Team

Meet Our Team

Co-Founders
Tan Gera
Co-Founder
Tan Gera
Co-Founder

At just 23, Tan not only secured the prestigious CFA Level III certification but quickly became a standout figure among investment circles.

His trajectory took a transformative turn when he pivoted from a promising career in investment banking to pioneer new frontiers in decentralized finance.

As a respected Nasdaq Contributor, Tan has crafted innovative investment frameworks that merge traditional portfolio management wisdom with cutting-edge financial technologies.

His distinctive strategies, honed through rigorous real-world application, have empowered members of Decentralized Masters to not just participate in the DeFi space but to unlock new potentials within it.

Salim Elhila
Co-Founder
Salim Elhila
Co-Founder

Salim is a visionary serial entrepreneur, and an accomplished engineer with a specialization in mathematical and statistical modeling, coupled with a background in artificial intelligence.

With a track record of generating over $100 million in sales through successful Web2 and Web3 ventures, Salim has played a pivotal role in the growth of numerous companies in these domains.

His extensive experience, network of founders, and exceptional numerical expertise provide him with a distinctive advantage in identifying and investing in high-value crypto projects.

Executive Team
Sam - The DeFi Doctor
Head of Education
Sam - The DeFi Doctor
Head of Education

Sam is affectionately known to all at Decentralized Masters as "Doc".

And for good reason- among his many accomplishments, he has a medical degree, and was accepted into a surgery program.

While fans of Grey's Anatomy could be forgiven for believing medical school is a full-time job, Sam found time to begin his DeFi and fintech journey while completing his Masters of Medicine, and became fully certified in a number of different blockchain-related fields.

And somewhere along the way, Sam managed to acquire a grounding in business economics!

This unusual background combining care for others, a fascination with technology, plus hard-headed business sense have brought Sam success both as an educator and an entrepreneur.

His crowning glory isn't found in the annals of medical journals but in the resurrection of a once-dying Private Career College. Through two years of relentless toil, Sam breathed life into this failing business, transforming it into a thriving health care academy with 11 robust programs, now valued in the seven figures —a testament to his hard work and zeal for success.

Sam's published work on blockchain has brought him a global reputation. As the Head of Education at Decentralized Masters, Sam has become the beacon for the perplexed, demystifying the labyrinth of DeFi and guiding many to their first taste of success.

From the penetration of blockchain technology into every sector, to the multiple advantages that the use of digital assets and decentralized finance gives users, I'm more convinced than ever that we are at the cusp of mass adoption.

Bryan Fill
VP of Enrollment
Bryan Fill
VP of Enrollment

Bryan has been in business for many years, helping multiple companies to scale to 7 figures and beyond.

One of his biggest accomplishments was turning around a failing company in under 90 days, growing it into an award-winning business in its industry.

Bryan has long experience of crypto, and was an early adopter. He helped another crypto company to develop 3.5 million in monthly revenue, and is himself heavily invested in multiple crypto and DeFi projects.

One of his proudest moments within Decentralized Masters was helping a client whose dream was to retire early. By getting her started in DeFi, she was able to attain that dream much, much sooner than expected, and finally exit the corporate world. She now is a full-time DeFi investor.

“Defi is inevitable because it's disrupting every industry. It will provide more transparent, efficient, profitable & ethical solutions. The big institutional money is on the way and we are all going to ride that wave.”

Dziugas Butkus
Director of Operations
Dziugas Butkus
Director of Operations

Dziugas has been an educator and entrepreneur in the DeFi space for some years now.

While still an undergraduate, he designed and taught a Masters-level course on blockchain technology which is now part of the university’s curriculum.

After several roles in various Web2 and Web3 companies, Dziugas went on to found his own Web3 startup, raising $2 million dollars in the process. The company created a mobile app that allowed customers easy access to DeFi without needing to understand how blockchain or wallets work.

To date, his most important contribution to Decentralized Masters has been to create our advanced crypto trading mastermind, dubbed The Strategy Room.

“My whole career is based on DeFi, I live and breathe this industry. Every institution will have to implement DeFi or have at least some sort of connection with crypto to survive in the future.”

Yana Gondzya
DeFi Analyst Manager
Yana Gondzya
DeFi Analyst Manager

Yana is a quintessential communicator- and she's proven it by mastering Korean, one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn.

