GENERAL MANAGER
- Co-Founder of Accelerator School
- Serial entrepreneur with 35+ years of experience, primarily in Silicon Valley
- Executive level experience
- Helped to raise over $90M in venture capital for startup companies
- Will serve as General Manager of AS Operations and US business development
- Subject Matter Expert for AS in engineering and coding
- BSEE & BME Duke University
Mariano Abeleria
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPER
- Argentine professional coach
- 5 years as a professional player in Argentina, Gibraltar, and Spain
- Two coaching certificates through Escuela de Entrenadores Menotti (coached the winning Argentina 1978 world cup team).
- Sports Team Travel Coordinator for South America through a partnership with PST Argentina for US MNT/WNT, MLS clubs, elite Universities and schools.
John Kerr
FOOTBALL ADVISOR
- Co-Founder of Accelerator School
- Duke University Men’s Football Coach
- Former coach at Harvard
- Captained Duke to 1986 National Championship
- Hermann Award Winner
- US National Team player
- First American to play in England’s First Division
- Played in England, Ireland, France, & Canada
Chris Mumford
SCHOOL DIRECTOR, ENGLISH + SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATOR
- Co-founder and curriculum developer of the AS Raleigh
- Teaches innovation, design thinking and entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School
at UNC – Chapel Hill. - During the last 15 years, Chris founded several businesses in the US and Asia.
- Served in roles as CEO, CFO, COO, VP Sales and VP Design while raising over $30 million from VC and Private Equity.
- Investment banker for 5 years
Jackie Avallone
ACADEMIC ADVISOR
- B.A. in English from Florida State University
- Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University
- She has been involved in education for over 20 years as a classroom teacher and administrator working with students from preschool through high school
- Prior to joining the Accelerator team, she worked as the director of a private school in Raleigh for six years
- International education while living in Congo, Kyrgyzstan and Israel
Cindy Copolo
SCHOOL DIRECTOR, ENGLISH + SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATOR
- PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from UNC Chapel Hill
- Masters of Science in Human Nutrition and Foods at Virginia Polytechnic Institute
- B.A. in Biochemistry at University of Virginia
- NC teaching coach
- Over 30 years teaching math, chemistry, biology and computer science
- Faculty at the School of Education at UNC Chapel Hill for 7 years
- Project Director of the North Carolina Leadership Network