Our team brings deep experience in higher education, uniquely complemented with wide expertise in community and technology.

CEO and Co-Founder

Joel Podolny

Prior to starting Honor Education, Joel was a Vice President at Apple and the founding Dean of Apple University, where he oversaw learning in areas such as leadership, management, and company culture. Before that, Joel served as Dean and Professor of Management at the Yale School of Management. He previously held professorships at Harvard Business School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

We envision a world in which all people can collectively learn anywhere, anytime in an environment that fosters creative and critical thinking, community, and citizenry.

Hear more about our mission and vision from our founder, Joel Podolny:

Our team

Shadee Barkan

Chief Partnership Officer
Chief Partnership Officer at Trilogy from startup to acquisition, SVP at 2U

Steve LaBella

Chief Strategy Officer
VP and first marketing executive at Snap, from pre to post IPO

Mark Leiter

Vice Chairman
Chief Digital Strategy Officer at Boeing, Chief Strategy Officer at Nielsen, McKinsey & Co. Marketing Practice leadership team

Ryan Thomas

Chief Technology Officer
28 years in the industry, VP at Prompt.io and one of original engineers at DocuSign from startup to IPO

Katie Barcelona

SVP, Brand and Design
Associate partner at Pentagram and head of brand at Pinterest

Kelly Crabb

SVP, Partnerships
SVP Sales Mainstay, VP Global Sales ExamSoft (purchased by Turnitin)

Dr. Jeremy Dean

SVP, Customer Experience
15+ years classroom teaching experience, head of education verticals at Hypothesis and Genius

Dr. Warren Longmire

VP, Curriculum Services
17 years at Apple designing and leading programs in L&D and talent management

Daniela Rivera

VP, Engineering
17 years leading engineering organizations. CEO and Cofounder of Datalitica

Brian Steele

Head of AI
15 years of engineering expertise including leadership at DocuSign and VSCO

Our advisors

Tamar Elkeles

Advisor
Technology executive and board director with over 30 years of experience at high-growth companies, 25-year tenure as Chief Learning & Talent Officer at Qualcomm

Roby Harrington

Advisor
Publishing executive who led W.W. Norton's higher education division for over 25 years, contributor to the enCOREage project

Mary Murphy

Advisor
Social psychologist, professor at Indiana University, founder of the Equity Accelerator

David Sutphen

Advisor
Strategy and public affairs leader with more than 30 years of experience, including 2U, Viacom, and Brunswick Group