PeekYou TEAM
Michael Hussey Founder and Chief Executive Officer
A social-media veteran and technology entrepreneur, Michael has been behind some of the most popular websites and hottest online trends. Michael was the founder of RateMyTeachers.com and RateMyProfessors.com, two of the most popular websites on the Web, and is often credited as the pioneer of online rating and opinion websites, beginning with RateMyFace.com in 1999. Millions of people have visited "RateMy" sites to date. Hussey has been featured in hundreds of media reports, including every top-ten circulated newspaper, CNN, Fox News, Esther Dyson's Report 1.0, and the BBC.
Pavel Baranov Chief Information Officer
Pavel has been with PeekYou since 2007 and is the chief architect of the company's technology platform and is listed on the company's patent documents. He earned a master's degree in Telecommunications and Networks from New York Polytechnic Institute and has nine years of working experience in Internet technologies. He was born in Orel, Russia and moved to the United States at age 16.
Venky Someswaran Chief Technology Officer
Venky brings more than 13 years of technology industry experience to PeekYou, both at the startup and enterprise level. Before accepting the CTO role with PeekYou, he served in various engineering and technology management roles at Red Hat, AOL, CustomInk, and Ciena. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with an MSc in computer science.
Tom Lynch Chief Financial Officer
Tom brings a web-centric analytical background and approach developed over nine years working at AOL. During his tenure at AOL, he spent time in both the finance organization and product teams developing expertise in financial modeling and forecasting, business case development, and analytics. Prior to AOL, Tom spent five years in Moscow with a Boston based consumer goods exporter working to set up distributorships throughout Russia for many marque brands such as Revlon®, Campbell's Soup and Tabasco. Tom has an MBA from Georgetown University with a concentration in finance and is a proud Richmond Spider.
Christopher Klipple Vice President, Operations
Chris is an entrepreneurial-minded marketing professional and adept communicator with 20 years of experience. He’s a proven executer of hard-hitting strategic marketing programs, from conception to completion. Prior to joining PeekYou, Chris worked for Rosetta Stone—the No.1 language learning software company in the world. While at Rosetta Stone, Chris managed all the online SEM marketing acquisition programs. Before joining Rosetta Stone, Chris was a senior member of the AOL Renewal and Payment Marketing team. Through his use of test-and-control tactics, he was able to improve the response, conversion, and cost efficiency of the programs. Chris is passionate about the online space and has a proven track record of achieving results through solid marketing skills and direct marketing tactics.
Lane Gillespie Creative Director
Lane Gillespie has 15 years of web and print design experience. He previously worked with CEO Michael Hussey on RateMy(TM) sites such as RateMyTeachers and RateMyProfessors. His hobbies include homebrewing, fishing, and ice fishing. As disciple of Owen Smith and Brooke Knight (of the Fluxus Laboratory), he graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Art and a minor in New Media.
Eray Cetiner Lead Developer, International
Eray has worked in web development since 2006. He specializes in multi-level programming, data mining and organization, as well as developing mobile applications for PeekYou. He is a 2008 graduate of SUNY Binghamton and was born and raised in Canakkale, Turkey.
Oleg Borkov Lead Developer
Oleg has been working with PeekYou since the summer of 2007. He has a degree in Information Systems and Technologies, from Saint-Petersburg State University of Information Technologies Mechanics and Optics, in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. He first started programming in BASIC at the age of 11, moving on to Pascal by 13, with Delphi, OpenGL, C++, DirectX, and PHP all soon thereafter joining his repertoire.
Kaitlin Atkinson Business Development Manager
Kaitlin is a Business Development Manager for PeekAnalytics since August 2012. Prior to PeekAnalytics, she interned across industries in public relations, marketing, business development, editorial and research. Kaitlin graduated with an English Major and a Minor in Visual Arts from Duke University in 2010. She has a passion for reading, writing, technology, drawing and research.
Dasara Kushi Lead Developer
Dasara is a lead developer for PeekYou and has worked with the company since 2011. She was born and raised in Tirana, Albania and now lives in Manhattan. She graduated in 2008 from the University of Tirana with a masters degree in Computer Science.
Ronn Tan Developer
Ronn is a developer for PeekYou and has worked with the company since 2008. He focuses on developing new applications and implementing SEO strategies. He lives in Elmhurst, New York and was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Also a freelance photographer, all the photographs that line the PeekYou office walls was taken by Ronn. He is a 2011 graduate of CUNY York College with a degree in Computer Science.
