The masterminds behind this unique curriculum.
Our course designers and technical advisors include:
Jitendra "Joshua" Chaturvedi - Joshua is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Business Development Manager for ACTS Corp. His is also the Dean of the ACTS "Mastering IT" curriculum. His specialties include distributed system architecture and product design. In recent years he has applied his deep knowledge and practical application of block chain, AI, and cryptocurrency implementations to solve business problems. He has also honed his leadership skills at MIT Sloan Executive Education. Email: joshua@x4.com
James W. Collins - Jim is a former Assistant Vice President and Senior DB2 Systems Engineer at Wells Fargo Bank where he optimizes performance for their massive DB2 production systems. Jim specializes in performance tuning and measurement. He recently completed a software upgrade involving all DB2 systems and it was the most successful migration in the bank’s history. Jim also completed a multi-year effort to streamline data movement which resulted in massive performance improvements and resource savings. He has also worked for IBM, Siemens, and several smaller software companies. Jim is a frequent presenter at IT conferences and other gatherings of IT professionals.
John A. Kirschner - John is a certified architect, systems engineer, and cyber- security specialist who supports business and governments worldwide to optimize use of a broad spectrum of information technology solutions. He has been the chief architect on many critical Intelligence Community (IC) programs, lead technologist on many Fortune 100 projects, and lead systems engineer in support of mission critical programs for the IC and Dept. of Defense (DoD). He received an award from President George W. Bush for his work on counter terrorism, multiple excellence awards from IC agencies, and top technical and team achievement awards while working for both IBM and Lockheed Martin.
Ken Mauriello - Ken is a veteran IT professional specializing in building and managing multi-million dollar computer centers and networking infrastructure for the Navy, Army, Air Force, and in the private sector. Most recently, Ken served as an IT Director for Automatic Data Processing, Inc.(ADP) where he was responsible for operating systems, databases, hardware, performance, security, and automation of disaster recovery. His solid business skills include team leadership, project management, policy development, data collection and analysis, policy and standards creation, audit and reporting requirements, and security and change control. His latest team attained the honor of building one of the largest Linux shops in the world so that cloud-based, self-service systems could exceed the performance of Amazon Web Services at a lower cost. Ken has consolidated data centers and leveraged extreme server virtualization, thin provisioning, containerization, simultaneous processor multi-threading, and memory reclamation. He is skilled in the use of service delivery methodologies, roles, and continuous improvement strategies. Ken has led departmental ISO 9001 audits where he provided evidence of adherence and continual improvements supported by data from service desk historical data. He has also worked extensively in support of application development and implementation of source code management systems and regression testing programs.
Leonard Santalucia - Len began his IT career in 1973 and is currently the
Chief Technology Officer and the Business Development Manager for Vicom Infinity, Inc. Len is the current Chairperson for the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project, an Advisory Board member at Hofstra, Marist College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and North Carolina A&T, and the consulting specialist for the Binghamton University ES2 Research Center. Len’s career includes 30 years working at IBM as a Certified Systems and IT Specialist. His broad and deep understanding of Data Center Design and Implementation for four different server-based operating systems, combined with his knowledge surrounding mobile, Cloud, Big Data, Analytics, Security, and Social Media, makes him a sought-after speaker on IT trends at International Conferences, and Consultant Conferences. Len has provided private IT strategy briefings to companies all over the world. Len was a charter member of the elite IBM Linux Impact Team specializing in Linux, Open Systems, Large Scale Virtualization, Object Oriented, Local Area Networks, and Web 2.0 technologies for the Financial Services and Banking industries. He currently assists his clients in communicating their technical requirements to the IBM Systems hardware and software labs. Len is an active co-sponsor and facilitator of Executive Councils and User Groups across the East coast.
Chief Technology Officer and the Business Development Manager for Vicom Infinity, Inc. Len is the current Chairperson for the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project, an Advisory Board member at Hofstra, Marist College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and North Carolina A&T, and the consulting specialist for the Binghamton University ES2 Research Center. Len’s career includes 30 years working at IBM as a Certified Systems and IT Specialist. His broad and deep understanding of Data Center Design and Implementation for four different server-based operating systems, combined with his knowledge surrounding mobile, Cloud, Big Data, Analytics, Security, and Social Media, makes him a sought-after speaker on IT trends at International Conferences, and Consultant Conferences. Len has provided private IT strategy briefings to companies all over the world. Len was a charter member of the elite IBM Linux Impact Team specializing in Linux, Open Systems, Large Scale Virtualization, Object Oriented, Local Area Networks, and Web 2.0 technologies for the Financial Services and Banking industries. He currently assists his clients in communicating their technical requirements to the IBM Systems hardware and software labs. Len is an active co-sponsor and facilitator of Executive Councils and User Groups across the East coast.
Montgomery Bauman - Monte is a Certified IT Specialist who began his IT career in 1983 at the IBM Glendale Lab where his work developing a diagnostic operating system for mid-sized enterprise servers earned him a Division Award. Monte evolved into a Systems Engineer (SE) for large scale systems running the industry’s most advanced operating system, and was later designated the regional specialist SE. By the turn of the century, Monte was one of IBM’s "new workloads" specialists supporting customers as they embarked upon emerging technologies that include Java, Business Intelligence, and Linux. For the past several years Monte has focused on LinuxONE and Fit for Purpose analysis, helping large enterprises optimize their software portfolios to reduce costs.
