Inspiring Future Tech Leaders Through a Unique Partnership, with Michele Curtis, Fiserv, and Ehab Jaleel, Amana Academy
On this episode of GNFCC 400 Insider, host Kali Boatwright highlights a special collaboration between Fiserv, a leader in financial services technology worldwide, and Amana Academy, a charter school in Alpharetta that specializes in STEAM education for fifth through eighth graders. Guests Michele Curtis, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Fiserv, and Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director of Amana Academy, discuss the inception and objectives of the Future Techies program, its impact on students and the local community, expectations from the students, and the broader implications for talent development and workforce readiness in North Fulton. Michele and Ehab also share insights into the program’s development, hands-on learning experiences, and the crucial role of industry-education partnerships in fostering the next generation of FinTech leaders.
The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
Michele Curtis, Fiserv, Inc.
As Vice President of Corporate Communications at Fiserv, Michele leads strategic communications programs that drive associate engagement, brand strategy and corporate culture. With more than 20 years of corporate communications experience, Michele currently serves as the executive director of Future Techies, an afterschool STEAM program conducted in partnership with Amana Academy.
Prior to joining Fiserv in 2018, Michele served as Director of Global Corporate Communications at Verifone, where she led executive and internal communications, public relations, mergers and acquisitions, change management, message development, brand building and crisis communications. She has also held a variety of roles, managing global, national and regional brands such as The Home Depot, Macy’s and a range of B-to-B and retail clients.
Michele holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and English literature from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Alpharetta, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, the International Association of Business Communicators, PayTech Women, and the Technology Association of Georgia.
Fiserv, Inc.
Fiserv, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover® cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and has been recognized as one of Fortune® World’s Most Admired Companies™ for nine of the last 10 years.
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Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director, Amana Academy Charter Schools
Ehab Jaleel has a zeal for pursuing innovation and mobilizing new ventures with an eye toward making a difference in his community and the world. He aspires to be a “weaver”—building community connections and weaving a rich social fabric.
A graduate of the Leadership Atlanta class of 2016, Ehab is a corporate professional turned nonprofit leader/educator. He is Executive Director of Amana Academy Charter Schools, an emerging network of metro-Atlanta public schools. He co-founded Amana’s flagship school in 2005 in Alpharetta, GA, a STEM-themed EL Education credentialed Title-1 school that is among the highest performing schools in Georgia. Amana’s first replica school is in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta at their Camp Timber Ridge.
Ehab’s education and community focus extends to a number of organizations, including the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce’s Tech400 Committee, the Advisory Council for North Fulton Community Charities, as a board member of the Atlanta International Night Market, and as a Regional Director for the Georgia Tech President Scholars Selection Committee. He led the governance committee on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Charter Schools Association, and he served as a board member at U-Beyond, a youth mentorship & professional development organization.
In 2014 Ehab was included in the list of Georgia’s 100 Most Influential Muslims; and in 2015, The Alif Institute recognized him with the Arab American High Achiever award.
Born in Jordan, Ehab immigrated to the United States at the age of six and resided in Albany, NY, until his family moved to Florida’s Tampa Bay area. He has also lived in Louisville, KY while working for General Electric, but most of his adult life has been in metro Atlanta, where he earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and where he worked at The Coca-Cola Company’s headquarters in operational marketing and innovation roles for fifteen years.
Ehab resides in Milton, Georgia, with his wife, Lara ‘Lemiya’ Alexander. They have three adult daughters, the eldest an equestrian, the second a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, and the youngest attending his alma mater studying Environmental Public Policy and minoring in Japanese. He is a foodie who enjoys global travel, fitness, outdoor adventure, and following Formula 1 racing.
Amana Academy Charter Schools
Amana Academy is a K–8 tuition-free public charter school open to all students who are eligible to attend Fulton County Schools.
The Georgia Department of Education and the Fulton County Schools system approved the establishment of Amana Academy’s Alpharetta campus in 2005. Amana is now one of Georgia’s most well-regarded charter schools.
Amana chose the Harvard-based EL Education (Expeditionary Learning) model* because of its equal emphasis on academic achievement and character education. With high standardized test scores, an integrated STEM curriculum, a focus on stewardship and ethical character, and Arabic world-language instruction across all grade levels, Amana is a success story in the world of whole-child education.
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Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Welcome to GNFCC 400 Insider: Fostering STEAM Education and Future Tech Leaders
01:00 Exploring the FISERV and Amana Academy Partnership
01:31 Guest Backgrounds and Program Involvement
03:30 Understanding FinTech and Its Importance
07:04 The Future Techies Program: A Deep Dive
11:49 Impact and Aspirations: Building Future Leaders
23:42 Expanding the Talent Pipeline: A Community Effort
27:27 Closing Thoughts and How to Learn More
About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider
The GNFCC 400 Insider is sponsored by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), and the host of the show is Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC.
The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1,400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth, and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.
As a five-star accredited chamber, GNFCC’s vision is to be the premier organization driving member and community success across the region, and they are dedicated to pursuing this vision based on the guiding principles of advocacy, inclusivity, and operational excellence.
GNFCC promotes the interests of their members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play, and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.
For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events, follow this link.