And she's brought her passion for communication to multiple business fields, including real estate in Kyiv, and her own online vintage fashion store.

An early hire at Decentralized Masters, she quickly became the in-house personnel manager and grew the team several fold.

Since then, she's risen to her present role with responsibilities for rolling out new customer programs.

Yana is also active in DeFi, with investments across multiple projects.

For Yana, DeFi's global accessibility, constant availability, transparency and low costs mean that it will become the model for finance in the years to come.

As she says: "DeFi operates on a decentralized global network, and runs 24/7. By enabling continuous trading and investment opportunities, it will make financial services affordable for all."

Jack Barrera
Marketing Manager
Jack Barrera
Marketing Manager

With more than 7 years of marketing experience, Jack has a distinguished record of driving growth and innovation. Serving as the lead marketing strategist, he played a pivotal role at an advertising agency that ranked in the top 100 fastest-growing companies in America for two consecutive years.

Leveraging this success, Jack established his own growth marketing agency, focusing on scaling client acquisition and revenue for mid-market companies in the Education, Web3, and AI sectors.

His expertise in developing bespoke strategies ensures measurable success and empowers businesses to dominate.

Caitlin Scott
Enrollment Associate Manager
Caitlin Scott
Enrollment Associate Manager

Caitlin grew up in Houston, Texas, and studied economics at Texas A&M. She stumbled into the online world and quickly found her groove in appointment setting, mastering the art along the way. Now, she’s part of Decentralized Masters, where she’s excited to be part of something bigger. She is responsible for leading the team that gives people the first step into this amazing world of defi. Caitlin is all about helping people adopt crypto and supporting others to join in on this amazing mission.

Annelie Senekal
HR Manager
Annelie Senekal
HR Manager

Hailing from South Africa, Annelie is our powerhouse Head of HR at Decentralized Masters, bringing a world of experience from various countries worldwide. With a Bachelor’s in HR Management from the University of Johannesburg and a Diploma from Intec College, she’s a master at attracting top talent and fostering a culture of high performance. Annelie’s expertise in international talent acquisition, strategic HR decisions, and innovative solutions ensures our team thrives.

DeFi Analysts and Educators
Tyler Hubbard
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Tyler Hubbard
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Tyler was an early adopter of crypto and decentralized finance.

He spent two years leading the cryptocurrency section of a trading-focused social network, focusing on education.

He also has over a decade of charting experience, plus twelve years of exposure to active trading, six years of personal crypto trading, and three years in decentralized finance prior to coming to Decentralized Masters.

Within the company, he has established himself as the go-to educator for trading-specific material.

Using smart DeFi investment, Tyler has been able to create financial stability for himself, and was an early investor in OlympusDAO.

He is totally committed to decentralized finance, and sees it as a natural step in the evolution of finance.

“DeFi provides an alternative to the traditional banking industry and gives individuals more freedom. As humans, we are naturally inclined to desire freedom.”

Rami Al-Sabeq
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Rami Al-Sabeq
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Rami is passionate about customer-focused solutions to difficult problems.

And he first brought that passion to the pharma industry. There he used his expertise in business architecture to create industry-first AI to streamline operations for Pfizer, Roche and AbbVie.

But he's also passionate about crypto- and has dreamed of teaching and mentoring others in this new technology since the very first day he learned of it.

And that is why he created a non-profit solely focused on teaching crypto for free.

But joining Decentralized Masters now allows him to marry his love of teaching and his unshakeable belief in blockchain. Since then he has mentored numerous people to make life-changing money in crypto.

The future of DeFi is bright- as he says: "DeFi is absolutely inevitable. Markets always choose efficiency, and DeFi proves that banks and financial intermediaries only introduce bloat and siphon profits. DeFi removes the need for such institutions to exist, enabling capital to be optimally allocated"

Preston Eckhardt
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Preston Eckhardt
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Preston is an entrepreneur and early mentor, builder and investor within Crypto and DeFi for over 7 years.

Preston's earliest start in Crypto was mining Bitcoin out of his closet whilst in high school in 2012. Initially, Preston was amazed by blockchain technology, and the idea that it gave humans a chance to interact with finance in a way not previously available. Preston enjoyed his time exploring Bitcoin and all things blockchain, but in 2015 however, Preston enlisted in the US Army as an Intelligence Analyst.

