Bill Z. Tan, Founder and President

Bill Z. Tan is a visionary thinker and social entrepreneur. As Founder and President of LanguageMate, Bill leads a team of talented colleagues to address communication challenges in the fields of healthcare, social services and education. The team consists of specialists in public health, medicine, healthcare administration, cross-cultural communication, education, as well as information technology and interactive design. Bill is the Principal Investigator on more than a dozen Small Business Innovation Research grants awarded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. NIH support has enabled LanguageMate to pursue a sweeping vision—the creation of an array of cross-cultural communication tools that are technologically enabled, scientifically validated for effectiveness, and economically viable.

Bill received a bachelor’s degree from the Stern School of Business, New York University, where he was elected President of the Entrepreneur’s Club. He currently holds an appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and was named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 Rising Star in 2010.

Vijay Bachani, SVP of Finance & Operations

Vijay joined LanguageMate in the beginning of 2009 as Senior Vice President of Finance & Operations. As SVP, Vijay has oversight and responsibility for all financial functions and oversees all revenues, costs, and budgets. In addition, Vijay also has responsibility for setting the policy for the operations of the firm.

From a very young age, Vijay developed an interest and passion for entrepreneurship. He started his first business during his sophomore year in high school. After graduating from college, he wanted to gain professional experience and know-how in Corporate America and joined Arthur Andersen. After graduating with his MBA, Vijay decided to pursue his passion and joined a financial start-up as a Portfolio Manager.

Vijay earned his BS in Finance/International Business and his MBA at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Brian Engler, VP of Technology

As Vice President of Technology, Brian sets the technology strategy of LanguageMate, leading all development efforts and managing day-to-day technical operations. He is responsible for establishing the technology architecture and infrastructure for all LanguageMate products.

He previously served as Director of Application Development of Money-Media, a Financial Times Company, leading the technology team in growing and delivering financial news services to leading international financial institutions. Prior to that, Brian managed system and development teams as Director of Web Technology at Atkins Nutritionals. He was instrumental in the launch and expansion of a significant online information and e-commerce destination. Other engagements include projects for Vodafone, US State Department, and Nikon while at RightNow Technologies, an information sharing system for the United Nations Development Programmer.

Brian holds a degree from Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.

Amie Parikh, Director of Research and Partnership Development

As Director of Research and Partnership Development, Amie is responsible for the management of all activities involved in the evaluation of LanguageMate’s suite of tools designed to enhance communication and productivity throughout the health services continuum. Amie also leads the development of the diverse array of partnerships that enable the company to collaborate with innovative leaders in the field.

Amie joined LanguageMate in 2009, bringing extensive experience and knowledge in the social determinants of health, quality improvement, organizational development, and community-based research. She has previously worked with numerous non-profit and government organizations addressing health disparities and integrating cultural competence into healthcare programs. Amie received her Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto. She was awarded the Ted Tremain Award of Excellence from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for her leadership and commitment to addressing health disparities.

Brian Yarnell, Director of Product Management

Brian joined LanguageMate in 2010 as the Director of Product Management. In this role, Brian leads the effort to bring LanguageMate’s innovative technology to market. His team bridges the gap between business partners and internal research and development.

Brian brings more than ten years of experience creating products across a variety of industries including consumer package goods, business intelligence, interactive marketing and digital media. Working at several technology startups, he has delivered cutting-edge solutions to some of the most respected organizations in the world including Anheuser-Busch, Colgate Palmolive, Diageo, ConAgra, Abbot Labs, SAP, Michigan State University and many others.

Brian earned his BS in Marketing and International Business at the Pennsylvania State University.