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OUR LEADERSHIP  

Experience that understands higher education.

Technology decisions increasingly touch every part of the institution, from enrollment and student experience to cybersecurity, financial performance, operations, and long-term planning. The OculusIT leadership team brings experience across higher education and enterprise technology to become your strategic IT transformation partner.  

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP 

Leadership connected to the work.  

Our executive and delivery leaders work across strategy, client relationships, operations, and execution. That connection matters in higher education, where technology decisions must align with their mission and account for institutional priorities, available resources, governance, risk, and the day-to-day realities of running a college or university. 

Mark-Hipp

Mark Hipp

CEO and Board Member

Mark Hipp has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the global software and technology industry, spanning multiple markets and business models. He spent 28 years at Hewlett-Packard, where he held senior positions and ultimately served as Vice President and General Manager of HP Software. At OculusIT, he focuses on how the company partners with institutions to bring clarity to complex technology decisions and to build more resilient, secure environments that support their academic mission. Mark holds an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida and Emory University.
Abhijeet-Chimade

Abhijeet Chimade

Chief Operating Officer

Abhijeet has more than 20 years of experience leading global teams, driving operational excellence, growth, organizational strategy, sales transformation, and go-to-market execution across global technology and consulting organizations. At OculusIT, he is spearheading service delivery, accelerating business growth, optimizing operations, and helping higher education institutions achieve better outcomes through technology, data, and innovation. He holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Narender-Chenna-1

Narendar Chenna

Chief Financial Officer

With nearly 30 years of experience as a Chartered Accountant and financial strategist, Narendar has led large-scale transformations at regional and global companies. His experience spans billion-dollar capital management, global compliance, M&A integrations, and financial transitions for high-growth companies. At OculusIT, he is keenly focused on the value the company delivers to clients and ensuring a client-first approach across his team when working with institutions. Narendar holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce, with a focus on accountancy and finance, from the University of Mumbai.
Alfred-Binford

Alfred Binford

Chief Revenue Officer

Alfred has more than 30 years of experience leading large-scale transformations across IT outsourcing, SaaS, telecommunications, and education technology, including leadership roles at Pearson Education. With experience spanning both enterprise IT and higher education, Alfred brings a unique perspective grounded in real institutional challenges, drawn from nearly 20 years on the Board of Trustees and, for a time, as Board Chair of an independent college. Alfred holds an MBA in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the State University of New York at Old Westbury.
Jim-Tandon

Jim Tandon

SVP, Client Engagements

Jim has more than 10 years of experience at managed services and consulting companies, with a focus on creating future-ready technology operations for his clients. At OculusIT, he brings a customer-first approach to every relationship, building trust that advances the academic mission of the institutions he supports. Operationally, he focuses on developing high-performing teams, expanding strategic partnerships, and ensuring that growth translates into meaningful client outcomes. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Delhi University.
Thomas-Danford

Thomas Danford

Vice President, US Delivery

Thomas has more than 25 years of C-suite leadership and teaching experience in higher education and with technology companies. He has designed and managed large-scale academic, administrative, infrastructure, security, and research technologies with a focus on delivering superior experiences for students, faculty, and staff. At OculusIT, Thomas excels in helping clients with strategic planning, organizational development, IT governance, and compliance. Thomas holds a JD from Ohio Northern University’s Claude W. Pettit College of Law, an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Dayton.
Navaneethan-Ramaswamy

Naveen Ramaswamy

Vice President, India Delivery

Naveen has more than 25 years of experience in global IT services and product management in the technology industry. He brings extensive expertise in application and infrastructure services across on-premises and cloud environments and has, throughout his career, led complex, multi-year transformation programs. At OculusIT, he leads all aspects of the company’s India delivery operations, serving as the backbone of the company’s global delivery engine across Strategic IT Outsourcing and Managed Services engagements. Naveen holds a Master of Computer Applications from the University of Madras and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Prasun-Maharatna-1