Marc Smith - After a 33 year career at IBM where he assisted with operating system development, marketing, and business channel enablement, Marc became an active volunteer for the IBM Academic Initiative program where he went out to colleges and universities to recruit them to teach advanced technology courses to address the growing need for enterprise-level skills. Marc was instrumental in the development an online learning community and started a scholarship fund that is still awarding scholarships today. For the last five years Marc has developed a number of mobile app solutions for small businesses, He is a frequent guest lecturer at local high schools and colleges to alert students to the importance and impact of technology workers in business and everyday life, and to illuminate career opportunities they know very little about.
Dr. Gururaj Rao - IBM Fellow and Vice President of Business Partners.
An IBM Fellow is the highest honor awarded to an IBM technical contributor. Working through the dramatic decline and rebirth of IBM’s server division during the eighties and early nineties, Dr. Rao was a key contributor in laying out a roadmap for the long-term strategy for IBM’s enterprise server division. He helps guide IBM's technical direction and hardware strategy.
An IBM Fellow is the highest honor awarded to an IBM technical contributor. Working through the dramatic decline and rebirth of IBM’s server division during the eighties and early nineties, Dr. Rao was a key contributor in laying out a roadmap for the long-term strategy for IBM’s enterprise server division. He helps guide IBM's technical direction and hardware strategy.
James Porell - Jim is president of his own consulting firm which he started after an illustrious career as a Distinguished Engineer at IBM. Over the last two years, Jim has been conducting a STEM education program at a local school, targeting grades 3 to 5. The students develop programs that are games-based and graphical, learning the constructs of Assignment, Case, Conditional and Loop through repetition. Students have actually built alternatives to games being sold online.
Kathy Brown - is a retired school teacher and a graduate of the University of Virginia. Before her retirement she worked in Bristol, Va, as a Title 1 Specialist at Highland View Elementary School in Bristol, Va, assisting K-6 teachers and at-risk low-income students in reading, writing, and math. During her career she received numerous awards and honors, including the 2014 Champions of Literacy award from Scientific Learning.
Tom Smedley – Technical writer and editor. Dr. Smedley received his initial training as a professional writer in the public relations office of Ferrum College. He learned to craft tight and energetic prose that engages the reader’s attention, and guides it to the desired destination. During his thirty years as a technical writer, he translated the argot of engineers and programmers into clear and precise information. From time to time, he detoured into academia to pursue questions that engaged his interest. His MS thesis measured the social maturity of home school children. His doctoral dissertation has the modest title How to Mend a Broken World, and compares two documents that transformed life for millions of people.
Christopher Mathews - a 5th grade teacher in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Before working with educational communities, Christopher worked with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads for 10 years as a Childcare Provider, Camp Counselor, activities specialist, and supervisor. His passion and skill for working with youth developed during this time and he has focused on becoming an educator who can reach students from all walks of life in meaningful, effective ways. An advocate for marginalized students, Chris has seen firsthand the effects of an education that demoralizes and dehumanizes students hindering their efforts to develop as confident, competent individuals. Empowering students to develop skills and knowledge that not only allow them to adapt to the world around them, but also to change and transform the world around them is a goal that Chris pursues.
Jimmy Collins - At age 15, Jimmy graduated from Christopher High School in Gilroy, CA. Over the course of his education he skipped two grades. The following year he attended a programming bootcamp and is now a full time development programmer. In his spare time he enjoys playing piano and chess, and recently came in second at his school's Chess Club tournament. Jimmy likes computer programming and technology in general. He continues to study Computer Engineering with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Mastering IT Project Leader
Bill Carico - IT professional, software developer, writer, and educator since 1973. Bill has designed software solutions and provided IT education to over 1800 companies world wide throughout his career. He was contracted by industry leaders IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Hitachi to build custom IT training programs to make their own employees more savvy across the technology spectrum. Bill became the project leader for the Mastering IT training series because he wants to preserve and pass on the great heritage and progress in technology development that he has personally witnessed over the last 50 years, to create a better future for his own grand kids, and anyone else who wants to master technology. The above list of advisers are like-minded people Bill has known personally for decades, and hand-picked for this bold and innovative education initiative.
Bill Carico - IT professional, software developer, writer, and educator since 1973. Bill has designed software solutions and provided IT education to over 1800 companies world wide throughout his career. He was contracted by industry leaders IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Hitachi to build custom IT training programs to make their own employees more savvy across the technology spectrum. Bill became the project leader for the Mastering IT training series because he wants to preserve and pass on the great heritage and progress in technology development that he has personally witnessed over the last 50 years, to create a better future for his own grand kids, and anyone else who wants to master technology. The above list of advisers are like-minded people Bill has known personally for decades, and hand-picked for this bold and innovative education initiative.
At the 2000 VM and VSE Technical Conference held May 31 - June 3 in Orlando, Florida, Bill and his youngest daughter Allie, who was six weeks shy of her 9th birthday at the time, teamed up to give the keynote address to 500 IT professionals who were attending the general session. This appearance made Allie the youngest known keynote speaker at a major technology conference, as she made predictions about the approaching limits of fabrication technology in making computer chips using silicon. Click Here to see more photos of Allie and Bill at this event.
The X4 brand is owned by ACTS Corporation a full C-corporation privately owned and operated since 1981.
Patti and Bill were married in 1973. They have 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 8 to 19, all of whom who have helped test course content.
Bill was born in Wise County, VA, and grew up in Coeburn and Roanoke. Patti was born in San Antonio, TX and grew up in Springfield, VA. They met and married while attending Roanoke College.
For more information about them, please refer to their personal website, x4.com