Meet the Leaders, Instructors, and Staff of Code Platoon
These passionate individuals drive Code Platoon’s mission. From dedicated instructors to supportive leadership, they’re committed to transforming lives and empowering Veterans and their families.

Leadership

Rod Levy
Executive Director
Rod Levy
Executive Director
Rod Levy is Code Platoon's Founder and Executive Director. Prior to Code Platoon, Rod spent 20+ years in finance and entrepreneurship. He was a Partner at G-Bar Limited Partners, where he co-founded and managed their volatility-arbitrage trading desk (BBR Trading). He built a team of 20 traders and software developers and was one of the founders of Cerrio, an internal software start-up that was a complex event processing platform and a service company. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he graduated with honors. Rod has also completed Dev Bootcamp’s web developer program.

Jim Hennessey
Marketing Director
Jim Hennessey
Marketing Director

Thida Sam
Development Director
Thida Sam
Development Director
Thida Sam is Code Platoon’s Director of Development. With a background in public service and the nonprofit sector, Thida is passionate about building impactful partnerships and driving sustainable social impact. A University of Michigan graduate, Thida lives in Boston with her children and spouse.

Rich Luby
Head of Career Services
Rich Luby
Head of Career Services
Rich Luby is Code Platoon’s Head of Career Services. He has more than fourteen years of experience in disability and inclusion training, initiative development, and workforce development for healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and Fortune 500 companies. He recently leveraged these experiences to build out career development programming for national startups in tech education. Rich leads with an empathetic nature and attains results through collaborative approaches.

Adam Cahan
Program Director
Adam Cahan
Program Director
Adam is the Program Director at Code Platoon with extensive experience developing software applications for the web. He has helped develop software at various startups and one time at the Getty Research Institute, an art history library. He is a believer in the power and joy of education and tries to sneak music into everything. He holds a BA in Computer Science from Colorado College and enjoys everything a good intellectual should and science fiction books.

Nick Smith
Program Manager
Nick Smith
Program Manager
Nick is a retired Air Force Veteran with 20 years of service in Fighter Avionics. Having gone through the military-to-civilian transition process himself, he aspires to help other Veterans with his work at Code Platoon. Nick graduated from Code Platoon’s Full-stack Software Engineering: Immersive Sierra Platoon and was a Code Platoon Scholar apprentice. Nick is a gamer and problem solver who loves finding ways to improve processes and help people overcome challenges.
Staff and Instructors

Guillermo Aguilar
SWE & Pre-Work Instructor
Guillermo Aguilar
SWE & Pre-Work Instructor
As Code Platoon’s Pre Work Coordinator, Guillermo develops the pre work curriculum and live technical assessments for incoming students. He served in Afghanistan and as an Army National Guardsman for eleven years. He is also a former high school history teacher who completed a B.A. in History, an M.Ed in Education, and Code Platoon’s Full-stack Immersive Bootcamp, Papa Platoon. Currently, Guillermo works as a cloud application engineer at Amazon Web Services and is pursuing a Computer Science degree. He enjoys hiking, running, and reading in his spare time.

Chandra Arya
Senior Instructor
Chandra Arya
Senior Instructor
Chandra is a Senior Instructor at Code Platoon. He has extensive experience in software development and orchestration. He has previously worked with American Express, the Development Bank of Singapore, and another coding bootcamp. Chandra is a highly motivated and passionate teacher who believes in the power of education and creating and deploying beautiful software.

Francisco Avila
Lead SWE Instructor
Francisco Avila
Lead SWE Instructor
Francisco is a Full-stack Software Engineering Instructor at Code Platoon. Francisco served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years as an Infantry Mortarman and an Infantry Combat Instructor. He graduated from Code Platoon’s Full-stack Software Engineering: Immersive Romeo Platoon and was a teaching assistant for Sierra Platoon. Francisco is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and he enjoys running with his dog, hiking with his family, and reading in his spare time.

