jruzevick

Wheelchair Design for Developing Countries

Small Business Team

Biography Page

Useful Links:

Mentor: Damien Acheson

Damien Acheson’s interests cover a broad range of disciplines, from interactive marketing and communications, to entrepreneurship and international development. Prior to business school, he directed international public relations campaigns promoting trade and investment opportunities in emerging markets. Damien is a former Sales and Marketing Director of an online software distribution company in London. He is also the author of articles on international development, information technology and ecommerce. Damien holds a Masters in Economics and Finance from the Paris School of Political Sciences and is currently pursuing an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Sasha Brophy

Hi, my name is Sasha Brophy and I'm a senior at MIT. I'm majoring in Bioengineering, and have taken extra classes in mechanical engineering and management. I am very interested in our project's merge of microeconomics and product design for third world nations. In the quest to make a difference in the world, I think wheelchair design is a great step towards helping those who need the most assistance. I love to swim, travel, dance, eat, and laugh.

Forrest Funnell

Hi. My name is Forrest and am currently a third year student at MIT. I grew up in Palos Verdes, California, which is a small city out side of Los Angeles. I enjoy bicycling, skiing, surfing, reading, traveling, and playing music. At MIT, I study physics and management science, and I also play on the varsity water polo team. I live in a fraternity, Delta Upsilon, and enjoy being able to live in a house with all my friends. I am excited to be working with the small business group in the WDDC class and hope to produce some noticeable and lasting results.

Jacob Ruzevick

My name is Jacob Ruzevick and I am a third year undergraduate student at MIT. I am majoring in Brain & Cognitive Sciences and hope to someday attend medical school. I grew up in Coronado, CA – a small beach town just off the coast of San Diego. I am a member of Phi Kappa Theta, a fraternity at MIT. Also, I am a captain of the MIT varsity cross-country team and also a captain of the MIT varsity indoor & outdoor track team. Other interests include going to the beach, intramural sports, and spending time with friends and family. I am very excited to be working with the talented individuals on the Microfinance/Small business team and my hope is to create a gadget that can have a positive change in the lives of individuals in wheelchairs around the world.

Maria Telleria

I am a senior in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Management. My main interest is product design, specifically how we can create products that are sustainable in developing countries. Growing up in Mexico I have seen first-hand how a product is only truly successful if it takes into account the needs of the end user and considers how it can be sustained within the community it is serving. I see this class as an opportunity to really explore the challenges of designing for developing countries, and hopefully to create something that will really help the people who need it most.

April Wachtel
Education:
BA in Psychology, Boston University, 2004
Industrial Design student, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Interests/Goals:
All things design, doing Master's work abroad while becoming fluent in
Spanish, making a real difference in the world, traveling, always learning,
dance, violin, rock climbing, happiness, dessert.

biographypage