Board of Directors
Jaime Carbonnel, Chairman
University Professor and Allan Newell Professor of Computer Science Jaime G. Carbonell joined the Carnegie Mellon community as an assistant professor of computer science in 1979, and has gone on to become a widely recognized authority in machine translation, natural language processing and machine learning. Carbonell has invented a number of well-known algorithms and methods during his career, including proactive machine learning and maximal marginal relevance for information retrieval. His research has resulted in or contributed to a number of commercial enterprises, including Carnegie Speech, Carnegie Group and Dynamix Technologies.
In addition to his work on machine learning and translation, Carbonell also investigates computational proteomics and biolinguistics — fields that take computational tools used for analyzing language and adapt them to understanding biological information encoded in protein structures. This process leads to increased knowledge of protein-protein interactions and molecular signaling processes.
Carbonell's career has had an enormous impact on both Carnegie Mellon and the School of Computer Science. He created the university's Ph.D. program in language technologies, and is co-creator of the Universal Library and its Million Book Project. He founded CMU's Center for Machine Translation in 1986 and led its transformation in 1996 into the Language Technologies Institute, which he currently directs. He has advised more than 40 Ph.D. students and authored more than 300 research papers.
Before joining the Carnegie Mellon faculty, Carbonell earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his master's degree and Ph.D. in computer science at Yale University.
Angela Kennedy, President, CEO
Angela Kennedy serves as President, CEO Within this role, she focuses on the strategy, growth and management of Carnegie Speech.
Since joining the Company, Angela has played an instrumental role in developing a coherent business strategy to commercialize the Company's products. She brings with her over 15 years of executive management experience with companies that have successfully commercialized cutting-edge products featuring artificial-intelligence technologies.
Prior to joining Carnegie Speech, Angela co-founded WISDOM Technologies Corporation and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer. While at WISDOM, Angela raised venture capital and private investments and forged strategic relationships with Citibank, SEI investments, Selkirk Financial Technologies, SunGard Treasury Systems, and Union Fenosa of Spain.
Prior to this role, she gained software management experience at the Lead Artificial Intelligence Group at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and also held sales and marketing roles with IBM. She has authored publications in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Computer Assisted Language learning, Cognitive Science and Treasury Management.
Angela holds a Master of Science Degree in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in College Scholars from the University of Tennessee.
Gary Pelton, CTO
As Chief Technical Officer Gary Pelton brings extensive experience managing technology development teams as well as commercializing spoken language products and intelligent tutoring systems to Carnegie Speech. Gary is responsible for developing the intellectual property and product strategies that ensure the continued growth and success of Carnegie Speech, including patent strategies, definitions and prosecution. Responsible for managing and directing the company's team of software development professionals, Gary ensures the reliability, functionality and scalability of Carnegie Speech's language learning products to our global customer base.
In his 13 years at Carnegie Speech, Gary has transitioned the English training products from a prototype to a desk top application and then to a Web SaaS model service. In addition, he has led the effort that used the same technology to build three foreign language training products for the Department of Defense. At this time, the English training system is being embedded in a game as a method for improving the English speaking skills of the school children in Singapore.
In addition to Carnegie Speech, Gary has led product development teams for a variety of organizations, from Bell Labs to entrepreneurial start-ups. Developing products ranging from robots and factory floor diagnostic systems to neural network simulators, Gary's successes give Carnegie Speech unique product development and delivery capabilities.
Gary received his MS in Computer Science and a BS in Physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.