Khoury Stories
Students. Faculty. Alumni. Community. These are our stories.
Ivy Jordan
For Ivy Jordan, Khoury College’s combined majors awakened a passion to try every field adjacent to computer science. Now looking ahead to experiential learning opportunities, she’s bringing her appetite for exploration into the field.
Ellen Spertus
Ellen Spertus’s programming journey began in her childhood, and led her to a 10-year career as a research scientist at Google. While teaching at Khoury College’s Oakland campus, she encourages […]
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Mathena Chan
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Affiliation:
- Undergraduate Student
Location: Boston
Growing up, Mathena Chan was creative and also curious about technology, such as websites and apps. At Khoury College, where she is studying user experience, she is able to combine both those interests.
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Jessica Staddon
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Affiliation:
- Leadership
Location: Oakland
Jessica Staddon spent most of her career in industry at companies such as JP Morgan Chase, Google, and Xerox. Now at Khoury College, she believes students are critical for furthering research.
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Steve Shafer
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Affiliation:
- Teaching Faculty
Location: Seattle
Steve Shafer spent 14 years at Microsoft Research. Now a part-time lecturer at Khoury College, he is excited to be part of an education program that is beginning to look more like industry.
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Ilmi Yoon
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Affiliation:
- Teaching Faculty
Location: Silicon Valley
As an undergraduate student in Korea, computer science did not come easy to Ilmi Yoon. But she hit her stride in her third year and went on to earn a […]
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Huihui Wang
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Affiliation:
- Leadership
Location: Arlington
After several years as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Huihui Wang landed at Khoury College, where she encourages a humanist approach to computer science.
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Gigi Gillen
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Affiliation:
- Undergraduate Student
Location: Boston
With a combined computer science and design degree, Gigi Gillen found the perfect balance between technical expertise and creative expression — unlocking a world of limitless opportunities for her future.
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Ritu Shah
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Affiliation:
- Undergraduate Student
Location: Boston
Ritu Shah is committed to designing technology that emphasizes human values. On her research co-op, she discovered the perfect opportunity to put her beliefs into practice by building technology to combat student loneliness.
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Sidney La Fontaine
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: London
Eager to explain the world around him, Sidney La Fontaine chose to pursue data science for its focus on statistics. But instead of feeling forced to narrow his interests, he discovered limitless career possibilities.
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Chris Paul
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Affiliation:
- Industry Partner
Location: Boston
For more than a decade, Chris Paul has not only hired Khoury students at company after company; he’s also involved his colleagues, forged connections with other companies, and shared his expertise with numerous Khoury students.
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Martin Zoltick
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
Martin Zoltick was part of Khoury College’s first graduating class. More than 40 years later, he touts the quality of both Khoury’s professors and the research: “[Khoury College] is leading the way in many important technology areas including AI and data privacy.”
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Brenda Bailey
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Affiliation:
- Industry Partner
Location: Vancouver
Brenda Bailey, now BC's Minister of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation, helped Northeastern University launch its Vancouver campus by providing strategic guidance, industry connections, and support for programs aimed at diversifying the tech sector and addressing workforce gaps.
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Rekha Kamat
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
When Rekha Kamat was a young girl with a budding passion for science and technology, little did she imagine that she would one day become a global marketing director and prominent tech leader.
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Brian Wenzinger
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
Getting a much-needed scholarship to attend Northeastern not only set Brian Wenzinger on a path to a successful career; it also inspired him to extend that opportunity to students who came after him.
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Melinda Kramer
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
Melinda Kramer’s long computing and business career began during her freshman year as a business student: “Even back then, I had a sense that tech could make a difference in the world,” she says.
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Bela Labovitch
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
Bela Labovitch, athenahealth VP of engineering and Khoury graduate, champions women in technology while working to fix healthcare through interoperability. She mentors women technologists and was named a Top 25 Woman Leader in Healthcare Software.
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Chris Lambert
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Affiliation:
- Alumni
Location: Boston
When deciding on a college, Chris Lambert chose Northeastern in part due the strength of the co-op program. Reflecting on a career that included being the CTO of Lyft, Lambert says his co-ops were “valuable as a way to accelerate and enhance my experience.”