Umar Ahmed Badami
SWE Instructor
Umar Ahmed Badami
SWE Instructor
Umar is an Instructor for Code Platoon's Full-stack Software Engineering: Evening & Weekend Program. Before becoming an instructor, Umar was a Code Platoon teaching assistant. He has extensive experience with tutoring and teaching students advanced math, science, and programming. In his free time, Umar enjoys outdoor sports, traveling, and learning new languages.

Julius Bautista
Lead DevOps Instructor
Julius Bautista
Lead DevOps Instructor
As a Site Reliability Engineer and mindfulness-focused visual artist, Julius advocates for collaboration, inclusivity, and trust. He served as an Electrical Engineer in the United States Marine Corps, received his BFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and graduated from Code Platoon’s Full Stack Software Engineering Bootcamp in 2021. His aspirations are centered around the belief that, in the rapidly evolving information age, it’s more important than ever to exhibit our uniquely human capacity to care for one another.

Errick Basa-Denis
DevOps Instructor
Errick Basa-Denis
DevOps Instructor
Errick is a DevOps instructor at Code Platoon. He served in the United States Marine Corps for 5 years as a Signals Intelligence Operator and LAV Crewman. He graduated from Code Platoon’s Full-Stack Software Engineering, Whiskey Platoon, and DevOps & Cloud Engineering, Bravo Platoon. He is a Systems Engineer who is curious about how emerging technologies can help people and loves music.

Brenna Bayer
Partnerships Associate
Brenna Bayer
Partnerships Associate
Brenna is the Partnerships Associate at Code Platoon. With a nonprofit development background and a former mental health therapist career, Brenna brings a unique blend of strategic insight and emotional intelligence to relationship building. Her work creates authentic connections and fosters trust within communities and organizations. Outside of her professional life, Brenna cherishes quality time with friends and family and also finds creative and mental balance through painting and practicing yoga.

Katherine Byrnes
Career Services Coordinator
Katherine Byrnes
Career Services Coordinator
Katherine is Code Platoon's Career Services Coordinator and works with Code Platoon graduates as they seek tech jobs. She comes to this role after many years serving on various nonprofit boards and as Executive Director of Skin of Steel, a melanoma research and awareness organization. She holds a BA in Psychology from Dartmouth College and an MS in Clinical Neuropsychology from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She embraces outdoor activities even during Chicago winters and is the proud daughter of a Navy Reserve Captain.

Rogelio de la Garza
SWE Instructor
Rogelio de la Garza
SWE Instructor
Rogelio is an Instructor for Code Platoon's Full-stack Software Engineering: Immersive program who also teaches Foundations of Programming and Intro to Coding LIVE. Prior to his career in tech, he served in the US Army for eight years as a Combat Engineer. He graduated from Code Platoon’s Full-stack Software Engineering Bootcamp, Uniform Platoon, and returned as a teaching assistant for the subsequent Victor Platoon. Currently, he is pursuing a Computer Science degree. Rogelio enjoys spending time with his son, working out, and creating small video games.

Kayla Elkin
Marketing Content Manager
Kayla Elkin
Marketing Content Manager
Kayla is the Marketing Content Manager at Code Platoon. In this role, she uses her marketing, writing and editing skills developed by positions in edtech and publishing. Kayla earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Sociology from Clemson University and completed the Study in India Program (SIP) at the University of Hyderabad in Telangana, India. She enjoys tabletop gaming and learning to brave a northern winter in pursuit of the best dumplings in Chicago.

Tish Johnson
Student Support Manager
Tish Johnson
Student Support Manager
Tish is the Student Support and Compliance Manager at Code Platoon. In this role, she harnesses her college administration experience to manage the enrollment process for admitted students, including processing VA educational benefits. Tish holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Indiana University of PA and an M.Ed. from Strayer University. In addition to enjoying time with her husband and two children, Tish loves coffee, vintage books, and synthwave music.

Charles Kubiak
Volunteer Coordinator
Charles Kubiak
Volunteer Coordinator
Charles is Code Platoon’s Volunteer Coordinator. He is a Marine Corps Veteran who spent 15 years in finance before discovering Code Platoon. Since graduating, Charles has been a teaching assistant, mentors multiple students, teaches the Intro To Coding LIVE class, and organizes volunteers for future cohorts. He is also a Senior Software Crafter at 8th Light, a Chicago-based custom software consultancy.

