A small team trying to do something big
We're a small team trying our best to improve the way the world learns. Too many people around the globe don’t have access to good education materials, or they are forced to learn through a system that doesn't properly cater to their individual needs. We think the technology exists today to fundamentally change this, and we're trying to build the tools and resources every student deserves.
We believe a few great people can make a big difference. We strive to hire the very best — people who are passionate, thoughtful and creative. We believe it is our obligation to relentlessly focus on what the learner values, and we make every decision with the learner in mind.
Meet the team
Sal
Founder & Executive Director
Being founder and faculty means Sal's busy setting the vision for the Khan Academy and expanding our library of educational videos.
Before quitting his job as manager of a hedge fund to run the Khan Academy full time, Sal also found time to get three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard.
Shantanu
President & COO
As President and COO, Shantanu focuses on overall organizational strategy, partnerships, and operations.
Before teaming up with Sal (his college classmate and high school math competitor), Shantanu was an Associate Principal in McKinsey & Company's Silicon Valley office, and received four degrees from MIT.
Bilal
Dean of Translations
Bilal began translating Khan Academy videos as a volunteer and now spends his time making Khan Academy available in other languages.
Previously, he has worked for an international network of private schools, an early stage venture firm and an actuarial consulting company.
Ben
Lead Developer
Ben started by volunteering for Khan Academy after watching one of Sal's talks and feeling left with no choice but to help.
Ben was previously VP of Engineering at Fog Creek Software, where he spent five and a half years learning how to push bits around with small, fast teams.
Marcia
Software Engineer
Marcia designs and builds any and every piece of the Khan Academy software with a constant focus on the experience of our learners.
Marcia was a Program Manager for Microsoft before joining the team. She received her BS and MS in Computer Science from Stanford, with a specialization in human computer interaction.
Jessica
Chief of Staff
As Chief of Staff, Jessica focuses on business strategy and operations. She is behind the scenes coordinating and smoothing the path for the rest of the team to do amazing things.
Life before Khan Academy included stints at McKinsey and Company (where she worked with Shantanu) and Yahoo! She is an alumna of Stanford and UC San Diego.
Desmond
Software Engineer
Desmond was always fascinated by the concept of teaching at scale, so once he discovered Khan Academy he couldn't resist getting involved.
Desmond used to work on ranking and metrics at Bing. He has degrees in Computer Science and Mechatronics Engineering from Swinburne University, Australia.
Charlotte
Manager of External Relations
Charlotte focuses on Khan Academy’s external relationships.
Prior to joining Khan Academy, Charlotte was the Business Manager and Director of Admissions of The School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL) in Washington, DC. Charlotte was the first hire at SEGL and helped open the school. She received her BA from Haverford College.
Elizabeth
School Implementations
Elizabeth works with schools to create individualized, collaborative, and joyful classroom environments in which Khan Academy software and visionary teachers help students master concepts at their own pace.
Before Khan Academy, Elizabeth worked at McKinsey & Company and earned a B.A. in Intellectual History at Penn.
Maureen
School Implementations
Maureen works with teachers and students to redefine what it means to be a successful learner.
Before joining Khan Academy, Maureen was a Teach For America teacher at a charter school on the border of Texas and Mexico. She is an alumna of Brown and Stanford's School of Education.
James
Software Engineer
James keeps improving site performance and creating new features for the Khan Academy.
Previously James was a lead engineer at education.com, ran a non-profit delivering an email system to the developing world, and was a math teacher in the Peace Corps in Tanzania. He received two degrees from CMU in Physics and Computer Science.
Minli
Head of Strategy and Programs
Minli focuses on Khan Academy's strategic initiatives.
Before Khan Academy, Minli worked in social policy at the Singapore Government, taught high-school math, and was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University.
Steven
(Co)Dean for Art and History
Steven and Beth help to create Humanities-based content and learning strategies at the Khan Academy.
Before joining the team, they created the open art history site, Smarthistory.org. Steven was Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) and Chair of Art and Design History at Pratt Institute. He has also worked and taught at The Museum of Modern Art. He has a Ph.D. in art history.
Beth
(Co)Dean for Art and History
Beth has a PhD in art history, and with Steven Zucker, founded the Webby-award winning site, Smarthistory.org.
Before joining the Khan Academy, Beth worked as Director of Digital Learning at the Museum of Modern Art, as Director of Distance Learning at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and as an Assistant Professor of Art History. Together with Steven, Beth will be creating content in art, art history and history, and looking at the ways that learning analytics and game mechanics can work in Humanities education.
Ben
Lead Exercise Developer
Ben leads exercise development at Khan Academy to make sure that the entire exercise curriculum is complete and up to date.
Before he joined Khan Academy, Ben worked on network hardware. He flies both flying sharks (pictured) and airplanes in his spare time.
