Meet our executive team, Board of Directors, and Advisory Council.
Ayan Kishore is an experienced social entrepreneur and leader in technology for social impact and international development. He has a successful record in building and growing tech organizations that have helped millions globally– particularly minorities and the disadvantaged –to learn and secure jobs. As CEO, Kishore is tasked with unlocking opportunities for large-scale systems change and driving innovation through technology to transform how students, jobseekers, and older adults across the globe read, learn, and work through inclusive and equitable access to information. Prior to joining Benetech, Kishore founded and directed a digital social innovation lab at Creative Associates International focused on global literacy and peacebuilding. He served as EVP, Operations and Technology, and helped lead the IPO at Professional Diversity Network (PDN), an organization focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in the American workforce. He also founded and served as CEO for CareerImp, providing career improvement tools for jobseekers and college students to understand and overcome algorithmic biases in recruiting. Since 2008, Kishore has served as the Chairman of the Board for Development Solutions Organization, a volunteer program for top-tier college students and private sector professionals to provide pro bono consulting to racial justice and international development nonprofits. Kishore received a BSS in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MS in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University.
Lucy has extensive experience counseling mid-stage to late-stage companies. In 1998, she pioneered the “fractional” general counsel model to address the in-house legal needs of emerging growth companies; and since 1998, she has worked in that capacity in a variety of technology sectors, including pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, interactive media, and mobile applications. Prior to establishing her fractional general counsel model, Lucy served as Vice President, Legal Affairs for a national behavioral managed care company. Before her tenure in the managed care sector, she had been in a general corporate practice with Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison. Lucy is active with the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and is also Chair of the chapter’s Pro Bono Committee. Throughout her career she has devoted her time and expertise to various not-for-profit organizations. Before law school, while working as Deputy Director of the Seventh Step Foundation and, then, as a Research Associate in the San Francisco office of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, she served on the Boards of Directors for both the San Francisco Child Abuse Council and the Center for Applied Local Research. She later served as Director, Outreach and Alliance Development for a non-profit microfinance investment vehicle, which mobilized private capital to provide loans to microfinance institutions in developing countries. Lucy received her baccalaureate degree in psychology from Vassar College, an interdisciplinary master’s degree in education and psychology from Tulane University, and, then, her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Tia serves as the VP of Finance and Administration at Benetech. She is responsible for financial reporting and planning, People and Culture, and IT functions for the organization. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit arena, working for both public accounting firms and nonprofit organizations. Tia has a passion for accounting and streamlining processes to help reduce costs and improve efficiency. Before coming to Benetech, Tia served as the financial leader at various nonprofits including the Stimson Center, National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and the American Institute in Taiwan. Tia spent the first half of her career working at CPA firms whose focus was on nonprofit and government organizations. Tia holds a B.S. in Accounting and Information Systems and a B.S. in Management from Virginia Tech. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Longwood University.
Matt leads Benetech’s Technology Group which includes engineering, product and user experience. Matt is a seasoned tech executive with a 16-year track record of building successful products for consumers and enterprise customers around the world. Prior to joining Benetech, Matt served as VP of Product at Rosetta Stone, where he oversaw the development of an immersive language learning platform that has helped millions of learners worldwide. He has also held senior product and executive positions at leading startups and public companies, including TripAdvisor and Microsoft. Matt is deeply committed to using technology as a driver of innovation and transforming user experiences. In his free time, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Candace Brady is an experienced fundraiser with over 20 years in non-profit management within higher education and cultural organizations raising transformative funds for scholarships, access for underserved students, sustainability projects, and expanded campuses. Prior to joining Benetech, Candace served as the inaugural Vice President of Advancement at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, where she was charged with overseeing all fundraising, membership, and development initiatives. Candace’s responsibilities included building the Museum’s regional and national fundraising network through recruiting Board Members, individual and corporate memberships, philanthropic donations and innovative partnerships. Candace is a proud graduate of The Ohio State University. She continues to give back to the communities that shaped her as a Chrysalis Community Development Agency Board member, Be The Match Ambassador, Patient Champion at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Content Committee Advisor for the American Alliance of Museums.
Lisa oversees outreach, community, and advocacy work for Benetech’s Bookshare initiative. Lisa is an expert on special education policy and law, inclusion, and family and school collaboration, especially as it relates to accessible educational materials. She has a PhD in Special Education and Policy from UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University as well as a MA in Special Education from Santa Clara University.
Michael Johnson is a seasoned executive with almost 40 years of experience in the technology, publishing, and education markets. Michael speaks regularly around the world on the need for content that is Born Accessible, meaning designed from the beginning in digital formats that are compatible with all key book reading platforms and accessibility features. Michael also works directly with the publishing industry to implement Benetech’s Global Certified Accessible program which empowers organizations to create, distribute, sell and offer fully accessible ebooks. He fervently believes in the importance of providing equal access to written information for people with disabilities and is using his long-standing relationships in the publishing industry to lead to systematic change.