Prasun Maharatna

Senior Director, Human Resource

 Prasun has more than 25 years of global human resources leadership experience across North America, LATAM, Europe, and APAC, working for regional and global technology companies. At OculusIT, he leverages his deep expertise in talent management and HR operations to transform the company’s people function into performance engines that align directly with the institutional missions of the clients OculusIT serves. A Cornell-certified HR director, he also holds a master’s degree in human resources development and management from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and a bachelor’s degree in engineering and technology from Jadavpur University.
Perley Dexter

Perley Dexter

Director of IT, CISO

Perley has 30 years of experience leading technology and security teams in complex environments, including 19 years in Higher Education. At OculusIT, he transitioned from working as a CIO and CISO for our clients to developing and managing the company’s technical infrastructure. His prior work in higher education gives him a unique perspective that enables him to align our technical roadmap directly with the missions of the institutions the company serves. Perley holds associate degrees in computer engineering and automotive technology from Vermont Technical College and is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Experience across education and technology. 

OculusIT’s Board of Directors brings a unique mix of educational operator and technology leadership experience. That perspective enables them to guide OculustIT in supporting leading colleges and universities in transforming and managing the technology they rely on every day. 

Shoshana-Vernick-1

Shoshana M. Vernick

Board Member

 Shoshana has more than 20 years of experience in investing and education. She is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Avathon Capital, a private equity firm she launched in 2016, with a deep commitment to its mission of building enduring, strategically relevant companies across the education and workforce sectors. As a board member at OculusIT, she brings deep sector knowledge and a hands-on approach to working with the OculusIT leadership team, leveraging Avathon’s reach across early childhood education, K-12, higher education, and adult learning to the advantage of OculusIT clients. Shoshana holds a bachelor's degree with honors in accounting, finance, and international business from Indiana University.
Paul-Skordilis-1

Paul Skordilis

Board Member

Paul has more than 30 years of experience leading high-growth companies across professional learning, SaaS, application software, tech-enabled services, and education technology. With a global management background spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Paul brings his expertise in driving organizational transformation, growth, and operational excellence to the OculusIT management team, supporting their mission to transform the technology that colleges and universities rely on every day. Paul studied finance and accounting at DePaul University.
Mark-Hipp

Mark Hipp

CEO and Board Member

Mark Hipp has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the global software and technology industry, spanning multiple markets and business models. He spent 28 years at Hewlett-Packard, where he held senior positions and ultimately served as Vice President and General Manager of HP Software. At OculusIT, he focuses on how the company partners with institutions to bring clarity to complex technology decisions and to build more resilient, secure environments that support their academic mission. Mark holds an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida and Emory University.
Nishaad-Balachandran-1

Nishaad Balachandran

Board Member

Nishaad has more than 10 years of venture capital and board experience, with a focus on companies that support higher education institutions and their academic missions. Growing up around the world, he saw firsthand the impact education had in unlocking human potential and transforming lives, which guides how he engages with portfolio companies as a Principal at Avathon. At OculusIT, he helps the leadership team evaluate their strategic alternatives and identify ways to grow the company’s reach and impact. Nishaad holds an honors bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in international business, from Saint Louis University.

The Avathon Advantage 

An investment in education, and in what comes next. 

OculusIT is part of the Avathon portfolio, a family of education-focused companies that serve educational institutions, learners, and the communities around them. The Avathon team is former education operators who know the realities of higher education and focus on improving the outcomes of their clients and students 

That focus is an important fit for OculusIT. It brings the perspective of an organization that understands the pressures education leaders face and is committed to investing in businesses that serve the education market over the long term. 

With Avathon’s support, OculusIT is continuing to invest in the people, services, and capabilities that help institutions modernize technology, improve resilience, gain clearer visibility across systems and operations, and stay focused on their academic mission. 

Learn More About Avathon https://avathoncapital.com/2025-avathon-advantage-report/