People
We are parents and grandparents, a team with decades of experience in creating constructive (and fun) experiences for children. Our backgrounds are in education, technology and media. We have a vested interest in making ZooKazoo successful.
John Kim, Co-Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer
John Kim has extensive experience in corporate strategy and development, as well as in
direct investments. He has managed investments for both hedge funds and private
equity funds. Prior to his investment experience, he was involved in strategic planning at
major media companies including the Walt Disney Company and Sony Pictures. At
Sony, John was responsible for new business initiatives in the home video division,
including diversification into video game distribution in nine countries. He received his
A.B. in Economics from Harvard College and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
John is the father of three young children, who, when not complaining about
participating in the daily focus group around the family table, continue to provide him
with inspiration for ZooKazoo.
David Dwyer, Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer
Most recently, Dr. David Dwyer was the Chief Academic Officer and Vice President for
content development at Apex Learning, a leading producer of web-based digital
curriculum for high school students. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of the
Education Enterprise Group at Computer Curriculum Corporation, a division of Simon
and Schuster. He worked over 12 years at Apple Computer, first as Distinguished
Scientist for Education and then as Director of Educational Technology. David began his
career as a classroom teacher for 11 years and was twice recognized as an
Outstanding Secondary Educator of America. He received his Ph.D. from Washington
University in St. Louis. David is a father of identical twin daughters and a grandfather of
three lively preschoolers - no doubt future explorers on ZooKazoo.
Andrew Lippert, Chief Technology Officer
With over 25 years experience in the technology industry, Andrew Lippert has led
software development teams and defined application architectures for a broad range of
companies. Most recently, Andrew served as the Vice President of Engineering at Apex
Learning, diversifying the company's product lines and building a robust online learning
platform. Prior to that, he worked as the Director of Product Development for ImageX,
Group Manager for Amazon.com, served as Chief
Technology Officer for Seattle-based Brandfly, and was an Internet Software Engineering
Manager at Intel Corporation. He also served in the United States Navy for 10 years as an
instructor pilot. Andrew holds a BA in International Relations from the University of
Southern California. He is the proud father of four girls and one boy.
Michael Carter, Chief Playwright
Dr. Michael Carter is Co-Principal Investigator on a three year ethnographic study of
"Kids' Informal Learning and Digital Media," a managing editor for the MacArthur
Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning, and Director of Special Projects for
the Monterey Institute for Technology and Education (MITE). Throughout his career he
has focused his efforts on applying technology to learning. He has shaped the curriculum
that Oxford, Stanford, and Yale delivered to their alumni online; created courses with faculty
from leading business schools for corporate knowledge communities; and has
directed education research at Apple. His academic career includes professing European
history at Dartmouth and directing Academic Systems Development at Stanford. He
received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. He counts his adult children and two young
KaZoobians among his proudest accomplishments.
