Team

Senior Software Engineer / "Bit Whisperer"

Walt Haas joined the DharmaTech team in 2007. He has a 40 year background in software engineering that includes 16 years as a Senior Systems Programmer at the University of Utah's Computer Science Department. In the days before most nonprofits knew what the Internet was, he was helping groups like Save Our Canyons, Utah Avalanche Center, and the Wasatch Mountain Club develop listservs and websites. Walt is President of Walter O. Haas, Inc. and has worked for such companies as GE OEC Medical Systems and Alcatel eBusiness Networking.

Walt has a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Utah. He received the Alexis Kelner Conservation Award "In recognition of continuous dedication and service on behalf of the Mountains and Deserts of Utah" from the Wasatch Mountain Club. He is also a master of skiing, climbing, and working in bare feet. Contact Walt at walt@dharmatech.org

Software Engineer / "Code Monkey"

Jason Hill joined the DharmaTech team in 2007. He has 20 years experience in the computing and technology environment and has held positions ranging from Systems Programmer to Quality Assurance/Engineer and Software Engineer. Most recently, he worked for a local biotech company writing robotics and database software, before taking several years off to travel.

Jason studied Computer Science and Biology at Ohio University and Ohio State University. He relocated from Ohio to Utah in 1997. He rides his bike to work everyday, straps boards to the bottom of his feet in the winter, and tries to exercise his right brain functions by playing/listening to music. Contact Jason at jason@dharmatech.org

Executive Director

Sarmeesha Reddy founded DharmaTech in 2002 with the goal of using her technical expertise to further environmental and social causes to enhance the greater good of the community. Prior to founding DharmaTech, she worked at Motorola for five years as an engineer designing communication systems for public safety. At Motorola, she gained extensive project management and technical experience in an enterprise-wide environment.

Sarmeesha has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Texas A&M University. When not working, she can be found hiking with her dogs, puttering in her organic garden, or looking for other fun stuff to do. Contact Sarmeesha at sarmeesha@dharmatech.org

Board of directors

Chris Adams has 15 years of legal, business development, sales, and marketing experience. He currently operates Adams Consulting Services, which offers legal, business, and management consulting services to individuals and businesses. Prior to that, Chris was Vice President of Business Development and Sales and Corporate Counsel with JustDeals.com for eight years. As VP of Business Development and Sales, Chris led the company's domestic and international sales and expansion, as well its Mobile Commerce initiatives. As Corporate Counsel, he headed up all legal and contractual matters. Prior to working with JustDeals, Chris spent four years working for iDeal International as Director of Merchant Services and Corporate Counsel for their online marketplace DealDeal.com. Chris has a B.A. in History from Colgate University and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. He joined DharmaTech's board in 2004.

Pete Ashdown is the founder and CEO of Utah's first independent and oldest Internet service provider, XMission. Prior to founding XMission in 1993, he worked at Evans & Sutherland, a local computer graphics firm, as a computer operator and administrative assistant. In 2006 he challenged and lost to incumbent U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, running as the Democratic candidate. He is a native Utahn and attended the University of Utah, where he studied filmmaking and computer science. Pete joined DharmaTech’s board in 2007.

April Hollingsworth has ten years of experience in employment, contract, and environmental law. She started her own law practice in 2008, Hollingsworth Law Office LLC, focusing on employment law. Previously, she worked at Strindberg and Scholnick, an employment and labor law firm in Salt Lake City. April has also worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and United Nations Environment Program, researching and briefing various environmental issues. She has a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. April joined DharmaTech’s board in 2004.

Colin M. Maclay is the Managing Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, where his broad aim is to effectively and appropriately integrate information and communication technologies (ICTs) with social and economic development, focusing on the changes that Internet technologies foster in society, policy, and institutions. Both as co-founder of the Information Technologies Group at Harvard’s Center for International Development and at Berkman, Colin's research has paired hands-on, multi stakeholder collaborations with the generation of data that reveal trends, challenges, and opportunities for the integration of ICTs in developing world communities. Colin is also a fellow at the University of Washington’s Center for Internet Studies. He received his education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and Northeastern University. He joined DharmaTech's board in 2007.

Ellen O'Hara is an experienced executive in the telecommunications industry, where she has worked for almost 30 years. Most recently, she was President and COO of EF Johnson Company, which designs, manufactures and sells two-way radio communication systems to federal, state and local government first responders. Prior to joining EF Johnson, Ellen worked for 12 years at Motorola, as VP and GM of Operations, where she managed engineering, supply chain, product development, and business teams for divisions with $300M-$600M in revenue. Also at Motorola, Ellen managed brand management, public relations, and business development functions. She got her start in this industry at GE in the mobile communications division (now Tyco Electronics), with roles in strategy, product management, and marketing. Prior to getting her MBA, Ellen worked for five years at MIT, administering and conducting organization development training programs for employees. Ellen received an MBA from Harvard Business School and earned her B.A. in History from Mount Holyoke College. She is currently volunteering her time to raise corporate donations for the Komen Dallas Race for the Cure. She joined DharmaTech's board in 2008.

Advisory board

John Barabino serves as a consultant with the Environmental Defense Fund to help drive their policy and programmatic work. He led the recruitment of private participants, including IBM, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, and Oracle, and advises the CEO on sustainable business models. Prior to that, he served in Google's Policy and Government Affairs office in Washington DC. Previously, he built and led Google’s worldwide syndication and distribution team that signed partners such as AOL, Amazon, Apple, Dell and eBay. With a keen insight for strong business models, he was a key, early executive at several pioneering Internet companies including Google, DoubleClick, and Firefly (acquired by Microsoft). He brings tremendous expertise in the areas of sales, business development, and strategy for growing an enterprise from start-up to industry leading position. John is a graduate of Cambridge University in the UK and Harvard Business School, where he was a Fulbright and Baker Scholar.

Patrick de Freitas is the chair the board of directors of Washington, DC’s Institute for Conservation Leadership. Patrick gives cogent advice on organizational and nonprofit management. He has been intimately involved in the initiation and startup of several organizations including a bookstore, two philanthropic foundations, a summer-stock theater company, an archival and record keeping service, a citywide volunteer tree care program, and a biotechnology company. In most of these ventures, he was principal, founder, or co-founder. Patrick was born and raised in England and holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from the University of Utah. For reasons that are sometimes unclear to him, he lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Fraser Nelson is the founder and Managing Director (together with Greg Warnock) of Promise Venture Partners, which brings the efficiencies of the financial capital market to the social capital market. Along with its nonprofit affiliate Promise Community Partners, Promise Venture Partners offers institutional and individual investors the economic engine of venture capital in the context of social change for children. Fraser also provides management consultation to the nonprofit sector and serves on the boards of the Utah Nonprofit Association and the Utah Health Policy Project. She is a published author, accomplished speaker and teacher, and presents frequently at state and national conferences on leadership, strategic planning and development. Fraser has a degree in History and Political Science from Duke University and a Masters in Human Development from St. Mary's University. She was a Social Innovation Fellow at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Center for Social Innovation.