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The Visionaries Driving Our Mission Forward
Our founding team brings together decades of public health, technology, community engagement, and government leadership experience.
Krishna Edathil
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Former CTO and Assistant Commissioner at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Led Texas’s Tiger Team to deliver accurate statewide COVID dashboards. Extensive experience in federal technology modernization, AI governance research, ServiceNow implementations, and cloud migration projects for agencies including NTIA, Texas state departments, and DoD environments. PhD candidate in Journalism and Mass Communication at Lingaya’s Vidyapeeth researching AI governance in world cinema, developing the AI Transparency Rating (AITR) framework. Solution Architect at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Specializes in translating complex public health data into meaningful decision points for legislators and agencies including HHSC, DSHS, DIR, and federal partners such as CMS and CDC.
Dr. Jacob Eapen
Co-Founder & Public Health Advisor
A renowned public health expert and alumnus of Stanford University and UC Berkeley. Dr. Eapen brings extensive experience in epidemiological research, population health assessment, and evidence-based public health program design. His academic training at two of the nation’s premier research institutions provides the methodological foundation for assessments that meet the highest standards of scientific rigor. He provides principal investigator oversight for all quantitative research components, study design validation, and peer review of deliverables.
Christopher Woodward
Co-Founder, VP & Editor-in-Chief
A recognized community influencer with deep roots in Central Texas. Christopher brings invaluable expertise in community communications, stakeholder engagement, and public-facing content development. His editorial leadership ensures that complex health data and research findings are translated into clear, compelling narratives accessible to diverse audiences—from board members and legislators to community residents. Leads development of all public-facing deliverables including community reports, board presentations, and plain-language materials in English and Spanish.
Advisory Board
Guided by Expert Counsel
Our advisory board brings specialized expertise across healthcare, technology, workforce development, and community engagement.
Gopal Khanna
Founder & Chair, Health AI Institute
The 5th Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (May 2017 – January 2021). Previously appointed as Minnesota’s first Chief Information Officer by Governor Tim Pawlenty. Served in the administration of President George W. Bush holding senior policy positions including CIO and CFO of the Peace Corps and CFO of the EOP/Office of Administration. Member of the Health Information Technology Policy & Standards Committees’ Enrollment Workgroup chaired by President Obama’s Chief Technology Officer at The White House. Public sector advisor to UiPath. Federal policy advisor and AI governance authority for NextGLab’s health-focused initiatives.
Rolando Pablos
111th Texas Secretary of State; CEO, Cross-National Advisory Partners
Appointed by Governor Greg Abbott as the 111th Secretary of State of Texas (January 2017 – December 2018), serving as chief elections officer and Texas’s primary representative for international business development and diplomatic relations. Previously served as CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, leading cross-border economic development across the El Paso–Juárez–Las Cruces megaregion. Currently CEO of Cross-National Advisory Partners, a consulting firm for international trade and investment helping businesses navigate cross-border expansion. Brings expertise in government relations, international business, and Texas policy landscape.
Dr. Sathyanarayanan Thirumalai
Healthcare Technology Advisor
Based in Round Rock, Dr. Thirumalai advises on integrating dental care and community health services with NextGLab’s broadband and technology infrastructure. He bridges healthcare delivery with technology deployment to expand community health impact, particularly through the BEADS training program. Accepted the advisory board appointment in partnership with Austin Community College and the George Gervin Youth Center initiative.
Dr. Habib Muhammad
Robotic Surgeon
Specialist in robotic surgery and clinical automation. Serves as the coalition’s clinical automation validation lead, providing expertise in OR workflow analysis, surgical materials management, and hospital operational automation. Advises on translating clinical automation strategy into practical implementation frameworks that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Dr. Ajayakumar Thankappan
Harvard GCSRT Fellow; Orthopedic Surgeon
A Harvard Global Clinical Scholars Research Training (GCSRT) Fellow and practicing orthopedic surgeon. Provides expertise in hospital design standards, patient care pathway optimization, and facility planning. Advises on forward-looking hospital automation strategies, clinical facility standards compliance, and the intersection of surgical care delivery with technology modernization. Leads hospital design and patient care roadmap development for NextGLab’s healthcare coalition projects.
Ikram Khan
Co-Founder, Health AI Institute; Founder, Medaxis
Co-Founder of the Health AI Institute alongside Gopal Khanna. Founder of Medaxis, a healthcare technology company. Brings deep expertise in healthcare AI innovation, rural health equity benchmarking, and AI-driven analytics for population health. Advises on responsible AI deployment in healthcare settings, ensuring rigor, transparency, and measurable community impact in NextGLab’s health-focused initiatives.
Hari Maralla
President, Nipun Systems Inc.
President of Nipun Systems, a $42M revenue systems integration and staffing firm with 20+ years in healthcare IT. Holds an active Texas DIR contract. Serves as the coalition’s implementation intelligence layer—translating strategic recommendations into implementation-ready specifications, vendor evaluation frameworks, and staffing-ready playbooks. Provides prime contractor accountability, financial capacity, and systems integration expertise for large-scale government technology engagements.
Tedd Shimp, PMP
Founder & Principal, TRS Planning
A seasoned project and program management professional with a career spanning nonprofit, startup, and enterprise environments. Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) who brings a pragmatic, people-centered approach to delivering complex initiatives. Particularly skilled at translating strategic vision into executable plans. As a veteran-owned business leader certified through the Texas Veteran Hub (VetHUB), Tedd brings discipline, accountability, and service-oriented leadership. Provides delivery architecture ensuring coalition strategy becomes actionable, sequenced, and accountable roadmaps. Supported mission-driven organizations including Strategic Resource Group and Feeding Louisiana.
Bella Rodriguez
Chief Marketing Officer (Pro Bono)
Leads marketing strategy, sponsorship outreach, media relations, and community engagement campaigns for NextGLab on a pro bono basis. Authored the Rebuild Central Texas sponsorship initiative and manages corporate partnership development including the $1B rebuild vision. Oversees all external communications, joint press releases, and fundraising collateral.
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Meet Our Volunteer Team
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