Management Team
Red Llama's experienced management team has over 60 years of combined experience in software, start-ups, simulation, training, education, human computer interaction, and medical simulator validation.
Steve Samuelson - Chief Executive Officer
Steve has 29 years of experience in the Information Systems industry. Most of his IBM career was in sales and sales management working with very large accounts. He has an extensive background with large systems, software, networking, complex business deals and channel management. He was the IBM Branch Manager in both Rochester, NY and Seattle as well as the Asst. General Manger for IBM in the Pacific Northwest before taking early retirement from IBM in 1992.
Since leaving IBM Steve has started three companies. He was the co-founder, President and CEO of a start-up on-line PC services business that delivered large-scale PC network management tools and techniques to small, midrange and large business as a service.
Since leaving IBM Steve has started three companies. He was the co-founder, President and CEO of a start-up on-line PC services business that delivered large-scale PC network management tools and techniques to small, midrange and large business as a service.
Peter Gruenbaum, PhD - President & Chief Software Architect
Co-founder of Red Llama and has worked on a variety of user-centric technologies. He has created applications for the Tablet PC, as well as written articles and documentation for Microsoft on the subject. At Boeing's computer research and technology organization, he was involved in Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, 3D graphics visualization, and computer-aided design. At Curl Corporation, he worked with technology to make the Web more interactive. He has spear-headed the Red Llama Technology Group's work in teaching classes to low-income youth involving cutting edge technology at Seattle's Yesler Community Center. He received his PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University.
Robert Sweet, MD - Chief Medical Officer
Co-founder of Red Llama and an Assistant Professor of Urologic Surgery and the Clinical Director for Simulation Programs for the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota. He has served as Co-Director and Chair of the Technical Advisory Board for the Institute for Surgical and Interventional Simulation (ISIS) at the University of Washington Medical Center. He graduated alpha omega alpha from his medical school at the University of Minnesota. He did surgical and urology residency at the University of Washington. As a resident, he also served as a principal investigator at the Human Interface Technology Laboratory in the development and validation of a virtual reality model to train transurethral surgery and the use of virtual reality as an adjunctive anesthesia during local procedures.
Dr. Sweet has served as a member of the American Urological Association Committee on Surgical Simulation and has served two years as an American Foundation for Urological Diseases Health Policy Scholar where he further developed his skills in the development, validation and implementation of procedural simulators. He also currently serves on the planning committee for the ACGME conference Medicine Meets Virtual Reality (MMVR). He has given over 50 presentations and has numerous publications in the area of medical simulation and with the other founding members of Red Llama conceptualized and is validating the SimPraxis simulation engine.
Dr. Sweet has served as a member of the American Urological Association Committee on Surgical Simulation and has served two years as an American Foundation for Urological Diseases Health Policy Scholar where he further developed his skills in the development, validation and implementation of procedural simulators. He also currently serves on the planning committee for the ACGME conference Medicine Meets Virtual Reality (MMVR). He has given over 50 presentations and has numerous publications in the area of medical simulation and with the other founding members of Red Llama conceptualized and is validating the SimPraxis simulation engine.
David Robison, MLIS - Chief Operations Officer
Co-founder of Red Llama and has been working in corporate communications and training for over 10 years in a variety of media including Web, video, and print. His clients have included: Intel, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Nikkei BP, H & R Block, CBS Television, Holland America Line, and Providence Health Systems. His 3D animation for Intel explaining how the Internet works won a Gold Medal award at the New York Festivals and was nominated for a Silver Cindy award. David has developed course curricula and taught classes for the Library at the University of California, Berkeley, UC Berkeley Extension, The University of Washington and UW Extension. His specialty in training is making technical topics accessible to non-technical audiences. He received his BA with honors from the University of Chicago and his Masters of Library and Information Sciences from UC Berkeley. David was also the co-author of NorthWestNet's Internet Passport (5th ed., Prentice Hall) and the founding editor of and contributor to Current Cites.
Chris Airola - Chief Technology Officer
Co-founder of Red Llama and received a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University specializing in Surgical Simulation. He was CTO and co-founder of Static Factory Media, a creative services and web software development company in Seattle, WA, USA. He was integral in securing first and second round Angel funding for the company. He architected Static Factory's network and technology infrastructure from the ground up, while creating custom solutions for each of its clients. Static Factory Media continues to thrive with Chris serving as a Board Member. He worked at the University of Washington Human Interface Technology Lab as a Research Engineer, where he developed and managed projects involving surgery simulators, wearable computers, driving simulators, interactive home networks, and 8 channel audio systems. He has exhibited some of his multi-modal interactive art installations in the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York City, NY), Burningman, the Bellevue Art Museum (Bellevue, WA), Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle, WA), the University of Washington, and around Seattle.