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in biology and political theory.
94. Austin Scee
Razorhorse Capital
Austin Scee is the CEO and Founder of Razorhorse Capital. Razorhorse accelerates visibility and access to software deal flow for world class investors and acquirers. Scee has 27 years in the Financial Services industry. He began his career in 1994.
Before founding Razorhorse Capital, Scee was a head of corporate development at Trilogy and before that a principal at HIG Capital. Earlier in his career he worked with Alex. Brown as an investment banking analyst. Scee graduated from Harvard Business School with a graduate degree MBA and from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in economics.
95. Alexandra Chemla
ArtBinder
Alexandra Chemla began her professional career 14 years ago. Today, she is the Founder & CEO of ArtBinder. ArtBinder is the leading cloud-based inventory management and sales software designed specifically for galleries, collectors and artists. Users worldwide also get access to their mobile app, free initial data migration, and white glove service.
Chemla first got her start in 2010 as a gallery assistant at Gavin Brown's enterprise, her most recent position prior to founding ArtBinder. Chemla graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in modern culture and media studies.
96. Andre McGregor
ForceMetrics
Andre McGregor is the Founder and CEO of ForceMetrics, a venture-backed data analytics software company whose mission is to solve some of the most challenging societal problems through data science by providing a product aimed at transforming the way police departments and community services engage each other throughout daily life.
Prior to founding ForceMetrics, McGregor co-founded ShiftState Security, a cybersecurity services firm focused on applying enterprise security insights and best practices to organizations looking for a more comprehensive approach to security and was Chief Security Officer at Namely Inc and Director of Security at Tanium Inc. McGregor served as an FBI Cyber Special Agent in New York City and served as the FBI Cyber Representative to the United Nations. He started his career at Goldman Sachs and Cardinal Health. McGregor went to Brown University where he earned his bachelor's degree.
97. Sarah Carson
Leota
Sarah Carson is the Founder, CEO and Chairwoman of Leota, first starting the company in 2011. Leota is a disruptive fashion brand, introducing a size-inclusive, body-positive ethos to American fashion. Known for its ethical production and feminine power prints, Leota’s success propelled Carson to become a two-time Inc. 500 CEO.
As a committed philanthropist, Carson serves on the board of directors for organizations driving progressive change. Carson began her career as an investment banker at UBS, first as a global power sector analyst and then as a founding director of the Corporate Access origination and strategy. Carson holds a bachelors degree in Gender Studies from Brown University.
98. Len Liptak
ProSomnus Sleep Technologies
Len Liptak is the CEO of ProSomnus Sleep Technologies, first joining the company in 2016. ProSomnus Sleep Technologies designs, manufactures and markets highly customizable precision intraoral medical devices that dentists use to treat patients diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Liptak started his career over 20 years ago. Prior to his current role he was the President of MicroDental Laboratories and before that, Liptak worked in marketing with Stryker. He spent over seven years with 3M where he first was a Strategy Analyst before moving on to Global Business Manager. Liptak graduated with an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management and from Brown University with a BA in Sociology, Economics and Statistics.
99. Chris Chatmon
Kingmakers of Oakland
Chris Chatmon is the Chief Executive Officer of Kingmakers of Oakland, an award-winning non-profit improving educational and life outcomes for Black Male Students across the United States. Their multi-faceted approach is rooted in a desire to collaborate, coordinate and convene folks who are inspired to create a healthy, affirming learning environment for Black boys in the public school system.
Prior to joining Kingmakers of Oakland in 2020, Chatmon spent 9 years at the Oakland Unified School District where he first served as Executive Director before moving on to Deputy Chief of Equity. Earlier on in his career he worked as an Executive Director at both the YMCA and Day School Summerbridge. Chatmon earned his MA in Education from Brown University and a BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University.
100. Trevor O’Brien
Projector
Trevor O’Brien is the Founder and CEO of Projector, a creative platform that empowers every professional with the skills needed to captivate their audience using videos, GIFs, social media, presentations and more. Focused on visual storytelling, their teams enjoy crafting high-quality products that create compelling communication.
Prior to founding Projector in 2017, O’Brien was the Director of Product Management at Twitter, responsible for the Android and iOS consumer experiences, as well as content discovery and recommendations. Prior to joining Twitter, Trevor was at Google, where he led the YouTube search and discovery product teams and spent time working on Google's video ads products. He is currently a Mentor at Betaspring. O’Brien graduated from College of the Holy Cross with a BA in mathematics and computer science and from Brown University with a degree in computer science.
View the complete list of awardees.