/Team
The people building cognitive readiness.
Elaine Dezenski
Senior Advisor
Elaine Dezenski is a senior advisor to Blank Slate Technologies with more than two decades of experience in government, international organizations, and the private sector. She has held senior positions at the World Economic Forum, INTERPOL, Crossmatch Technologies, the U.S Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Siemens Corporation. Since 2019 she has served on TSA’s Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) and leads the Air Cargo Subcommittee.
Alissa Fioretto
UX Designer
Alissa is Blank Slate's product designer. In this role, Alissa leads the design of the app experience from ideation to iOS launch with a human-centered approach. She is also part of the UX research process for diverse digital products. Prior to Blank Slate, she was a UX consultant and exhibition designer for museums. Alissa holds a master's degree from Pratt Institute, with a specialization in UX design, and a bachelor's degree in Architecture. Alissa enjoys pottery classes and reading. Master's of Science, Pratt Institute
Wei-Chih Huang
Senior Data Scientist
Wei-Chih Huang is a Data Scientist and Quantitative Researcher specializing in machine learning, time-series forecasting, and big data architecture. With a proven track record of driving business value, he has developed predictive models achieving high accuracy and optimizing business objectives. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Texas A&M University, where his research mainly focused on high-energy dark matter with complex data analysis. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, biking, and weight lifting. Ph.D. in Physics, Texas A&M University
Annie Jiang
Head of Product
Annie is a strategist who believes in the combination of scientific methods, design thinking, and diversity of thought. At Blank Slate, she leads product strategy and new feature development across clients. A California native, she held engineering and product roles at Capital One, Apple, and startup teams. Her spare time is spent collecting global currencies, exploring fitness, and learning more about the brain. Bachelors of Science, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Masters of Business Administration, Yale University
Suchir Kolli
NLP Engineering Intern
Suchir is a student at the University of Florida, majoring in Computer Science, with interests in artificial intelligence and building software that solves real-world problems. Beyond the classroom, he competes as a member of a UF collegiate dance team. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar, camping, and water activities such as canoeing and kayaking. Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, University of Florida
Brikena Prendaj
Customer Success Manager
Brikena is Blank Slate’s Customer Success Manager, partnering with enterprise and government clients to guide projects from onboarding through long-term partnership and helping teams turn complex data into actionable insights. Before joining Blank Slate, Brikena helped build and scale customer success teams at high-growth tech companies, collaborating closely with product and leadership to improve adoption, retention, and expansion. She holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Math and Economics and an M.A. in Economics from Fordham University. A former rower, Brikena enjoys staying active, biking around the city, and relaxing at the beach. Master of Arts, Fordham University
Derek Sanchez
Chief Revenue Officer
Derek is the CRO of Blank Slate and owns end-to-end revenue operations. Previously, he was a startup CEO and a sales leader at a Fortune 500 company. A competitor at heart, he played football and baseball in college and still works out regularly to keep his athletic dreams alive. Derek lives just south of Boston and is the proud father of three — a U.S. Marine and two college students. Bachelor's, Stonehill College
Samjot Singh
Senior Software Engineer
Samjot is a full-stack software engineer with a strong focus on backend systems, distributed services, and platform reliability. He is passionate about building scalable, well-designed systems that support real users and long-term product growth. At Blank Slate, Samjot works on strengthening and modernizing the platform’s backend, improving system reliability, and supporting architectural decisions as the product scales. He collaborates closely with engineering, product, and data science teams to ensure the system remains stable, maintainable, and adaptable to future needs. Samjot brings experience working across early-stage startups and large technology organizations, with a hands-on approach to problem solving and system design. Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science, San Francisco State University
Amy Smith, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Amy is a cognitive scientist who specializes in the influences of technology, aging, and stress on human memory. At Blank Slate, Amy forges and manages research collaborations with academia, government, and private industry partners, and leads internal research that supports client success and product development. Prior to becoming our CSO, Amy held appointments as a tenure-track professor at Quinnipiac University and as a Research Scientist at the U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center in Natick, Massachusetts. Amy lives in Connecticut where she enjoys hiking with her golden retriever, song-writing, and endless home renovation projects. PhD, Tufts University
Taylor Strickling
Chief Operating Officer
Taylor is the co-founder and COO of Blank Slate. A recovering attorney with expertise in tax, Taylor established, administered, and taught at a law school in Afghanistan, and spent several years as a government budget analyst. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (SB) and Georgetown University (JD). His better half is a Grammy-nominated classical vocal soloist, he can’t quit following the Chicago White Sox despite their best efforts, and is the proud dad of a seven-year old charmer. Bachelor's, MIT Juris Doctorate, Georgetown University
Nate Tan
Senior Software Engineer
Nate is a senior software engineer with a strong focus on backend systems, distributed services, and applied AI. He is passionate about building scalable, reliable systems that hold up under high stakes - and about using machine learning to strengthen human decision-making rather than replace it. At Blank Slate, Nate works on the platform's backend and data infrastructure, building the services and pipelines behind the product while keeping them secure, stable, and ready to scale. He collaborates closely with engineering, product, and data science teams to make sure the system stays dependable as it grows. Nate brings experience across large technology organizations and early-stage startups, with a hands-on approach to problem solving and system design. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of Washington
Andrew Terkildsen
Engineering Intern
Originally from Illinois, Andrew is a current student at Yale University, majoring in Computer Science. Outside of academics, he is a rower for the Varsity Lightweight Crew Team and in the NROTC program. His other interests include competing in triathlons, reading, and swimming. Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, Yale University
Tanvi Thigle
Associate Product Manager
Tanvi is a product thinker with a background in data science and behavioral research, passionate about building human-centered technology that meets people where they are. At Blank Slate, she brings a cross-disciplinary lens to product strategy and discovery, grounding decisions in meaningful insights while working with engineering, design, and data science to support end-to-end product development. Tanvi has previous experience across product and data teams at SiriusXM, Statsig, and Whole Foods Market. In her spare time, she enjoys reading about emerging technology, collecting rocks, and swimming. Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Cognitive Science, Rutgers University Master’s in Engineering Management, Dartmouth College
Matthew Trevithick
Chief Executive Officer
Matt is the Founder and CEO of Blank Slate, where he leads the firm’s overall direction and strategy. Prior to founding Blank Slate, he spent a decade across the Middle East and Central Asia in roles spanning research, academia, and entrepreneurship. He is also a Lecturer at Yale University, co-author of the memoirs of an Afghan statesman and educator, and a former Division 1 rower and coach. Bachelor's, Boston University Master's, Yale University
Janel Wu
Data Analyst Intern
Janel is a Master's student at Columbia Business School majoring in Business Statistics. She holds a B.S. in Mathematics/Economics and Statistics & Data Science from UCLA. She has a strong interest in working with large datasets and uncovering actionable business insights. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, golfing, and hiking. Bachelor of Science, UCLA Master of Science, Columbia Business School
