While working closely with public sector organizations, IDEA strives to initiate, promote, and advance the learning process through the strategic implementation of creative technological solutions. Please visit IDEA’s Programs and Projects for an overview of the organization’s current focus.
Michael Douma (Executive Director)
As the Executive Director of IDEA, Michael Douma combines his passion for helping people learn with his expertise in bridging the gap between people and technology. Under his leadership, IDEA has designed and implemented a variety of information systems that use technology to facilitate and broaden the learning process. These include public service health and education projects like the ProstateCalculator, several national web-based atomic clocks, and the interactive, web-based museum, WebExhibits, and technological innovations like SpicyNodes and ColorDiamond.
Michael exemplifies IDEA’s core value of collaboration through his ability to draw together teams of experts from around the nation and around the globe that have the specific skills needed for a particular program or project. He has, for example, brought together experts in database architecture, health education, scientific research, and organizational development for one project, while forming a team of award-winning artists and experts in graphical design, color modeling, user interface theory, and web crawling for another. This type of collaboration embodies the concept of breaking down the artificial barriers between people and computers, while exhibiting wise stewardship of IDEA’s resources.
Horace Dediu (Financial Director)
With an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MS in Electrical Engineering from Tufts, Horace Dediu is uniquely positioned to steward IDEA’s financial resources, guide its fundraising efforts, and manage its financial risks, while at the same time provide ongoing strategic guidance in fulfilling IDEA’s mission. As a software developer and the founder of Handheld Media, Horace has managed software development projects from conceptualization through production and marketing. He is also a recognized authority on user interface design and human factors in mobile computing.
In his role as Market Development Manager at Nokia, Horace develops business models for media distribution and mobile operating systems and guides business development for disruptive new businesses, forecasting, customer research, business modeling, and due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. His knowledge of current investment and development trends helps IDEA shape its development and research focus, as well as its program portfolio.
Sally E. Smith (Communications Director)
Sally E. Smith brings a diverse skill set to her role as Communications Director for IDEA. With a career arc that reflects her strong commitment to accessibility and advocacy, Sally devoted 15 years to the non-profit sector in the legislative offices of the ACLU and the LIFE Lobby, and as the executive director NAAFA. From there, she pursued her passion for writing, serving as editor-in-chief for national consumer health, advocacy, and women’s fashion magazines.
Today, Sally is thankful that she can embrace two worlds that she holds dear: her work and raising her son. Sally shares IDEA’s commitment to reducing barriers to technology and to discovering innovative ways to enrich and enhance the learning experience. Her expertise enables Sally to work with IDEA’s project teams to develop and refine the organization’s research papers, as well as write, edit, and amplify IDEA’s web-based publications. In addition, Sally utilizes her experience in media relations to draw public attention to IDEA’s areas of expertise, and her marketing and public relations skills to develop and implement strategies to launch IDEA’s technology infrastructure and software applications.
Ovidiu Ancuta (Lead Designer)
With several years of experience with a leading design firm in creating interactive web sites, applications, informational kiosks, and desktop applications, Ovidiu Ancuta embraces IDEA’s challenging mix of creative exploration and technical problem solving. Ovidiu’s background in seamlessly blending design and technology to create solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing helps him lead IDEA’s design team in escaping conventions and looking for new and innovative ways to surmount to technical and design challenges.
Ovidiu’s diverse background enables him to lend consistency and direction to IDEA’s complex technological projects. Often, projects have components that may appear and act similarly, but that have underlying technologies with little in common. Ovidiu’s talent in seeing the big picture and thinking outside of the box enable him to shepherd IDEA’s projects to fruition.
Zuri Walker (Evaluation)
Zuri Walker brings significant experience in evaluation, organizational development, training, and strategic change to IDEA. Zuri evaluates IDEA’s progress at key points throughout the Software Development Life Cycle to ensure that our new research produces useful and accessible tools, that milestones are met, and provides an unbiased measure of work team progress and work flow productivity. She conducts contextual evaluation and formative evaluations (focus groups and surveys) of our new interactive and educational tools. For example, she has tested accessibility for elderly and colorblind users, and cultural sensitivity for our interfaces among Black, Latino, Native American and Vietnamese target users.
Zuri holds an MS in Organizational Development from Johns Hopkins University and has acquired valuable experience in the non-profit, private, and governmental sectors. Zuri has extensive experience evaluating projects, dealing with diversity issues, designing and conducting organizational assessments, and delivering training sessions. In 1998, Ms. Walker was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show for her work in the founding of the Northstar foundation, a foundation dedicated to preserving historical sites along the Underground Railroad.
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