About Us
We started Hats & Ladders in 2015 to help reimagine career education. Building off twenty years of developing award-winning educational games and interactive experiences, we created a mobile platform designed to motivate youth to explore, experiment with, and prepare for a wide range of career pathways.
Hats & Ladders uses up-to-date occupational data, game mechanics, and youth-driven design thinking to motivate the next generation of career thinkers and doers.
Our Mission
Empower young people with career-building experiences, skills, and opportunities so they can take small steps now that lead to big leaps later.
Our Team
George Alexander
Senior Full-Stack Engineer
George is a full-stack engineering dynamo with a knack for design and a passion for helping youth find their place in the world. A motivated problem solver, George is always on the lookout for ways we can build better.
Scott Brewster
Director of Partnerships & Co-Founder
Scott, an expert in evidence-based game design and development, is a results-driven jack-of-all trades and ace communicator. He leads partnership development efforts at Hats & Ladders, Inc.
Kristen Budd
Lead Instructional Designer
Kristen leads content and instruction at Hats & Ladders. She is motivated by the power of learning something new and seeks ways to make that experience accessible and fun for everyone.
Benjamin Galynker
Senior Product Advisor
Ben masterminded our occupational database and managed the development of Hats & Ladders’ award-winning content. As senior product advisor, he ensures that our user experience remains top-notch.
Johann George
Client Development and Success Manager
Johann is a passionate educator and relationship builder. In addition to writing curriculum and leading trainings, what he loves most is sharing Hats & Ladders with educators and youth.
Ivonne Karamoy
Director of Product & Design
Ivonne is the talent behind Hats & Ladders’ vivid and impactful visual design. She brings a systems, user-centered approach to evolving our platform so we can provide meaningful experiences for educators and youth.
Dan Lamet
Director of Engineering
Dan leads the development of the Hats & Ladders platform. A manager, coach and coder extraordinaire, he sets our technical direction and engineers solutions that build our capacity to do amazing things.
David Langendoen
CFO & Co-Founder
David is an award-winning game developer recognized around the world for conceiving and developing fun, smart learning products.
Leonor Paulino
Client Success and User Support Manager
Leonor leads our client and user support. She has a passion for understanding user’s needs, unblocking them with empathy and ensuring we can support young people in the most meaningful way possible.
Leah Potter
CEO & Co-Founder
Leah is a social entrepreneur and educator, with deep expertise in creating interactive experiences that engage learners of all ages. Her passion for helping youth with career readiness is contagious.
Dan Ramalho
Front-End Engineer
Dan is our resident front-end engineer. A teacher in a past life, he understands the twisting nature of career paths and is dedicated to engaging youth through technology.
Heather Weston
Director of Business Development
Heather’s life mission is to improve lives, particularly for those for whom opportunities and justice are not a given. She directs business development and strategy for Hats & Ladders, Inc.
With special thanks to our engineering partners at Grassroots Technologies for their expertise and dedication to reimagining career education with technology.