Danny Marcano
Student Recruitment Manager
Danny Marcano
Student Recruitment Manager

Tiffany Sidell
SWE Instructor
Tiffany Sidell
SWE Instructor
Tiffany is an Instructor for Code Platoon’s Full-stack Software Engineering: Evening & Weekend program. Tiffany served as a Chinese Linguist in the Air Force before pursuing a BS in Psychology at the University of Maryland. Her varied experience as a Medical Assistant, in private practice and at the VA, sparked an interest in technology, leading her to graduate from Code Platoon’s Delta Evening & Weekend Platoon. Tiffany is a Programmer Developer in IT Apps - Reliability at Southwest Power Pool, where she maintains and improves software systems. She eagerly brings these skills into the classroom to prepare her students for real-world challenges in software engineering.

Chad Thompson-Smith
DevOps Instructor
Chad Thompson-Smith
DevOps Instructor
Chad is a DevOps Instructor with three years of experience in tech. He is a Navy Veteran and holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California San Diego (UCSD), an M.S. certificate in Applied Statistics from Pennsylvania State University, and graduated from Code Platoon's Full-Stack Software Engineering and DevOps & Cloud Engineering programs.

Lang Waters
Grants Manager
Lang Waters
Grants Manager
Lang earned a BA in Philosophy from UC San Diego and pursued a career in the tech industry, beginning in 1995. In 2016, he began volunteering extensively in his community. In 2018, as his children began to move out of the family home, he decided that he needed to devote his full-time energies to the nonprofit sector. As the grandson and son of Veterans, Lang is proud to work diligently as the Grants Manager at Code Platoon to secure funding that will help Veterans and their spouses find rewarding careers.

Jordon West
Lead SWE E&W Instructor
Jordon West
Lead SWE E&W Instructor
Jordon is the Lead Instructor for Code Platoon’s Full-stack Software Engineering: Evening & Weekend program. He is a Veteran Submariner who served as a Nuclear Machinist's Mate for 6 years. He graduated from Code Platoon’s Juliet Cohort in 2019 and is working for DRW Holdings as a Software Engineer. Jordon has continued to volunteer his time and resources to help give back to Code Platoon, which he passionately believes in.
Governing Board

Edward Donovan
Board President; CEO, Therapeutics
Edward Donovan
Board President; CEO, Therapeutics
Edward Donovan is the Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of TerSera Therapeutics, a rapidly growing biopharmaceutical company which develops and markets products that make a difference for patients. Founded in 2016, TerSera is a patient- and people-centric organization transforming therapies to improve human health.
Outside TerSera, Edward serves as President of the Board of Code Platoon, a non-profit that transforms Veterans and military spouses into professional software developers through an immersive, hands-on, educational process and dedicated career services support.

James Bell
Engineering Manager, Google
James Bell
Engineering Manager, Google

Don Bora
Co-Founder, Eight Bit Studios
Don Bora
Co-Founder, Eight Bit Studios
In addition to serving on Code Platoon's Executive Board, Don served as a member of the Executive Counsel at Ms. Tech Chicago in 2015.

Al Cave
HR Executive
Al Cave
HR Executive

Michael Dorsey
Owner, MD2 Pro Solutions
Michael Dorsey
Owner, MD2 Pro Solutions
As a five year United States Navy Veteran, Michael Dorsey did civil engineer work in various countries. Throughout his time in the service, there were a lot of manual processes that could have been done better if they were automated. Remembering these ideas about integrating technology, Michael began self-studying programming to follow his dream and passion. After the military, he attended Code Platoon to further his knowledge and experience. Since then, Michael has learned React, Ruby on Rails, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, and much more. He is currently the owner of a multimedia consultancy.

