At CoLab, we share a fundamental belief
We empower educators everywhere with democratized resources to do what they do best.
We enable schools and individuals to focus on the joy of teaching and learning, to continuously improve the experience for students, and to build thriving educational communities for all.
We do this through innovative technology and professional services rooted in our deep understanding of the educational landscape.
Meet the Team
CoLab Education is a passionate team dedicated to building a world-class platform for educators. We are led by our CEO and Founder, Ariella Racco, with Kevin Birch, CTO, and Jaclyn Collins, Head of UX Design, at the helm of our product development. Our team is further strengthened by a talented group of full-time and part-time in-house engineers, mentors, advisors, interns and partners who share our vision.
Together, we are committed to building a vibrant community where educators can connect, collaborate, and thrive.
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Ariella Racco boasts over 6 years of experience as an educator across diverse school settings, including International, IB World, Round Square, and public schools in Canada and Spain. She has worked at some of the top schools in Canada including Appleby College and The York School.
Beyond the classroom, she is a passionate social entrepreneur who founded Pup + Pine, a successful e-commerce business supporting dog rescues along with other mission-driven groups and initiatives.
Ariella is known for her focus on community engagement, product development, and marketing strategy with a keen understanding of the educational landscape. She is committed to reshaping it by nurturing collaborative professional learning spaces that will empower educators and improve education for all.
Advisors & Mentors
Interns
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Kevin joins the CoLab team with over 20 years of experience developing and managing complex software and integration projects across numerous verticals including entertainment, travel and leisure, healthcare, education, and financial services. For the majority of his career, Kevin has focused on startup initiatives, from establishing new product lines and development teams within existing organizations to building entirely new technology companies from the ground up including 4 of his own.
Kevin began his career in technology at the Toronto General Hospital, quickly moving into a senior management position where he ran a multi-million dollar data integration services division. Continuing to focus on web and server-side development initiatives, over the last 15 years Kevin has also pursued a strong interest in mobile technology and has created applications for leading brands such as Warner Bros, Activision, Lions Gate, and Atari. Kevin recently held the position of Director of Mobile Applications at Kobo Inc., overseeing development of all mobile e-reading initiatives with an installed user base of 15+ million.
Educator, CEO & Founder
Chief Technology Officer
Head of UX Design
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Jaclyn Collins is a seasoned product designer and senior project manager with extensive experience and expertise in the retail, beauty, and beverage industries. As managing director within an established major private label manufacturing company for over 15 years, Jaclyn spearheaded the development of several highly successful lines of business to achieve an impressive 4x growth in revenue within her division. Jaclyn has designed, sourced, and managed the production of beauty accessories and bags for leading brands and retailers including Shoppers Drug Mart, Hudson's Bay, Sephora, Too Faced, Rare Beauty, Shiseido, and many more.
While still maintaining an ongoing presence in the beauty industry, Jaclyn has recently shifted more focus towards the design and development of web and mobile software applications. Over the past 5 years she has been a driving force in the successful development and release of numerous software initiatives spanning diverse verticals, translating her extensive product design and team management experience from the hard goods sector into the realm of electronic products and applications.
