Our Story
In the early months of 2023, Melanie Hanna engaged in a dinner table conversation with her husband Michael, sparking an idea born out of the persistent questions she received from students navigating the intricate paths of career and college choices. Students and their families are having to navigate today through a fragmented set of data, the options are far and wide, and is highly influenced by the universities so its easy to make the wrong decision. Melanie envisioned a solution that is driven by a desire to bridge the knowledge gap and and give control back to the students and families at the heart of this decision and embarked on a mission that became deeply personal.
Throughout the year, they refined early prototypes, seeking input from students and educators. The overwhelmingly positive feedback fueled their commitment. October 2023 marked the official launch of SmarterGrads, a venture aimed not just at acquiring early adopters but also at forming close partnerships with schools sharing their belief in a better way forward.
Our Team
CEO - Melanie Hanna
Melanie's journey is defined by a commitment to education and a passion for guiding students through the crucial process of choosing the right college. As of late you can find Melanie teaching Accounting in the local community college. Prior to teaching accounting in the classroom, Melanie gained invaluable accounting experience during her time as an audit manager at Deloitte and Touche. Melanie recognized a crucial gap in the educational landscape when many students sought her guidance when faced with the pivotal decision of selecting a college. In response, she conceptualized and brought to life SmarterGrads, a platform to empower students with information, visuals, and tools to allow students to make informed decisions about their higher education journey.
CTO - Michael Hanna
Michael is a seasoned professional with eighteen years of expertise in design and implementation of technology solutions at scale and enabling analytical insights within the aviation and defense domains. SmarterGrads required integrating multiple trusted data sources together and a compelling user experience to be able to tell a story that our students could articulate. Our goal with SmarterGrads is to fundamentally change the conversation in education that is student centric and outcome based. We also have have a great opportunity to close the gap of understanding for our underserved demographics to ensure they see equitabe options that are available.