Mikhail Dovgilev Developer
Mikhail graduated with a degree in information Systems and Technologies, from Saint-Petersburg State University of Information Technologies Mechanics and Optics, in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. He has been working for PeekYou since the spring of 2011.
Amauris de Jesus DEVELOPER
Amauris was born and raised in NY. He currently works with PeekYou as a web developer. He earned a Computer Science desgree from CUNY City college of New York in 2011. He loves watching movies, dominating his friends in video games and buying new tech.
Matthew Quigley Community Manager
Matthew joined PeekYou as a community manager, writer, and blogger in 2011. Matt writes for our assorted blogs and manages public communication on various social media channels (such as on our Facebook fan page). Matthew previously worked at Conde Nast Digital and has a strong understanding of the social/digital landscape.
PeekYou BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kim Partoll Chairman
Kim brings over 20 years of knowledge in marketing and general management in the telecommunications, cable, and Internet industries. Previous to joining PeekYou, Kim served as AOL’s COO, where she managed several critical areas including Business Development, Business Intelligence, Consumer and Brand Marketing, Mobile, Product Experience and Innovation. Prior to AOL, Kim held an executive position for a cable giant, during which she was responsible for pioneering the "triple play" bundle of video, telephony, and high-speed data, now ubiquitous in the industry.
Peter Bordes Director
Peter is a Founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of MediaTrust. Previously, he spent much of his career in banking and venture capital and was a founder of Mason Cabot investment bank, which specialized in early stage media and technology financing. Mr. Bordes was also a founder and chairman of the board of Empire Media, Inc., a publishing, marketing, and technology enterprise which incubated and founded Find.com, the first "True Business Search" engine, and of Advaliant, an online performance marketing platform.
Baldev Duggal Director
Baldev Duggal, the owner of Duggal Visual Solutions, has been at the forefront of technology and creative innovation in the photo and computer imaging field for over 35 years. Baldev funded PeekYou’s development from 2006 through 2009.
PeekYou BOARD OF ADVISORS
Francine Hardaway, Ph.D.
Francine is the founder of Stealthmode Partners, an advocate and accelerator for entrepreneurs. She is also a founding member of Social Media Club, She writes a blog of technology, entrepreneurship, and health care policy. Previously, she was the founder of Arizona’s largest marketing and PR firm, which was eventually acquired by Intel in 1996.
Charlie Stryker, Ph.D.
Dr. Charles W. Stryker is the founder and president of a professional advisory firm, The Venture Development Center, Inc. (VDC). This business, formed in 1991, has a focused practice of assisting companies in creating, developing, and commercializing Information Services properties. Dr. Stryker serves on the board of a number of both public and private companies. His board appointments include: ARGI, Conclusive Marketing, Geoscape, Innography, netFactor, MyLife, RDC, Samba, Triton Technologies, andV12.
Prior to the formation of the Venture Development Center, Dr Stryker founded his first entrepreneurial venture: Trinet, Inc. Trinet was successfully merged with American Business Information. Following the merger, the combined company was called infoUSA. Dr. Stryker was one of the five private shareholders and President of infoUSA when it went public. He left the firm in 1991 to create VDC.
Dr. Stryker has received the BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering and the Ph.D. in Computer Science from New York University. He has been an active speaker and author on the topic of database product development. In addition to these academic credentials, from 1991 to 1999, Dr. Stryker was a part-time faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he taught a number of courses in the Entrepreneurial Center.
Phil Fresen
Phil Fresen founded Garros Group, an M&A boutique focused on delivering knowledge-based investment banking services to the information services industry. Phil has significant transaction experience in the technology enabled marketing services and internet advertising sectors. His practice entails both buyside and sellside M&A advisory services, strategic advisory services, and private placement/capital raising services. Phil is interested in building relationships with entrepreneurs/executives and growth companies in the information services industry. He is a graduate of Duke University and has an MBA from The Wharton School.
Ron Wagner
Ron is a senior operating executive with a successful track record building and scaling interactive agency, online performance marketing, and other digital marketing services companies and ultimately achieving M&A objectives. Companies he’s worked with or founded include: Lenco Mobile (Board of Directors), E-Storm International (President & COO), Simply Ideas LLC (Chairman), PartnerWeekly (President), Selling Source (GM), Clear Ink (CEO) , Publisafe (Vice Chairman), Spyonit.com (Investor), Ironlight Digital (Founder), and WMC (Founder).
