Our team is comprised of professionals who are well experienced in handling the fast-paced, rapidly-changing, deadline-driven demands of the Web industry.
Caramanna · DeLong · Girishankar · Khudairi · Rappoport · Stock · Tigue · Young
In March 1999, Khudairi founded ZOT
Group, a Web strategy consultancy focusing on standards, networking and
communications. Active in the Web since 1993, she successfully directed and
implemented communications strategies for some of the industry's best known
technologies, including XML,
HTML 3.2,
HTML 4.0,
PICS,
HTTP/1.1, and
Cascading Style Sheets.
Prior to founding ZOT, Khudairi was Solutions Architect at Cambridge Technology Partners' Interactive Solutions Group, and Head of Communications at the World Wide Web Consortium.
Carl Caramanna joined ZOT Group in December 1999 as Operations Lead. His responsibilities include strengthening the relationships between ZOT's business lines and leading internal corporate operations. Prior to ZOT, Caramanna was at Fleet Financial Group for more than five years; most recently as a manager and bank officer. At Fleet, he oversaw the integration of complex bank policy with consumer interest while assuring profitability and operational integrity. His experience in developing sales promotions, employee incentive programs, client services and marketing campaigns, plays a key role in facilitating the rapid development of ZOT.
Caramanna received a BSc. from the School of Social Science at Florida State University.
B.K. Delong joined ZOT Group in August 1999 as Research Lead, with responsibility for corporate communications, media relations, event management, strategic partnerships and standards strategy.
DeLong has more than 5 years experience with Web Architecture and Development. Prior to joining ZOT Group, he has worked as a consultant on Web Accessibility for the Center for Applied Special Technology, focusing his efforts on the Bobby accessibility analysis engine. He has also worked as a Web consultant for various organizations, including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), WebJammer Productions, UMass Amherst Office of Public Affairs and the Corporation for Public Technology.
DeLong also served as a regional Director for the World Organization of Webmasters, (WOW) volunteering his time to lead media and corporate relations, external communications and conference activities as well as Editor-in-Chief for the organization's monthly publication. He represented WOW on two working groups for the W3C';s Web Accessibility Initiative and also serves on the Steering Committee of the Web Standards Project assisting with grassroots strategy, standards compliance testing, and organizing events.
DeLong completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Saroja Girishankar joined ZOT Group as eCommerce Lead in October 1999. With more than fifteen years of news reporting and analysis in applications, networking, voice and data communications industries, Girishankar specializes in eCommerce strategy, tracking trading hub and digital market place evolution, industry trend identification and architecture analysis.
She has extensive expertise in the areas of eBusiness and eCommerce, operating systems and applications software, Internet infrastructure and IP networks, internetworking and telecommunications systems.
Prior to joining ZOT Group, Girishankar has been contributing editor to InternetWeek, InformationWeek and Net Market Maker publications. She also is a consultant, providing eCommerce strategy advice. In addition, she was Executive Industry Editor at InternetWeek, and before that at CommunicationsWeek for 13 years.
Girishankar received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science as well as education from the University of Delhi, India. She has courses in Master of Arts studies in Education at Boston University, and is currently a Master of Arts in Education candidate at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.
Avi Rappoport analyzes Web site, Intranet and portal search tools as well as information retrieval issues. She has a Master's in Library and Information Studies, and spent ten years in software design, implementation and management. Avi joined ZOT Group as a consultant in September 1999.
In early 1998, Rappoport started covering the search tools arena, and founded the site Searchtools.com to provide news, reviews and guidance. She has spoken at CNet's Builder.com Live, Miller Freeman's Web Design Conferences and other Web-oriented trade shows, including the Bay Area Computer-Human Interaction group. Her articles have appeared in Net Professional, Builder.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, and E-Media Weekly.
Julie brings more than two decades of experience in the founding and management of successful businesses to her consulting role as Development Director for ZOT Group. Julie is also the CEO and President of SeedMuse Technologies, a corporation focused on developing innovative, useful internet and information technology solutions. Previously, at EoExchange, she managed the development of the company's change monitoring services, and served as an evangelist for that technology. Julie co-founded and acted as CEO of InGenius Technologies, Inc., a corporation specializing in change monitoring and intelligence gathering, which was acquired by EoExchange in 1999. For several years before founding InGenius, Julie served as Chief Operations Officer for a Michigan-based high-tech corporation, SSG Laserworks (now Secant Technologies). She led reorganization of the entire firm and founded several profitable new divisions.
John Tigue joined ZOT Group in October 1999 as Technology Lead, where he oversees all technical initiatives, including the design and implementation of XML-based Web applications.
Prior to joining ZOT Group, Tigue was Senior Software Architect at DataChannel. A recognized XML expert, he was a member of the W3C XML Working Group that produced XML 1.0, and has co-authored several XML-related submissions to the W3C. In addition, Tigue was a contractor for Microsoft's NT division.
Tigue completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Johns Hopkins University.
Roddy Young joined ZOT Group in March 2000 as Director of Communications. In this position he will oversee all marketing and PR program development, account and team management, and strategic counsel.
Before joining ZOT, Roddy worked for more than ten years in the public relations and public policy arena. As Press Secretary to NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, he shaped the space agency's message and developed strong relationships with national media. His PR strategies helped NASA convey the importance of the Shuttle-Mir program, the excitement of John Glenn's return to flight and the goals of the International Space Station.
Roddy began building his public relations experience serving as Press Secretary and Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Esteban Torres. He also served as Project Director for the Latin American Management Association and Government Relations Advisor at Heron, Burchette, Ruckert and Rothwell. He holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland.