About Us

Divon Academy is a leader in soft skills training for students and young professionals.
We help young people develop skills that technology has disrupted, Covid has stunted, and remote work prevents learning on the job at a time when they’re needed most.
Divon Academy is a leader in essential skills training for students and young professionals in the 0-5 entry level bracket.
Meet our Founder

Elan is a Harvard-trained author, speaker, and trailblazer in the field of personal and professional development. His passion: helping students and young people integrate into the workforce, unlock their potential, and accelerate their careers. Elan has been lauded for his work by influencers such as NBA Board Chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Wellness Guru Deepak Chopra, and works with groups ranging from high school and university students, to young professionals, parents, and CEO’s... Learn About Elan’s Story >
Elan’s Story
After graduating from Harvard with a second Masters in 2007, I thought finding a job would be easy. I had the academic pedigree, decent work experience and a strong social network. But I couldn’t land a job and it took me a year of unemployment before I did.
What I realized was this. University hadn’t prepared me for the workforce. I had knowledge and degrees, but I didn’t have the skills and the mindset. I was clueless. And it took me 10 years of developing these skills the hard way to understand what it takes to succeed professionally and have impact. (Launching a social venture on NASDAQ in 2017 provided some vindication).
I therefore founded Divon Academy to help answer a problem affecting young people but also the companies and organizations they serve: Helping young talent bridge the gap between school and the workforce; youth and full-fledged adulthood, by developing essential skills that help them thrive, unlock their potential, and be workforce ready.
At a time when technology has rendered rites of passage obsolete, I see our work as a means of “initiating” young people into the uncertain and fast changing world they are entering. And this is exactly what makes us different. We are not just another “training company”. We are a company focused on developing young people both personally and professionally at a time of major life transition, so they can handle the curve balls, build the skills, and add value to the companies and communities they serve.
The DA Team & Executive Advisory Board
Karen F. Salama
Chief Operating Officer
Karen is an accomplished builder and strategist with a passion for education and innovation…
Jofi Baldrich
Chief Business Development Officer & VP Training
Jofi Baldrich is a highly respected executive coach, instructor and business leader…
Anza Riaz
Office Manager & Exec Assistant
the Science of Learning
Lori Tauber Marcus
Founder, Courtyard Connections, LLC
Ms. Marcus serves as an independent board director for several companies: Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc. (NYSE: FDP)…
Marty Pompadur
Media Industry Executive & Former EVP of News Corporation
Mr. Pompadur joins Divon Academy’s Executive Advisory Board after a prolific and distinguished 60 year…
Landon Tulk
Co-founder Amplify Solutions, and Management Consultant with ZS Solutions, Los Angeles
Landon is a management consultant with the ZS Associates team in Los Angeles, California where …
DA Guest Faculty & Master Instructors
Dr. Terrence Underwood
Diversity, Equality & Inclusion
Dr. Underwood is the Founder of The National Association of Minority Speakers (NAMS). He is a growth-minded, inclusive thinker with more than 20 years’ experience…
Yvonne Gomez
Confidence Building, Focus & Motivation
An Olympic, World and Professional figure skater and two time Emmy nominated TV Sport and Entertainment Director, Yvonne has performed alongside…
Gary Wexler
Gary Wexler is a professor of Team Creativity, Advertising, and Nonprofit Marketing…
Michael J. Gelb
Creative Thinking & Innovation Expert
The world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational….
Adam Lazarus
Virtual Communications & Sales Pitch Skills
Adam Lazarus is an internationally acclaimed instructor and corporate speech consultant who is widely…
Sarah Lang
Leadership & Communication Skills
Sarah Lang is a professional certified coach (PCC, CPCC) and a public speaking and leadership instructor. She facilitates workshops and training…
Brandon Allen
We all know it’s about outcomes. Brandon is a master of transformation, facilitating the gap between uncertainty and results…
Kathleen Fyfe
Kathleen Fyfe is passionate about assisting individuals and organizations to grow and develop, creating positive impact personally…
Barry Kaplan
DA Master Instructor
Barry Kaplan inspires leaders and their teams to declare what they want and coaches them to access their power to make it happen…
Chris Asper
DA Master Instructor
Chris Asper is a leadership coach with over 14 years of experience in Human Resources. He specializes in creating inclusive workplaces and…
Flory Achammer
DA Master Instructor
I am driven to help people improve their holistic well-being, through better connections. Most of my days are on running two start-ups…
Brenda Pearson
DA Master Instructor
A career in the Career Management field was destiny for Brenda when as a child her favourite board game was one called ‘Careers’…
Honorary Circle
Honorary Circle
Adam Kahan
President of ABK Associates
Former VP, Ryerson University
Adam is President of ABK Associates, Inc. consulting to the not-for-profit industry on strategic planning…
Sanjiv Chopra MD
Professor and Author, Harvard Medical School
Award Winning Business Executive
Helen Pink
School Board Chair
Former Marketing Executive with the Financial Times
Helen Pink draws on 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, where educating, guiding and inspiring…
Amb. Haile Menkerios
Former U.N. Undersecretary-General
Haile is the former U.N. Undersecretary-General and head of the United Nations Office to…
Jay Rosenzweig
Rosenzweig & Company