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KATIE KAPLER, CEO & Co-founder

Katie Kapler is the CEO and co-founder of CourseHorse, the leading marketplace that helps people discover and enroll in trusted local classes, which she launched in 2010. Named one of Forbes' “Top 100 Promising Companies in America,” CourseHorse works with more than 1,500 class providers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, offering 70,000 classes to 200,000 members. She is based in the company’s headquarters in downtown Manhattan.

A sought-after thought leader in the continuing-education and start-up communities, Katie has been featured in the Chicago TribuneBusiness InsiderForbesTechCrunchCrain’s New York Business, and The Next Web. Prior to CourseHorse, in 2007, Katie joined the founding team for Biz2Credit, an online marketplace for small-business funding, which has generated $1.2 billion for thousands of U.S. companies. During her three-year tenure as Director of Online Strategy, she established the user experience, spearheaded all marketing and partnership efforts, and hired and managed the development team.

Katie holds a B.S. in economics and journalism from New York University, graduating magna cum laude. She lives in the East Village and spends her time running along the East River, accompanying her dog, Ollie, to the park, and fully utilizing her job’s perks by taking every class known to mankind, within a 10-mile radius.

Follow Katie on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Favorite quote: "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." -- Thomas Jefferson

Favorite class categories:  SewingPotteryCalligraphyFloral DesignCarpentryBYOB Painting

Parallel-universe occupation: Detective


NIHAL PARTHASARATHI, Co-founder & Board Member

Nihal Parthasarathi, Co-founder and current board member of CourseHorse, served as the company's CEO for the first six years of its existenceIn late 2017, Nihal took a step back from CourseHorse to pursue a spiritual calling that had awakened in his heart. Between traveling holy sites in India or meditating on an ashram in Portugal, he continues to actively support CourseHorse as an advisor and board member. Named one of Forbes' “Top 100 Promising Companies in America” in 2014, CourseHorse works with more than 1,500 class providers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, offering 70,000 classes to 200,000 members. Responsible for the company’s fundraising, business development, and school-relationship management, he is based in its headquarters in downtown Manhattan.

A self-proclaimed “bootstrapper at heart,” Nihal has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, TechCrunch, Crain’s New York Business, and The Next Web. Prior to CourseHorse, he served as an education-technology consultant for Capgemini, one of the world's largest professional-services companies with 180,000 employees in over 40 countries, where he whet his appetite for disruptive innovation. During his two-year tenure, he collaborated with C-suite executives at a major test-prep provider to redefine digital strategy, redesign the website, and replace legacy technology with a learning-management system. Upon realizing his potential to revolutionize online education, Nihal left his consultancy position to launch CourseHorse, where he proudly has served in every role at his company, including sales, marketing, product development, and customer service.

Nihal holds a B.S. in finance and marketing from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He lives in Manhattan and spends his time playing games of all kinds, visiting the latest specialty-cocktail speakeasy, and sitting silently in meditation.

Follow Nihal on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Favorite quote: “If not now, then never.” -- Anonymous

Favorite class categories: Photography Workshops, Woodworking Classes, Print Making, Welding

Parallel-universe occupation: Life Coach

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