Iggy Khan
Head of Banking & Payments, JPMorgan Chase
Iggy Khan
Head of Banking & Payments, JPMorgan Chase

Paul Knudtson
Technology Consulting Manager, Accenture
Paul Knudtson
Technology Consulting Manager, Accenture
Paul graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Philosophy. He is currently a Technology Consulting Manager in the Aerospace and Defense Practice at Accenture.

Dan Reilly
Senior Finance VP, Motorola Solutions
Dan Reilly
Senior Finance VP, Motorola Solutions
Dan Reilly is a senior finance leader who works closely with operating partners to achieve business goals, including sales growth, costs, profitability, & customer satisfaction. Dan is currently a segment CFO with global responsibility for both finance & operations teams supporting ~$7.5 billion in annual revenue at a Fortune 500 technology firm, representing ~90% of the firm's total revenue. His prior experiences include 2+ years of overseas assignments in both military & business.
Dan is a US Army Veteran and has an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

Seth Thomson
Partner & CAO, Geneva Trading
Seth Thomson
Partner & CAO, Geneva Trading
Seth Thomson is an accomplished technology and operations executive with over 25 years of experience working in the financial markets. Prior to joining Geneva, he spent almost 15 years as a technology and operations leader at DRW and, most recently, as their Chief Information Officer focused on implementing processes and infrastructure to support their growing organization.
Founding Board

Jill Greer
Nonprofit Management
Jill Greer
Nonprofit Management
Jill founded and, until recently, headed the Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) Tax-exempt Bond Program, which has executed over 60 financings totaling nearly $1.3 billion. Previously, Jill was a Vice President in Municipal Finance at Goldman, Sachs & Co where she originated over $3 billion in financings for health care systems and institutions of higher learning. Jill is also a founding Board member and past Vice President of the Board of Beacon Academy, a new high school in Evanston, IL. Currently, Jill is Treasurer and Chair of the Board’s Finance Committee at Chiaravalle Montessori School. She also serves on the JFNA’s Bond Program Oversight Committee. Jill received her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Avi Kaufman
Co-founder, TheBuilder.AI
Avi Kaufman
Co-founder, TheBuilder.AI
Avi is a real estate broker, co-founder of Accent Realty, and co-founder of TheBuilder.AI—a platform that empowers homeowners and builders to create accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and tackle housing challenges. As a founding board member of Code Platoon, a coding bootcamp for military veterans, Avi is dedicated to fostering opportunities through information and technology. Alongside his extensive experience as a real estate broker, Avi’s diverse background includes service in the U.S. Army, award-winning marketing at General Electric, and innovative web development. He holds a BA from Brandeis University and an MBA from MIT Sloan.
Curriculum Advisory Committee

Jorge Lara
Software Engineer, Airbnb
Jorge Lara
Software Engineer, Airbnb
Jorge is a software engineer with over a decade of experience as both an individual contributor and engineering leader. Currently at Airbnb, he has worked across startups and large tech companies, building solutions in tax compliance, data visualization, internal tooling, and educational technology. Beyond his technical expertise, Jorge is deeply committed to teaching and mentorship, having actively volunteered with coding bootcamps and apprenticeship programs throughout the tech industry.

George Mauer
Engineering Lead, Ninety
George Mauer
Engineering Lead, Ninety
George is a software developer, speaker, teacher, writer, and comedian with an interest in the various techniques that can make software simple, extensible, and communicative. He is currently an engineering lead of platform delivery at Ninety.io. He has worked in software consulting, product, and services companies in all sorts of positions for almost two decades. He has been CTO at Operation Spark bootcamp, mentors with Operation Code (unrelated), Underdog Devs, writes, teaches, and speaks regularly at conferences, usergroups, and to his cat (singular - the other one won’t listen).

Chad Mowbray
Data Engineer, Phrase Health
Chad Mowbray
Data Engineer, Phrase Health
Chad went from being a translator in the 82nd Airborne Division to a PhD student studying classical Arabic poetry. However, the new priorities and responsibilities of starting a family necessitated a career change. Like many Code Platoon alumni, he found Code Platoon at a critical moment in his life and managed to graduate (proudly, maybe even barely). He currently works as a data engineer for Phrase Health and is happy to help others achieve the same goals.