Chris
Software Engineer
Chris wields his experience with highly reliable, multilingual websites to support lifelong learning through Khan Academy.
Before joining, Chris spent a few years building the Yahoo! homepage. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Brit
Faculty
Brit has been making educational videos since he was 10 when he got hooked on Carl Sagan, Bill Nye & James Burke and his mom agreed to buy him two VCRs for editing purposes.
He's excited about combining video and interactive software to create novel learning experiences online. He holds degrees in Integrated Engineering and Computer Science from UWO and McGill (oh, Canada!)
Craig
Dean of Infrastructure
Craig is focused on the infrastructure that supports Khan Academy, from its databases to its developer tools.
Before joining, Craig worked for Google, where he was the first employee hired by Larry and Sergey.
Michael
Head of Finance
Michael takes care of all things financial at Khan Academy. He, along with the Director of Wellness, also makes sure the Team is well supported.
Prior to working with Khan Academy, Michael started Ops for Good, an organization that provides back office support to smaller nonprofits, and served as CFO at NewSchools Venture Fund.
Kitt
Designer
Kitt uses a simple design process:
1) Travel to the future.
2) See what he did.
3) Come back and do it now.
He's done time at Pixar, Disney Animation, and as a Hollywood peon.
Esther
Executive Assistant
Esther is the Executive Assistant at Khan Academy. She is also the lead musical instructor at Rock Academy.
Joel
Dean of Dinosaur Studies
Joel graduated from Ohio State where he studied math and computer science. He was a member of the infamous Khan Academy intern class of summer '11 before returning full-time.
Joel studies dinosaurs when he should be doing real work. He'll make Jurassic Park a reality one of these days.
Rishi
Medicine/Partnerships
Rishi wants to use Khan Academy to connect people to quality information about health and medicine. He is currently a pediatric infectious disease physician, and previously spent two years as an EIS officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Karl
Lead of Applied Learning
Karl is focused on leading and supporting a variety of strategic initiatives and creating project based learning content.
Prior to Khan Academy, Karl taught applied physics at High Tech High in San Diego, was a small business consultant, and was an industrial designer. He is currently completing his doctorate at Harvard University. He has a M.Ed in school administration from Vanderbilt University and a B.S. in industrial design from Auburn University.
Ben
Software Engineer
Ben works on everything from interactive exercises to backend work on improving site performance.
In his free time, he enjoys cooking, singing, and eating.
Matt
Software Engineer
Matt loves to build things with code. In the past, he worked for Microsoft on the Outlook.com Backend team.
He enjoys reading, photography, and various outdoors activities.
Jay
Chemistry Fellow
Jay makes many of the Chemistry videos on Khan Academy, and he curates the Chemistry content on the site. He has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and a graduate degree in Medicine. Jay is also fascinated by art and creates portrait paintings on copper and steel. Drawing pictures of organic molecules allows him to combine his artistic and scientific interests.
James
Partnerships
James helps people and organizations work with Khan Academy.
James comes from McKinsey & Co by way of Purpose.com, a startup specializing in online community building. He spends his free time playing basketball, listening to podcasts and wishing he could repurpose the parts of his brain that are dedicated to B-grade movie quotes.
Kayla
Operations Assistant
Kayla focuses on HR and works to recruit exceptional talent. Prior to joining Khan Academy, Kayla received her BS in Business Marketing from Brigham Young University.
Alex
Software Engineer
Alex believes in interactive, immersive education. Every day he brings science fiction just a bit closer to reality.
Prior to Khan Academy, Alex helped make peer-to-peer car sharing a reality with Getaround. He graduated from UCSD with degrees in Computer Science and Cognitive Science.
Zach
Code Wizard
Zach believes that learning is exploration, and that everyone is born with a desire to explore.
Prior to joining Khan Academy, Zach was an engineer at Lore, where he worked on building a better online classroom: a place for learners to learn together. He spends his free time West Coast swing dancing, reading, and rock climbing.
Laura
Mobile Software Engineer
Laura brings Khan Academy to mobile devices, so students can grab quick lessons wherever they go.
Before joining Khan Academy, she built iOS apps and websites with a mobile agency in Seattle. She gets excited about well-designed class interfaces and git, and spends her free time studying human languages.
Toby
Director of Wellness
Toby works closely with everyone at Khan Academy to make sure they get daily doses of companionship and stress-relief. He makes this happen by standing close to people and quietly requesting body hugs and face smushing.
In his previous life, Toby roughed animal shelters and even a gunshot before earning a doctoral degree in human-animal connection and finding his home with Maureen. He enjoys being surrounded by very soft things.
The Khan Academy has also received the time, energy, and expertise of many volunteers and part-time contributors.