Preston would go on to spend ~7 years in active duty military, achieving the distinguished rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) before being honorably discharged a decorated combat veteran in 2022. Whilst on his final tour to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2019, Preston was assigned to a 12-man group; Team 3223 of the 3rd SFAB unit. On this deployment, Preston helped design, mentor and integrate the first ever Bitcoin and Blockchain Infrastructure into Afghan National Army and Kandahar Police standard operating procedures.

After returning stateside to his wife and newborn son in 2020, Preston went on to launch a Veteran-exclusive Crypto and Financial Education Company - Ares Investing LLC. Similar to the Decentralized Masters vision, Preston was demystifying and democratizing access to Crypto and DeFi Intelligence, but for historically underserved communities within the US Military.

At Saidler, Preston was directly in charge of leading research efforts within digital assets, to help the portfolio manager make investment decisions within Crypto. The portfolio had an outstanding return of over 47% during Preston's tenure, and would go on to publish weekly research articles that would help retail traders make educated investments within digital assets. After 7 months, Preston left Saidler to help build Crypto Indices at CoinDesk.

At CoinDesk, Preston served as the Lead Crypto Index Analyst, and helped build novel Crypto Indices. Preston led a small team of researchers and data engineers to build an AI-led data pipeline, ultimately powering data point ingestion and analysis that now powers the world's largest Crypto Index Products valued at over $50M. In 2023, Preston would part ways with CoinDesk to pursue his own Fund: the Eckhardt Capital QuanTactical Fund.

Ajay Joshi
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Ajay Joshi
DeFi Analyst and Educator

In mid-2017, Ajay ventured into this burgeoning field and by 2018, he found himself actively engaged in this ever-evolving ecosystem, dedicating his time to it full-time.

Ajay is passionate about blockchain technology, fostering authentic communities, and believes that the power of decentralization can lead to a fairer & more inclusive financial system. He has been instrumental in spearheading the marketing, communication, and community initiatives for numerous projects, helping to bring innovative ideas to life and share them with the global stage.

He derives immense pleasure from onboarding newcomers to the crypto sphere and guiding them on their journey, having assisted thousands of individuals in embarking on similar paths. He understands the challenges and triumphs that come with entering this exciting realm.

Moreover, Ajay's extensive experience allows him to approach challenges from a holistic perspective, considering both technical and social aspects. This multifaceted understanding enables him to provide valuable insights and guidance to those seeking to navigate the complexities of the crypto world. His unwavering dedication to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm ensures that everyone feels empowered and inspired to participate in the evolution of finance!

Esmael Mourtaza
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Esmael Mourtaza
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Esmael, a seasoned IT Manager within the financial industry, embarked on a transformative journey into the world of cryptocurrency in 2019. Fueled by a profound realization of the shortcomings within our conventional financial system, Esmael felt compelled to explore alternative avenues.

Driven by his expertise in computer engineering, he found himself drawn to the technological innovations inherent in cryptocurrencies. The prospect of becoming his own bank, liberated from the constraints of a flawed system, resonated deeply with him and became the cornerstone of his commitment to this burgeoning field.

Since then, Esmael has not only invested in various crypto assets but has also immersed himself in different projects and their respective communities. His passion extends beyond personal gain; he is deeply motivated by the prospect of empowering others to seize control over their financial destinies. Through sharing his knowledge and experiences, Esmael endeavors to pave the way for a more inclusive and decentralized financial landscape.

Jonathan Chavez
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Jonathan Chavez
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Jon has been actively trading for over 7 years, beginning his journey with options in the stock market before fully transitioning into cryptocurrency and decentralized finance in 2017 His extensive experience includes working for top exchanges as a Business Development Manager , He has also worked with top crypto companies as a Crypto Content Creator and Influencer Marketing Specialist, utilizing his cybersecurity background to understand blockchain technology and its applications, particularly in Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN).

Jon has not only worked in the industry but has also launched several projects himself, making him well-connected and deeply knowledgeable about market structure. Jon is recognized as a versatile professional with a unique blend of technical and market expertise.

He is committed to learning every day in DeFi and values learning from his peers at Decentralized Masters, continually improving and back-testing his strategies in the markets to become a better technical analyst and trader.

