The TEF Grant Selection Committee
Our selection committee members have a deep passion for providing technology education opportunities for all ages.
Each year, this team reviews applications for funding and selects the winners based on:
If a committee member sits on the board or has any type of formal affiliation with a requesting agency, the committee member recuses her/himself from voting on that organization’s grant proposal.
Jim Berbee
Jim Berbee founded the Berbee Derby in 2004. The Derby is the 5K and 10K run/walk Thanksgiving Day tradition in the Madison area where 100% of the proceeds support the Technology Education Foundation. Jim was the Chairman of Berbee Information Networks Corporation which was sold to CDW in 2006.
After selling his company, he earned his medical degree at Stanford University School of Medicine and then completed an emergency medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He sees patients in emergency departments in Madison and rural Wisconsin.
In addition to practicing emergency medicine, Dr. Berbee serves as the Chair of Trustees of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Association (WARF) and is on the boards of WICell, The Morgridge Institute for Research (MIR) and Madison Gas and Electric (MGEE). He is an active venture investor in medicine and technology and holds patents related to digital otoscopy.
He and his wife support human health and welfare projects through the BerbeeWalsh Foundation.
Doug Dittman
Doug has been with The Neckerman Agency since 1983, currently serving as President. He is Chair of the YMCA of Dane County and past Chair of the American Red Cross-Membership Board. Doug is a Board Member for both St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation as well as the Edgewood High School Foundation. He has been recognized both as the Young Agent of the Year by Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin (IIAW) and Insurance Person of the Year by Independent Insurance Agents of Dane County (IIADC).
Azita G. Hamedani MD, MPH, MBA
Azita is the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health. Prior to returning to her home state of Wisconsin, she was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and completed a hospital administrative fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has been named “Top Doc” for Madison Magazine numerous times, and recently won their Service to Profession Award. Azita has a particular interest in early childhood education and volunteers her time at local public elementary schools. She lives in Madison with her husband and two school-age children.
Jeanan Yasiri Moe
Jeanan is Director of Strategic Communications for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, also known as WARF. She has previously served as Chief Planning and Innovation Officer for Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin and as Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Nonprofits. She taught at the UW over 25 years. She has served on several community based, nonprofit boards and was a gubernatorial appointee to the National and Wisconsin Community Service Board. She was named as a “Women of Distinction” by the YWCA of Dane County.
Azara Mason
Azara Mason is a current high school student, but has been providing input as a student member of the TEF board since she was in 5th grade. Given her aptitude for adopting and incorporating technology into her school work, Azara was asked to provide subject matter expertise on student’s technological needs and best approach to student engagement in technology.
Did you know that 100% of proceeds from the Berbee Derby go to the Madison-based Technology Education Fund (TEF)? The annual Thanksgiving Day event has become a family tradition for many. Fun event for all ages and levels.
The Berbee Derby celebrated their 20 year anniversary this Thanksgiving — which was its final year of the annual event.