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We started with a simple question: How can technology improve educator effectiveness and student outcomes?

 

Our Story

In the immortal words of Nelson Mandela, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” At Torsh, we fully and wholeheartedly believe this. Our company was born out of our founder’s desire to be a changemaker. A changemaker, as defined by the Ashoka Institute, is “someone who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources, makes that change happen.”

At Torsh, we all aspire to be changemakers. We want to change the world. We believe that it is possible to live in a world where all children can succeed through access to high-quality teachers. We also believe that all teachers deserve to work in environments where well trained and empathetic leaders support them. To achieve all of this will be a herculean task, but we aim to do our small part by providing educators with great tools and a community that supports their growth, learning, and progression. It all starts with our Core Values.

 

Internal Core Values

  • Operate with transparency
  • Always be mindful of the customer
  • Maintain an equitable work environment
  • Continue to innovate
  • Work together/ Support each other

External Core Values

  • Delight and prioritize our customers
  • Provide innovative and reliable products/services
  • Be anti-racist in everything we do
  • Be profit focused yet socially responsible

So, if you want to work with a great group of former educators, tech folks, and all-around cool people, come on over. If you’re not looking for a job, but you’re looking for the most comprehensive professional learning platform to support your educators, then you’re in the right place, and we look forward to welcoming you to the Torsh family!

Our Team

Bayleigh Butler

Business Development Associate, ECI

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Bayleigh Butler serves as a Business Development Associate at TORSH.  Bayleigh is a native of New Orleans. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with her B.S. in Exercise Science, where she was also a Track and Field Athlete. Prior to TORSH, Bayleigh found a passion for early intervention while providing ABA therapy to children on the autism spectrum. Bayleigh has her M.A. in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She hopes to apply her experience and knowledge in early intervention to her new journey in the EdTech world.

Breena Crump

Software Developer

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Breena Crump is a software developer at TORSH. She is a self-motivated and creative software engineer. Breena was born and raised in New Orleans and earned a B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Game Development. Before joining TORSH she spent over 5+ years working as a Software Engineer for General Electric. Breena has always had a passion for mentorship, spending her years at General Electric mentoring interns at the high school and college levels. Breena believes mentorship is important because it provides professional and personal support to facilitate success in school, work, and beyond.

angela-daliet

Angela Daliet

Director, Business Development, ECI

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Angela Daliet is a passionate education advocate dedicated to improving outcomes for the most vulnerable of our communities. After earning her B.S. from the University of New Orleans, Angela successfully worked as an investment advisor and financial planning firm coach for several years. Upon learning her children’s public school had no immediate plans to reopen post-Katrina, she established the non-profit Save Our Schools NOLA to help leverage students, parents, teachers, and residents as informed, effective advocates for equitable access to local, high-quality schools and programs. Angela has become an established community leader who has worked tirelessly over the years, both inside and outside the classroom, to develop and support students, teachers, and school leaders across the nation. Angela eagerly combines her experience, passion, and expertise with TORSH technology to help organizations significantly improve the effectiveness of educators, caregivers, and interventionists to ensure better outcomes for children.

Austin Dolan

Director of Strategic Partnerships & Alliances

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Austin Dolan is a lifelong learner that has a strong passion for education in pursuit of success for all. He serves as Director of Alliances and Partnerships supporting the ongoing work of each of our customers and brings 15+ years of education experience to the role. Prior to joining the TORSH team, he has worked with school systems across North America and internationally providing solutions that support professional growth, autonomy, systemic change, and curriculum. As both a professional and parent of two young learners, he strives each day to bring the resources needed to each customer that help them be better and more successful everyday.

Janae Dungee

Junior Customer Success Manager

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Janae Dungee is a Junior Customer Success Manager at Torsh. Prior to Torsh, she held the role as a special education teacher, department head, and mentor in the public education system. She strongly believes in the transformative power of education and is passionate about ensuring that educators and students have the adequate tools and resources to grow and learn. Janae’s excited to bring her experience to Torsh and aims to ensure that customers have a positive experience and understand and utilize Torsh to its full potential. Janae holds a B.S. in Special Education (K-12) from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Abbey Goldstein

Vice President, Customer Success

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Abbey Goldstein serves as the Vice President of Customer Success at TORSH. She began her career teaching bilingual elementary school in south Texas (as a 2002 Teach For America Corps Member) and has since been working in PK-12 public education for over 15 years. An educational innovator at heart, she has served as a teacher, coach, district  administrator, educational consultant, and customer success director. She is passionate about forging partnerships across the education sector  to drive positive outcomes for teachers and students and is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to the TORSH team. Abbey holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A and M.P.Aff. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Tina-Marie Gulley

Director of Marketing & Demand Generation

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Tina-Marie is the Director of Marketing and is excited about the real impact Torsh makes to support educators throughout their learning development and career. She has over 10 years of experience working in consulting and marketing leadership roles supporting enterprise and emerging tech organizations. She was recognized as one of Adweek’s Rising Brand Stars and is the proud owner of three Markies, Oracle’s global award recognizing professionals and organizations for their marketing achievements, in the social media innovation, new media innovation and best lead scoring categories. Tina-Marie is passionate about community engagement, technology accessibility, STEM education, as well as advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. She serves on the Board of Directors for Ada Developers Academy, a free immersive and intentional coding program for gender diverse adults that prioritizes community over competition. She is a graduate of the University of Washington.