“The best investment you can make is in yourself.” - Warren Buffett

Shivam Patel
DeFi Analyst and Educator
Shivam Patel
DeFi Analyst and Educator

Shivam has been in crypto since his early days in college. He is an entrepreneur that utilized decentralized finance to go full time crypto. He left his engineering career behind and has freelancing in crypto since 2020. He loves to travel and attend crypto conferences in the US to India. He is passionate about every niche of crypto. From NFTs, DeFi, Trading, etc…and sharing the information he has learned with others!

Membership Directors
Travis Drolet
VP of Membership
Travis Drolet
VP of Membership

A native of Canada, Travis has been involved in finance from the beginning of his career.

After joining a small fintech startup, Travis helped capture some 40% of the company’s target market, and began penetrating the US market.

And while he enjoyed this period of his life, he came to the conclusion that, with high costs and low ROI, traditional finance does not always serve the best interests of the common man or woman.

But since coming to Decentralized Masters, he’s on a mission to show ordinary people how to get extraordinary financial results.

He has helped many new investors to get their start in decentralized finance, and has compared it to "offering gold bars to people".

As he says of the future of crypto and decentralized finance.

"I think digital currencies are inevitable. I see it being adopted as legal tender in a number of countries, in Hong Kong, and now you see the likes of Blackrock, Vanguard and State Street filing for Bitcoin ETFs. Fidelity and Schwab are opening their own cryptocurrency exchanges. I have never had more conviction that DeFi is inevitable. "

Troy Horton
VP of Membership
Troy Horton
VP of Membership

Troy has been a serial entrepreneur for over 25 years, and has built numerous 7 and 8 figure businesses from the ground up.

Among his many successes, he built and sold the largest football equipment distributorship in the State of Texas that at one time did over $10, 000,000 in annual revenue, employed over 20 people and protected over 10,000 athletes in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Kansas.

He has helped over 100 people to get started in decentralized finance through Decentralized Masters.

Troy is firmly convinced that decentralized banking and finance is the future.

“The traditional finance system is a dinosaur and on the verge of extinction as more and more people wake up to what’s taking place both domestically and geo-politically.”

Melissa Davis
Membership Director
Melissa Davis
Membership Director

Melissa has been an entrepreneur since she was a child helping her father run the family business.

She takes enormous pride in hearing of the success of our clients as they begin to implement our program, which fuels her mission to help others even further.

Melissa firmly believes that global markets cannot withstand all the stresses and strains of the 21st century, and that decentralized, peer to peer, trustless banking is the future.

“I take a lot of pride in hearing about the success of my clients as they begin to implement. It fuels me and my mission to serve others.”

Lauren Bracken
Membership Director
Lauren Bracken
Membership Director

Lauren is a Web3 aficionado who also loves meeting new people and bringing them the good news about decentralized finance.

To her, Web3 represents a new frontier of freedom, and the ability to control one's own finances- qualities increasingly lacking in traditional finance.

An accomplished entrepreneur, she has helped grow several businesses in the past three years.

Among her many proud accomplishments, she ran the New York City Marathon in 2018.

Coming to Decentralized Masters was "like kismet", she says, as it allows her to marry her love of business with her interest in Web3.

Lauren's vision for decentralized finance and the future of banking is crystal clear.

As she says: "Inflation is ruining everyone's quality of life around the world. In order to succeed in a hyper-expensive world, one must find new ways to outmaneuver inflation- and the inevitable answer is DeFi."

Ayman Elaziz
Membership Director
Ayman Elaziz
Membership Director

Ayman is a forward-thinking entrepreneur with a rich background in the property market and years of experience in business consulting. Since 2018, he has been actively involved in the crypto space, where he has cultivated a deep understanding of decentralized finance and its transformative potential.

With a strong track record of helping organizations optimize their strategies, Ayman combines his analytical skills with a creative approach to problem-solving. His entrepreneurial mindset drives him to explore innovative opportunities that can lead to substantial growth and impact.

Ayman is also a passionate advocate for the future of digital currency. He believes that the evolution of finance is underway and that those who proactively engage with these changes will set themselves apart. “One day, all currency will be digitized. Those who learn to master their finances will thrive, while others risk being left behind.

”Beyond his professional endeavors, Ayman is a seasoned athlete who has proudly represented the United Kingdom in basketball, showcasing his dedication and competitive spirit. He is also a devoted family man, cherishing time spent with his young family.

