latakoo
latakoo is pronounced (LAT-uh-KOO).
latakoo is an end-to-end solution for the fastest, most secure transfer and delivery of large files. We specialize in video and other digital media files, but we’ll soon enable the quick transfer of many other forms of data. Our clients include the world’s largest broadcaster, television stations, production companies, and marketing firms. Based in Austin, Texas, we serve companies around the world.
Paul Adrian
CEO & Co-FounderPaul has worked with video and big data files for his entire career and he understands the complexities of sharing those files. His experience in the broadcasting and cable industry and the contacts he nurtured through the years helped him to establish latakoo inside some of the biggest broadcasting companies. Paul has won numerous awards, including Emmys for investigative journalism. He has a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas and a MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School with a focus on entrepreneurship.
Paul Adrian
CEO & Co-Founder
Jade Kurian
President & Co-FounderJade has experience in all facets of broadcasting, including management, communications, and technology. Jade understands video workflow: codecs, formats, editing, transfer. She has managed news staff, coordinated crews while traveling the world, run operations, scheduled teams, and assisted in crafting budgets. Jade launched & managed the ground-up building of a news bureau for a national network. Jade has a BA from Florida State University.
Jade Kurian
President & Co-Founder
Kristen Mallory
Vice President of TechnologyKristen oversees latakoo’s technology team. He is a proven technology solutions leader, with more than 20 years of experience helping companies of all sizes grow and modernize their processes. Kristen has played a critical role in managing cloud infrastructure, security operations, and tackled software development for a range of start-ups, e-commerce companies and U.S. governmental agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration.
Kristen Mallory
Vice President of Technology
Thomas Rognon
Principal EngineerThomas plays a leading role in bringing new features to latakoo’s software. He has a proven track record of success when it comes to building a stronger and scalable suite of technology. Prior to joining the team he was a software engineer for DoorDash, has written advanced cybersecurity software and designed and built a global platform supporting millions of users for gambling giant Aristocrat. Thomas proudly served in the U.S. Navy, where he won awards for the software he wrote – which went above and beyond his daily duties.
Thomas Rognon
Principal Engineer
Jacob Wibe
Chief Financial OfficerJacob oversees latakoo’s day-to-day accounting and finance activities and leads strategic initiatives related to pricing, fundraising, and special projects. Jacob holds a Ph.D. in International Macroeconomics from Western University and has significant experience in transfer pricing and tax compliance from PwC and MNP. Prior to joining latakoo, Jacob also served as Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado Denver where he conducted research and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Macroeconomic Theory and Financial Economics. Jacob lives in Calgary, AB with his wife and two daughters.
Jacob Wibe
Chief Financial Officer
Dan Neuenfeldt
Vice President Business DevelopmentDan is a seasoned sales and management professional accomplished in strategy and negotiations. He is experienced in creating, cultivating, leading and motivating highly effective teams. Dan's expertise is in relationship management, competitive analysis and driving sales/solutions organizations. His experience includes executive positions with Fortune 50 OEM's and ODM's. Dan has an education in electronics engineering and business and is also a USAF veteran where he served as a Combat Controller.
Dan Neuenfeldt
Vice President Business Development
Ryan Emmons
Customer Success Director & Lead DesignerRyan directs the setup of new accounts and interacts daily with latakoo clients, making sure the latakoo system is working for everyone. As an artist with a keen eye for detail, she designed our management console. She has a deep understanding of how users interface with the latakoo platform and participates daily in the evolution of the design and user interface of latakoo services. Ryan has a BA in Studio Art from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.
Ryan Emmons
Customer Success Director & Lead Designer
Greta Yastrzemski
Customer Success Associate/Executive AssistantGreta keeps the latakoo executive team running efficiently as executive assistant. With more than 20 years of experience in managing clients and complex schedules, Greta brings those skills and more to the latakoo team. Greta enjoys solving problems for clients who reach out to latakoo support. While she has no formal tech training, Greta says she’s proof of how easy latakoo is to learn. An avid volunteer, Greta enjoys spending time with her twin teenage boys.
Greta Yastrzemski
Customer Success Associate/Executive Assistant
Erin Cargile
Director of Content and TrainingErin is a seasoned Emmy Award-winning journalist with 16 years of digital and broadcast media experience. Long before she joined the latakoo team, Erin relied on the company’s technology on a daily basis to report for Austin’s NBC station. Erin covered the 2018 Winter Olympics for more than 100 Nexstar stations across the country, and her investigative storytelling led to policy changes and earned numerous state and national awards.