Salem Habte

Sales Analyst

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Salem is a Sales Analyst at TORSH who wants to enable better education with integrity, inclusion and innovation. Growing up in a family of immigrant entrepreneurs in Kansas City, MO inspired her to pursue a B.B.A in Entrepreneurship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has supported multiple startup accelerator programs, including Techstars, applying her creativity through marketing and project management. She also ran an organization that launched and scaled ventures that advanced the UN Global Goals for four years. Salem believes that important life outcomes are derived from the quality of one’s education. At TORSH, she explores data and presents discoveries that advance the team mission.

Tamika Harris

Business Development Manager, ECI

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Tamika Harris is not one to shy away from a new opportunity. After spending two successful years as a Manager of Customer Success at TORSH, Tamika boldly moved to become a Business Development Manager for Early Education. In her new role, Tamika will grow new business and uncover new opportunities for the TORSH Early Education team. With her experience building enduring partnerships and supporting the renewal process of strategic accounts, Tamika is the perfect person for the job. Growing up in the lively city of New Orleans, Tamika holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Prior to her role at TORSH, Tamika also worked as an Operation Manager in the hospitality industry. Her diverse background and fearless attitude make her a true force to be reckoned with. Tamika looks forward to continuing her work alongside people passionate about bridging the gap between education and technology for future generations.

Shaun Herron

Director, UX

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Shaun Herron is TORSH’s Director of UX. Before arriving in NOLA, he worked in Seattle’s software industry as a Director of Digital Experiences at such brands as Google, Microsoft, Starbucks, and CBS. He’s passionate about all things design and believes you have to understand the user’s needs to build excellent products, services, and experiences.

Maryam Naushad

Maryam Naushad

Customer Success Manager

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Maryam Naushad is a Customer Success Manager at TORSH. A native North Carolinian, she double majored in Political Science and Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She also has an Elementary Teaching license from Washington D.C. Maryam spent time in Jordan, Egypt, Greece and Vietnam; starting off working with various refugee populations and transitioning to education based positions throughout her time abroad. A passionate education advocate, she deeply believes in the mission at TORSH and in providing educators with the best tools and resources to be successful and impactful in their work

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Kevin Pie

Software Developer

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Kevin Pié is a software developer at TORSH. Working with nonprofits sparked his passion for harnessing his knowledge and skills into positive change in the world around him. Kevin understands the need for moving the education system forward through the power of technology and is excited to be a part of the advancement. Before joining TORSH, he completed a web development immersive with General Assembly in Boston.

Samantha Shields

Product Owner & Coaching Specialist

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Samantha Shields is a Product Owner & Coaching Specialist at Torsh. Prior to Torsh, Sam served as an Early Learning Specialist supporting early childhood educators at Austin ISD, a district instructional coach, and a classroom teacher.  She is passionate about the outcomes that true, authentic coaching can deliver for student and teacher success. Sam became a part of the Torsh team after Torsh acquired Your Coaches Corner, a company she founded and ran for the past several years.

David Sykora

Director, Engineering

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David Sykora is TORSH’s Director of Engineering and Lead Software Engineer. He is an enthusiastic electrical and software engineer and spent two years teaching in Africa with the Peace Corps before joining TORSH. He returns to the tech field, passionate about education and helping teachers. David has a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of California Davis.

Destin Tate

Software Tester

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Destin Tate is a Software Tester at Torsh who wants to help provide educators with a platform that will give them the tools needed to improve their craft. Growing up as a son of a teacher, he was inspired by his mother’s commitment to being a great educator and administrative figure within the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. This inspiration grew into an appreciation for education that fueled his pursuit for a B.S. in Marketing at Louisiana State University. He has previous experience in Quality Analytics with Electronic Arts where he honed his skills as a software tester using his creativity and attention to detail to test products for the Fortune 500 company. Destin hopes that his role with Torsh will play a part in pushing the education system forward in a positive direction.

William Van Hoof

Customer Support Associate

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William Van Hoof is a Customer Support Associate at TORSH. He earned his BA in Film & Theatre at the University of New Orleans, where he first aimed his sights toward the local film industry. After working in the production offices of several Disney Channel/Disney+ original series, he refocused his passion of helping others within the field of IT. He has previously offered customer support for another New Orleans based company, TPN.health, where he helped to facilitate the continuing education of behavioral health clinicians around the country. He believes that education is essential for communities to grow and for professions to evolve. William is committed to providing high-quality, resolution-focused support and aims to supply educators and coaches with the resources they need to best utilize the many features offered through TORSH’s platform.

Chenellia Walters

Business Development Associate, ECI

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Chenellia Walters is a Business Development Associate at Torsh. She is a native of Norco, LA and graduated from the University of New Orleans with two Bachelors in Business Administration and Business Management with a minor in Human Resources. Prior to Torsh, Chenellia worked for the state of Louisiana in DCFS and in the hospitality industry in Sales & Front Office. With years of experience in customer service, she firmly believes that in order to provide the best customer service, one must truly listen to what a customer needs and provide the best solution. By doing so, Chenellia states that this not only builds rapport with the customer, but leads to genuine relationships. Chenellia is new to the tech industry and eager to see where this new journey takes her.

Courtney Williams

CEO

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Courtney Williams is a seasoned executive with a passion for education reform. As an immigrant, he is intimately familiar with how a good education can change the trajectory of an individual’s life. Courtney founded TORSH after more than 15 years of experience in the technology industry, where he held senior executive roles at companies like AOL, Time Warner, and Interactive One. He is an active member of his community, serving as a Big Brother and a former board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters. He has been a board member of the Johns Hopkins School of Education National Advisory Council since 2018, a board member of YouthForce NOLA since 2018,  a member and former monarch of Krewe De Nieux since 2017 and, a 2010 CUP Fellow, a fellowship awarded to executives with a keen interest in social change through public service. Courtney is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Oberlin College.

John Williams

Chief Revenue Officer

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John Williams serves as Chief Revenue Officer for TORSH. He is responsible for all revenue generating processes including sales, marketing, and customer success. John joined TORSH after serving as the Vice President of Sales Readiness & Support for Follett School Solutions. Throughout his career, he has held numerous executive level positions with companies like IBM, Lightspan, and ETS where he served as the General Manager for the Professional Development Division. He is known as a strategic thinker with a track record of delivering results that align to measurable business objectives. As the son of a high school principal and math teacher, John has always had a passion for K-12 learning, technology, and supporting teacher quality.

Felisa Wind

Manager, HR & Operations

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Felisa Wind joins TORSH as an Executive Assistant. Felisa earned both her BS and her MA in Elementary Education from NYU. After years of being a stay at home mother to three, now grown children, she began working for Advantage Testing, a private tutoring service that offers preparation for standardized tests and academic tutoring as well as college counseling. Felisa worked for Advantage Testing as a Program Coordinator and then in Business Development. Having served on numerous boards and fundraising committees during her years in Connecticut, Felisa comes to us with real-life experience working with educators and organizations.

Nick Wolf

Product Owner

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Nick Wolf is a Product Owner at TORSH. Nick is a former New Yorker with a degree from McGill University. Prior to his time at TORSH, Nick worked for the student information system Alma and the KIPP Foundation. He has a passion for education, and believes that good tools are fundamental to enhancing practice.

Ashley Wright

Senior Manager, Business Development, K-12

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Ashley is an experienced EdTech professional who has dedicated her career to helping schools and districts select the appropriate tools to support the success of all students. This approach, as well as years of tutoring and mentoring students, led Ashley to working alongside schools and districts throughout the nation. As a Senior Business Development Manager at TORSH, Ashley will continue her work in demonstrating the value of technology integrated within the learning process of educational institutions.  Ashley is a native Georgian, with a Bachelors in Marketing from Valdosta State University and a MBA from Texas A&M University, Texarkana.  She has an extensive background in sales and has found a home within the educational technology industry and looks forward to utilizing her experience with Torsh to impact the future of learning.

Carrie Xaisongkham

Senior Manager, Customer Success

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Carrie Xaisongkham is a Customer Success Manager who assists TORSH Talent users in utilizing the platform to its fullest potential. Born in Kansas and raised in southern Louisiana to refugee parents, Carrie recognizes the significance of having access to good education, and she is dedicated to having an indirect impact in making it more accessible to all by empowering educators to make data-driven decisions in their practice. Carrie has a background in hospitality and restaurant management and is looking forward to using a combination of her experience to provide a positive and knowledgeable customer journey with Torsh. Carrie holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University.

Sarah Yeager

UX/UI Designer

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Sarah Yeager serves as a UX/UI Designer at TORSH. Sarah studied Visual Communication Design at Kent State University. There, she became fascinated by the combination of design and technology. Alongside her studies, she participated in a number of technology-based competitions called Hack-a-thons where she explored the potential between software, hardware, and user-friendly design. Having an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, Sarah has served in a number of start-ups on both a local and international scale. Sarah believes that education has the power to create opportunities and change lives. She hopes that by listening to users’ needs and influencing design, then she can further the mission of TORSH.

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