Nikhil is a student at the University of Michigan, working to merge his passions in engineering, business, and healthcare to create education and health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  

With extensive volunteering experiences, he continuously finds ways to serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His leadership and determination to create change has been recognized by the international non-profit Best Buddies as he was named Champion of the Year as well as the University of Michigan where he earned the Michigan Student Leadership Award in Innovation and received awards from the School of Education. 

For hobbies, Nikhil enjoys traveling, photography, cooking, and playing sports with friends. 

Dawn is driven by her passion to advocate for vulnerable, underserved and unheard individuals, and she is dedicated to acting on meaningful, holistic and sustainable change to benefit them.

In her 30 years of nonprofit experience, serving children in need and adults with developmental disabilities, Dawn has demonstrated the ability to identify need, as well as best resources and workable solutions. Her empathetic listening, leadership and program development has grown partnerships with individuals, student groups, corporate groups, universities and international service organizations.

Dawn cherishes her time with family and friends, and enjoys reading, design, gardening, biking, paddle boarding, cooking, and hiking.

Jennifer is a recently retired public education teacher. It has been her quest throughout her 30-year career to create innovative learning environments. She embarked on several projects to bring out the best in students, teachers, and other district stakeholders during her tenure. Jennifer was part of a teacher-led team that designed and launched an alternative school within her district based on best practice research. They used a team-teaching, multi-age model and based behavior strategies on the work of William Glasser’s Choice Theory.  She then became an instrumental member of The Middle Primary Years team. They developed 12 units of study for the district to use when it became an International Baccalaureate School. Another journey led her to co-create a curriculum for the district’s Gifted and Talented program. She is also a proud graduate of the acclaimed Galileo Leadership Training Program. Her commitment to realizing the best, most equitable learning experience for children has found a perfect match in Tech Buddies.

Jen loves family, literature, pets, and gardening keep her very busy, and she makes time to nanny for part of the day.

Beth Meacham is a retired educator whose roles included teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal in a K-8 International Baccalaureate building and elementary school Principal.  In retirement, she enjoys traveling, reading, writing, drawing, hiking, kayaking, camping, playing pickleball and more.  Beth also finds pleasure in philanthropic endeavors and decided to join the Tech Buddies advisory board to continue making a positive difference in the lives of children and adults with learning challenges and other difficulties. 

Phillip Kucab, MD is an Assistant Professor (Clinician Educator) with the Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine and Chief of Neurology, Integrated Clinical Services, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. Dr. Kucab has a long history of community involvement. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the World Federation of Hemophilia USA, an international humanitarian aid organization that supplies medications and medical professionals to developing countries. Dr. Kucab is the Founder and current President of World AIDS Day in Detroit focused on bringing together AIDS-service organizations to commemorate World AIDS Day since 2011. Dr. Kucab joined Tech Buddies to help provide medical and scientific expertise to the Tech Buddies initiative.