Erin Cargile
Director of Content and Training
Joe Pelayo
Senior App Development EngineerJoe leads the day-to-day operations of latakoo’s technology team. He also builds and handles latakoo’s advanced compression, conveyance, and management technologies. Joe’s resume in technology includes wide ranging experience in areas from database design to software development for video encoding and application design and creation of systems across the web and enterprise platforms. He has led application development teams at video companies and content delivery networks and has been the senior software engineer on numerous critical projects for businesses and military contractors. Joe has worked in almost every type of programming, technology and development role. His talents and consummate diligence have made it possible for latakoo’s apps and web interface to do what others find nearly impossible.
Joe Pelayo
Senior App Development Engineer
Richard Metzler
Director of Product Development & Video ScientistRichard is latakoo's resident research scientist. Richard's Ph.D. efforts in Electrical Engineering are at the cutting edge of digital signal processing and information theory. Richard has developed technology that enables simultaneous compression and encryption of data, which allows latakoo to provide speedy and secure information transmission over our platform. Richard has degrees in Physics and Engineering and research experience in quantum optics, wireless power transfer, adaptive signal representation and image processing.
Richard Metzler
Director of Product Development & Video Scientist
Kevin Jardine
Senior Web DeveloperKevin is an early pioneer of web multimedia. He has 14 years experience as a web developer and created a Webby award winning activist site with 200-thousand subscribers. He ran a global consultancy on niche social networks with clients including the United Nations, Oxfam, the Royal Society of British Architects, the University of Florida and King’s College London. Kevin has a Joint Honors Bachelor of Math in Pure Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Waterloo.
Kevin Jardine
Senior Web Developer
Vova Kalinchuk
Senior Software DeveloperVova has more than six years of experience in commercial software development. He is the main developer of latakoo HUB and DMZ systems, automating the movement of video files from the cloud to asset management systems. Vova has developed systems for several companies, including the British Financial Exchange, where he worked with large data sets. Vova has MSc-IT from National University “Lviv Polytechnics” in Ukraine.
Vova Kalinchuk
Senior Software Developer
Ricardo Urbina
Database AdministratorRicardo manages data for latakoo, helping clean, process and interpret vast databases to assist in decision-making. Ricardo started his career in information technology working for diverse industries such as public utilities, finance and insurance. He has degree in Civil Engineering from Pontifical Catholic University of Perú and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Ricardo believes that data is building an exciting new world and has only just begun to reveal its possibilities.
Ricardo Urbina
Database Administratorboard of directors
latakoo’s Board consists of five directors, including the two co-founders Paul Adrian and Jade Kurian.
Christine Kornegay
Christine is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 25 years of financial and operational experience, including all areas of accounting and tax, strategic planning and forecasting, SEC reporting and technical accounting, as well as acquisition and integration planning with public companies in the wireless communications and high-tech industries. She most recently served as Chief Accounting Officer and Controller for MetroPCS during T-Mobile's acquisition of the company at an $8 billion valuation, including a $1.5 billion cash payment to shareholders.
Christine Kornegay
Jeff Eller
Jeff is the CEO and founder of crisis management firm, Jeff Eller Group. He is the former chairman of Public Strategies, which was acquired by WPP. Later, Public Strategies merged with Hill+Knowlton. Eller, who joined Public Strategies in 1994 and previously led the company’s campaigns group, was promoted to president and CEO in 2006, and chairman in 2009. Before joining Public Strategies, Eller served in the Clinton White House as deputy assistant to the president and director of media affairs and oversaw all regional and specialty media relations, as well as radio and television services. He has been involved in numerous congressional and Senate campaigns, and worked for two members of Congress.
Jeff Eller
Ben Werdmuller
Ben is Director of Investments at Matter, based in Silicon Valley. Matter invests in early stage media ventures. He is also the co-founder of Known, a software platform that creates a private, social space for internal teams. He is latakoo’s first Chief Technology Officer and has been building web applications since 1994. Prior to latakoo, he co-founded Elgg, an award-winning enterprise social networking platform used by organizations including Harvard University, the Australian government, Oxfam and the World Bank, as well as schools and non-profits around the world.
Ben Werdmuller
what's a latakoo?
Where does the name latakoo originate? A latakoo lark, or melodious lark, is a species of birds that are found predominantly in southern Africa. The latakoo can sing while in flight for long periods, soaring high with their songs. Shakespeare has noted the lark for its singing abilities. The founders of latakoo also have a personal connection, a daughter named Lark.
