Don’s Journey
Turning Challenges into Innovation
“Thanks to the tenacity and dedication of my mother, what I knew to be my biggest struggle turned into something others saw as a gift.”
Don’s world didn’t look like everyone else’s. Words on a page refused to stay still, making traditional learning a daily battle. But Don wasn’t one to back down. With his mother as his tireless guide, he explored new ways to learn—visual aids, memory tricks, even grocery store math challenges. Slowly, he found his own path to understanding.
School was another proving ground. Reading comprehension set him apart, but Don discovered a powerful advantage—he could grasp complex ideas through pictures and conversation. Study groups became his secret weapon, turning his difference into strength. He saw the world in layers—how words, visuals, and diverse ways of thinking all played a role in understanding.
This realization sparked something bigger. Don became driven to help others unlock their full potential, no matter how they learned.
Early in his career, his unique perspective changed the game. While pitching ideas, he instinctively used visuals to break down complex concepts, making them accessible to everyone—especially those who, like him, struggled with dense text. The impact was undeniable. His approach landed major deals and proved that communication could bridge learning gaps and fuel innovation.
From Machines to Minds
“Everybody else wanted to simulate the vehicle. We focused instead on human performance; training the minds that operate the vehicle. ”
Don’s first job—repairing movie projectors—opened his eyes to how color, movement, and sound shape human perception. Could these same elements be used to train the mind?
That question led him early in his career into the world of military simulators, where he saw firsthand that technology alone wasn’t enough—it was the human behind the controls that mattered most. While others focused on machines, Don focused on how people learn, process information, and perform under pressure.
Frustrated by the slow-moving industry, Don and his partners launched Raydon—not to build better simulators, but to build better soldiers. He applied a data-driven, human-centered approach, optimizing training with analytics, efficiency, and real-world impact. Raydon proved that investing in human performance was the key to lasting success. But for Don, this was just the beginning.
His passion for unlocking potential led to Intellivance—a company dedicated to precision learning, cognitive performance, and redefining how we measure and maximize human capability.
Reimagining Learning, Redefining Potential
“I’ve always operated from the idea that all humans are designed to work together. My operating principle is through collaboration we multiply each other. We are not additive. ”
Don’s journey is proof that challenges can spark innovation. His struggles with dyslexia shaped a lifelong mission: to redefine learning for every mind. From pioneering data-driven military training with Raydon to transforming the way we learn and remember through technology with Intellivance, his work has always been about one thing—unlocking human potential.
With PrimeSense and mindMETRICS, Don is leading a revolution in the way we learn. PrimeSense integrates art, music, and movement to engage young minds, while mindMETRICS shifts education from pass-or-fail testing to real-time cognitive growth tracking. Together, they reshape learning into a dynamic, personalized experience.
But Don’s vision goes beyond innovation—it’s about impact. He sees a future where every child, regardless of background, has the tools to thrive. By combining technology, creativity, and human performance science, he’s building a world where education isn’t just about knowledge—it’s about empowerment, opportunity, and breaking barriers.