Jesse Rutschman is an educator, advisor, higher education program administrator, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of StrengthsBase. He brings 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education in instructional design and program development, including his role as Assistant Director of TRIO Student Support Services at Northeastern Illinois University. His passion centers on personal growth and purpose-driven career development, which led him to develop StrengthsBase in 2023.

Full-stack developer passionate about creating interactive, community-driven platforms that bring people together through engaging and thoughtful design. Translates complex processes into scalable, user-centered solutions. Leads integrations with external partners, improves onboarding and engagement through data-driven design, and builds reliable systems. Focused on delivering practical, high-impact solutions that improve performance, reliability, and user outcomes.

Computer Science graduate passionate about building thoughtful, user-centered digital experiences. At StrengthsBase, she designs platform-integrated Mailchimp campaigns, develops personalized and AI-assisted content workflows, and supports website improvements that enhance the user experience and overall design. With a foundation in technical problem-solving and a creative approach to digital systems, she enjoys building tools and experiences that are not only efficient, but genuinely helpful and human-focused.

MBA Finance candidate at Northeastern Illinois University with over five years of experience in financial analysis, budgeting, compliance, and cross-functional project coordination. Contributes to project management, stakeholder coordination, compliance tracking, documentation, and operational support to help ensure smooth execution of development initiatives.

Computer Science graduate with a passion in digital marketing and analytics. Translated user behavior into actionable insights through analytics and SEO. Her work included GA4 and GTM setup and tracking, user engagement measurement, keyword research, and dashboarding to ensure the platform evolved based on real user data.

Served as the Executive Director of Adult Education, Advancement, and Business Innovation at the AACSB-accredited College of Business and Technology at Northeastern Illinois University. Welcomed StrengthsBase to the Business Innovation & Growth Center as part of her first cohort, and worked with the company on research and development through the Illinois Innovation Voucher grant program, as well as with Class Labs projects at NEIU.

Senior software engineer with 20 years of experience at startups, working on everything from API architecture to mobile apps. They helped bootstrap the StrengthsBase codebase and offered technical guidance as needed.

Award-winning designer with deep expertise in concept-driven, high-impact graphic design. Provided the visuals and graphic elements that helped make the StrengthsBase experience seamless and pleasant for the user.

Testing development specialist with more than thirty years of experience as a testing consultant, ranging from employment and workplace analysis-based testing to applied individual difference assessments. Helped develop testing content and scoring plans for the StrengthsBase project and provided testing-related research guidance as needed.

Marketing professor at NEIU’s College of Business and Technology. Taught Social Media Marketing, Mobile Marketing, and Marketing Management. Helped with the StrengthsBase brand and offered branding guidance as needed.

Management and strategy professor at Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Business & Technology. Along with 28 years of academic experience, Dr. Funk’s background also included 22 years of Chicago-area business experience in both financial and operating positions in the energy, telecommunications, and food industries. Dr. Funk assisted in developing StrengthsBase’s business and operational plans.

Accomplished entrepreneur, senior leader, and educator with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry. As an Adjunct Professor at NEIU, he shared his knowledge and expertise with students pursuing careers in technology and business. Brad served as a respected mentor and advisor to startups and entrepreneurs, leveraging his extensive network and business acumen to help others succeed.

Product Designer based in NYC, with four years of research experience gained in diverse neuroscience labs. While her roots were in science, her true passion lay in understanding and connecting with people. Whether forging new connections, assisting in challenging situations, or collaborating on projects, she thrived on the human element.