About Learnvia

Learnvia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2025 with significant institutional and philanthropic support.

Who We Are

Learnvia was founded in 2025 in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and with generous support from the Gates Foundation. CMU’s global leadership in learning science, cognitive science, AI, and human-computer interaction provides a strong foundation for Learnvia’s mission and ongoing development.

Our Mission

Learnvia is a nonprofit academic publisher dedicated to transforming student success in higher education. We believe that great teaching combined with great courseware gives students the best chance for success.

Great teaching draws on evidence-based practices—facilitating active learning, supporting metacognition, and fostering a sense of belonging. The term courseware—a blend of “course” and “software”—reflects how instructional materials once found in textbooks, homework exercises, and solution manuals have evolved into integrated, interactive digital tools that connect teaching and learning in new ways.

Our mission is to design, test, and continually improve evidence-based courseware that is free to students, supporting faculty in their teaching and helping all learners succeed in critical gateway courses. At Learnvia, technology and teaching amplify one another—rooted in research, collaboration, and a shared commitment to equitable student success.

What We Do

Learnvia develops next-generation courseware that integrates lessons, homework, quizzes, a discussion forum, and an AI tutor into a single, structured digital learning environment. We design both the platform and the content so that these elements work together as a coherent whole, not just as separate tools. Grounded in principles from cognitive science, learning science, and human-computer interaction, our courseware supports faculty-led teaching and strengthens student persistence in mathematics and other high-enrollment subjects. Our initial focus is math gateway courses, offered free to students.

How We Are Organized

Learnvia is structured as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with CMU, ensuring our focus stays on students, faculty, and institutions rather than shareholders. The organization brings together expertise in education, research, and technology innovation, guided by a board that includes representatives from both CMU and the Gates Foundation.

Our Team

Learnvia is led by experienced educators, researchers, and educational technologists. The team works closely with faculty collaborators and national advisors to ensure the courseware is shaped by both research evidence and real classroom practice.

Norman Bier

Executive Director

BA, English and Philosophy, Indiana
University of Pennsylvania

Norman Bier is Director of the Open Learning Initiative and Executive Director of the Simon Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University. With over 20 years in education and edtech, he has led large-scale courseware development, secured $14M in research funding, and advanced open education through projects like the OpenSimon Toolkit.

Bailey Miller

Chief Technology Officer 

MS, PhD, Computer Science, University of California Riverside

Bailey Miller is Learnvia’s CTO, leading engineering strategy and development. He previously served as Sr. Director of Engineering at Wiley and zyBooks, where he built scalable educational technologies.

Chris Chan

Director – Content Development 

MA, Mathematics, San Francisco State University

Christopher Chan directs Learnvia’s content development, creating math courseware that improves student learning and long-term success. He also teaches mathematics and statistics at Austin Community College.

Anita Delahay

Director – Research & Development

PhD, Psychology,
Carnegie Mellon University

Anita Delahay is a learning scientist focused on how instructional design drives student success in digital learning. She has led research and development at organizations like Argos Education and Laureate, building innovative solutions to improve outcomes for diverse learners.

Dayyan Sission

Engineer

BS, Computer Science,
UC San Diego 

Dayyan Sission is a developer specializing in interactive learning systems, with experience in frontend development, UI/UX, and machine learning. He previously co-founded Apex Design and worked as a Machine Learning Engineer at Advanced Space.

Alex Edgecomb

PhD, Computer Science,
UC Riverside

PhD, Psychology,
Carnegie Mellon University

Alex Edgecomb is a Principal Software Engineer with expertise in pedagogical tools and courseware platforms. At zyBooks, he led development of interactive STEM tools and authored 40+ research publications, including multiple award-winning papers.

Tyler Hanf

Principal Engineer

BS, Computer Science, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tyler Hanf is a software engineer with experience in systems engineering and spacecraft software at Advanced Space. He brings this technical expertise to developing innovative solutions in EdTech at Learnvia.

Brian Rojas

Principal Engineer

BS, Computer Science and Engineering, UC San Diego

Brian Rojas is a systems and software engineer with over a decade of experience in backend development, DevOps, and full-stack delivery. He co-founded a consultancy serving clients like zyBooks and UC San Diego, building scalable education technologies.

Lizbeth Areizaga

Content Tech Generalist

BS, Computer Science,
UC Riverside

Lizbeth Areizaga supports content technology development and authoring at Learnvia. She has research experience in computer science education and has presented published work at the ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.

Archisha Datta

Content Tech Generalist

MS, Computer Science, University of Southern California

Archisha Datta develops content technology for Learnvia, coding animations, creating randomized homework, and supporting courseware delivery.

Kelly Montgomery

Author Trainer

BA, Mathematics,
University of Hawaii

Kelly Montgomery trains courseware authors to ensure consistent pedagogy and style across STEM content. With over 8 years in courseware at Macmillan and zyBooks, she now also serves as interim Project Manager supporting task tracking and team coordination.

Kathryn Stewart

Content Author

PhD, Case Western Reserve University

Kathryn Stewart is a content author with over a decade of teaching experience in higher education. Before Learnvia, she was a teaching professor in mathematics at Penn State and has taught at the University of Florida and Math Corps Cleveland.

Kevin Diggs

Finance Manager

BS, Accounting and Business Management, George Mason University; MS, Accounting, University of Maryland 

Kevin Diggs manages budgeting, planning, and compliance as Learnvia’s Finance Manager. With nearly a decade at Georgetown University, he brings expertise in building efficient financial systems and aligning strategy with institutional goals.

Michael Huang

Executive Assistant

BS, Film and Video Production, Middle Tennessee State University

Michael Huang is Learnvia’s Executive Assistant with over 5 years of administrative experience. He specializes in travel planning, event coordination, expense management, and procurement.

Funding and Sustainability

Learnvia’s work is funded by the Gates Foundation, supporting courseware development, technology infrastructure, and ongoing research.

Our Partners

Learnvia collaborates with leading partners in technology, curriculum, and research to design, test, and continuously improve its courseware—ensuring it is innovative, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of faculty and students.

Looking Ahead

Learnvia launched its first pilot program in Fall 2025 with Calculus I, followed by additional gateway math courses, including Calculus II, Precalculus, and Quantitative Reasoning. Over time, Learnvia will expand into other high-enrollment, high-attrition gateway courses while continually refining its platform based on faculty and studentfeedback and research findings.