Art Mikhlin
Art is an operating partner at ER Accerlator and previously an SVP at Adify and Cox Digital Solutions. Previously, he worked at Diginexus, Carlin Ventures, and McKinsey & Company. He is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Joseph Saviano
Joseph Saviano has twenty years of financial and investment management experience, including seventeen years in private equity. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Baker Capital. Previously, he served as a Vice President at Harvest Partners, Inc. and, from 1992 to 1996, served as controller for the private equity funds of Apollo Advisors, L.P. Mr. Saviano earned a BS in Finance from Lehigh University and an MBA from Fordham University.
Stephen Shearin
Stephen brings over 18 years of Internet business experience and over 20 years of start-up experience with him. After pioneering the first privately held Internet backbone and taking the company public in 1996 (Nasdaq:TONE), he has had a hand in the production, management and sales of ecommerce sites, social media, video, and display advertising. A self-proclaimed data geek, he has assisted significantly in the development of PeekYou's B2B strategy.
Sebastian Haigh
Sebastian Haigh is a British information technologist. Seb founded Haigh Wright Limited in 2000 to bring information businesses to the UK Market. Ventures that HWL has helped market include: Chillisauce (now one of the UK's leading youth travel brands), Axinom (a European leader in Microsoft-based web/IPTV), and RateMyProfessors.com (now owned by Viacom). Seb is also a founder of CMBRIDGE Limited (provider of information technology specialists to Electronic Data Systems), ATOC, Carphone Warehouse, Siemens Business Systems and others. Additional directorships include Vorsprung Limited (a broker of company services between UK and German Markets) and TechThought LLC (the company responsible for introducing RateMyTeachers to the UK and Ireland). Seb is also a technology-consulting lead with EDS, an HP Company. After two years studying Philosophy, Psychology and Mathematics at Leeds University, Seb moved to the Computer Science faculty, graduating with an honours degree (IIi) in Computer Science, with a focus on the mechanics of intelligence. During his time at Leeds, he served on the board of the Student Enterprise Committee, was an active member of the Officer Training Corps, and was awarded a Nuffield Research Studentship (investigating machine processing of natural language).
Andy Tuck, Ph.D.
Andy Tuck is one of the founding partners of Applied Research & Consulting LLC (ARC) and helps private and public sector decision makers understand and manage a wide variety of marketing, organizational, and communication challenges. At ARC he has worked closely with senior executives at many well-known organizations, including Liz Claiborne Inc., MTV Networks, Capital Blue Cross, Condé Nast, Meredith Corporation, the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, VF Corp., General Motors, Sony, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Cablevision, Priceline.com, Waterford, The World Gold Council, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. A former professor of philosophy and religion, he taught at several universities, including Princeton and Columbia. Educated at Amherst College, Harvard University, and Princeton University, he holds a doctorate in philosophy from Princeton as well as advanced degrees in related fields. He is the author of numerous publications on the theory of interpretation and cross-cultural studies, including Comparative Philosophy and the Philosophy of Scholarship, published by Oxford University Press. In addition to his business and academic careers, Andy worked throughout the 70's and 80's as a professional jazz pianist and composer. He lives in New York City with his wife, Holly Fairbank, and their sons, Lucius and Jackson.
Marshall Sponder
Marshall Sponder is an independent Web Analytics and SEO/SEM specialist working in the field of market research, social media, networking and PR. He provides digital data convergence generating ROI and develops data metrics, KPI’s and dashboards that drive businesses by setting and evaluating benchmarks. For nearly a decade now Marshall has been influencing the development of the industry, lately focusing on Social Media Metrics. He also possesses considerable in-house corporate experience as a group leader at IBM and Monster, combined with contract work at Porter Novelli PR, small businesses and start-ups. He has been consulting various B2B clients, New York Times, US Magazine, TheNewMarket, Havana Central. He is Board Member Emeritus at the Web Analytics Association and Member of the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO). In the past he consulted UNIX, Reuters-Lipper, Prudential, Citibank, Barclays Bank, Crossbar/Citibank, and SIAC. Marshall holds an MA in Media Studies form the NY Institute of Technology and possesses a Certificate of Marketing Management from the Baruch College, a NY Continuing Education Division.
