Our Mentors
Karl Schaefer
Technology Academic Leader, Durham Academy;
Lead Learner STEAM by Design
Karl Schaefer views his life as “a long, circular path,” from childhood on a farm in Wisconsin to home now on a 10-acre farm in Efland. Along the way he has been a railroad worker in the Midwest, dipped ice cream in Massachusetts and sold Toyotas in Kansas before finding his way to North Carolina as a teacher. He has been teaching for over 30 years and is currently the digital learning coordinator and academic leader for technology at Durham Academy.
He has mentored and supported countless students in his career and his particular focus is on ideation and concepts. He can support mentees in early-stage ideas and help find resources and information.
Nimesh Patel is a highly accomplished Director of Software Development with over 25 years of experience leading innovation and product development in various domains such as Healthcare, Education, Telecom, and Banking. With an MBA and a BS in Computer Science and Electronics & Telecomm, Nimesh has held leadership positions in prominent organizations like Optum/UnitedHealth Group, Allscripts, Duke University Medical Center, and Fortune 500 companies like Apple and AT&T. He is certified in PMP, Pragmatic Marketing, and Six Sigma (Yellow Belt) and has led the development of various products and services, supporting core EHR products and clinical trials portfolios.
Nimesh Patel
Franchise Owner at The UPS Store; Director of Software Development, Optum
Guy DeCarlucci
General Counsel, Private Diagnostic Clinic LLC.
Guy DeCarlucci is an attorney and certified public accountant. He has practiced law for twenty years and has been a licensed public accountant for over twenty years. He is a graduate of Penn State (undergraduate) and Duke Law School. He has advised clients on business and legal matters primarily in the health care industry. He co-founded a medical billing company, which was later sold to a medical billing company consolidator. Before obtaining his degrees, he served on active duty in the Army and attended officer candidate school.
Resha Chandak is an MBA candidate at Chicago Booth and a Forté Fellow. With a strong finance background, she has excelled in roles at Bank of America, including Assistant Vice President in the Special Assets Group. Resha’s expertise in portfolio management and risk analysis has made her an invaluable asset. She has also demonstrated leadership as a teaching assistant and gained diverse experience through internships and global immersion programs. Resha’s dedication to research and promoting gender equality in entrepreneurship showcases her commitment to making a meaningful impact in the business world.
Resha Chandak
MBA Candidate, Chicago Booth; Forté Fellow
Jerel Bonner
Evidence Based Behavioral Change Coach; Principal Consultant, Corralling Chaos
Mr. Jerel Bonner is the author of “Sharpening China’s Talent” and a TEDx speaker. He is a ‘human behavior awareness’ consultant, advising and coaching senior level executives. Mr Bonner has a keen eye for observing human behavior patterns, and a solid foundation of how those actions impress those they are working with. He helps others confront reality, so that they can learn how to reach their full potential.
Aishani Patel is an undergraduate Biology student at UNC Chapel Hill, pursuing minors in Chemistry and Medical Spanish. She has hands-on experience in dermatology through internships at Lotus Dermatology. In her professional career, Aishani is a Sales Associate and Notary at The UPS Store. Her responsibilities include managing shipping, customer service, administrative tasks, and document verification to ensure legal compliance and client satisfaction. Aishani also serves as a Brand Ambassador for ATAMartial Arts, creating content and fostering community relationships and serves as a lead instructor at Vision Martial Arts.
Aishani Patel
Social Media Ambassador; Biology Student
Liliana Simón
Spanish Teacher at Durham Academy, AP Spanish Language & Culture Reader, AAPPL liaison
Liliana Simón is a Spanish native speaker born and raised in Lima, Peru. She graduated from the prestigious Instituto Pedagógico Nacional de Monterrico in Lima with the title of Teacher of English as a Foreign Language. She also has a master’s degree from the Department of Romance Languages of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Liliana has a total of 26 years of experience teaching, 21 of them in a private school.
Ever since she taught English in Peru first and then Spanish in the United States, her goal has been to make her students curious about the language she is teaching: To make them hungry to learn more, to understand other cultures, to want to visit, explore, and empathize with others.
Amanda Nelli, MD, is the lead postdoctoral researcher in the PROMIS Lab. Dr. Nelli is pursuing mentored research and scholarly training in pain medicine and opioid mitigation. Dr. Nelli conducted Industry research in Chicago before coming to Duke to work at the PROMIS Lab. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of North Carolina.
Amanda Nelli
Postdoctoral Researcher at Duke; MBA student at UNC
Peer Mentors
Atlas Lad
Student, Durham Academy; Founder and President, LAD Publishing LLC
Atlas, a Durham Academy high school student and community leader, is the Founder and President of LAD Publishing LLC. Alongside his brothers, he created the award-winning Space Monkey series of children’s books, which educates children about the solar system. Atlas also served as a mentor and Research Associate for Ever Scouts, a tech-education start-up teaching life skills. As a Certified Personal Trainer and dedicated discus and shot put athlete, he is currently developing a new entrepreneurial venture. Atlas is eager to collaborate with the U-Launch team to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in more students this summer.
Adithi is currently a senior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham. She is a co-founder at BioWear, a sustainable fashion brand focused on creating clothing from agricultural waste. BioWear began as a project for the Conrad Challenge and since then the BioWear team has competed in many young entrepreneurship competitions including U-Launch in Fall 2023. Adithi was inspired to become a peer mentor and give back to the U-Launch community after her wonderful experience at the competition. Outside of BioWear, Adithi is passionate about food insecurity and runs a nonprofit called Produce Rescue.
Adithi Radhakrishnan
Student, NCSSM; Founder, BioWear & Produce Rescue