Abe Underwood
Membership Director
Abe Underwood
Membership Director

Abe is a seasoned leader and business strategist. Since joining Decentralized Masters, Abe's primary mission is to empower people to shape their financial futures.

Earlier in his career, Abe showcased his resilience by navigating two businesses through post-recession challenges.

Simultaneously, he helmed an Amazon/eBay retail business, accumulating over a million in revenue in three years, with an impeccable 100% feedback from over 15,000 customers.

Beyond the corporate realm, Abe's leadership acumen is evident from his tenure as a senior leader at his local church. Here, he supervised multiple departments, mentored scores of leaders, and facilitated both personal and organizational transformations.

Having ventured into the world of crypto during the 2017 bull run, Abe gained important experience of this emerging market.

With Decentralized Masters, he merges his vast experience, crypto passion, and profound insights to assist every aspiring member.

Of the future of the economy and of finance, he says: "The entire economy, sector after sector, has been shaken up by decentralization. This trend is unstoppable as it makes systems truly democratic and provides fair upside for all involved parties. "

Andy Aranda
Membership Director
Andy Aranda
Membership Director

Andy has been with Decentralized Masters since its early days. With a background in Real Estate and Finance- he quickly realized the significance of decentralization across multiple industries. Andy is passionate about helping others secure their own financial freedom and protecting their hard earned capital. As an entrepreneur and person of faith, Andy spends his time dedicated to his businesses and an active member of his community in Texas. In Regards to DeFi, he says “Decentralization is the future, the more people that are aware of a peer to peer financial system that is free of corruption and manipulation- the more inevitable it becomes!

Adam Dowell
Membership Director
Adam Dowell
Membership Director

Adam is a former professional snowboarder, personal trainer, and has run several businesses online and offline. If you were to ask him though, his most proud accomplishment is starting a nonprofit that helps underprivileged youth get access to snowboarding and skateboarding, improving their quality of life and mental health. As a proud father and husband, he believes integrity, courage, and leading by example is the best way to show the next generation how to navigate the future and uncertain times.

Adam is a strong believer in thinking outside of the box when it comes to entrepreneurship and how families can build their nest egg.

He believes blockchain technology and cryptocurrency are the future and the best way families can protect and grow their life’s work.

 Ricky Nila
Membership Director
 Ricky Nila
Membership Director

Ricky is a California native now living in Texas. Who has already lived many lives from collegiate athlete, entrepreneur, RE investor and has coached 500+ experts build their business online. He is happiest when helping others succeed.

Val Mills
Membership Director
Val Mills
Membership Director

Val spent many years leading teams in IT and personal development. Her most resent role has been leading a team providing financial coaching packages within the traditional finance space. Her focus has always been to empower companies and individuals to find ways to accomplish their goals by working smarter and not harder. Enter Decentralized Finance.

She has a home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where she and her husband moved to support an orphanage as well as Phoenix, AZ.

Her faith keeps her grounded and on any given day you will find her travelling to spend time with her family and friends in various parts of the world.

Eddie Espiritu
Membership Director
Eddie Espiritu
Membership Director

Eddie is first and foremost a family man. Father of 6 and grandfather of 3, his passion is helping families use the DeFi world as a means of securing their future.

He has years of experience as an entrepreneur. He has worked in various capacities in the educational industry since 2005 and is dedicated to giving individuals access to INFORMATION that could potentially improve their lives in a significant manner.

Eddie patiently waited for 2 months before being given the opportunity to work with Decentralized Masters. He knew the wait would be worth it. He does not take for granted the opportunity to personally implement the priceless training provided here and to assist others to do the same.

He believes DeFi investing is the future and should be part of every person’s financial game plan towards prosperity!

Eddie is proud to represent Decentralized Masters. In every way possible, he believes the company is top notch and believes in it’s mission and education 110%!

DeFi Analysts
Aniekan
DeFi Analyst
Aniekan
DeFi Analyst

With a thirst for exploration, Aniekan traveled the world while building fluency in six languages. His background in pre-hospital emergency medicine honed his critical thinking skills and ability to stay calm under pressure, which translated into success within the world of crypto trading and Defi in later years. He loves travel, wrestling, teaching, and everything crypto related.

Rodrigo Infante
DeFi Analyst
Filippo Cappella
DeFi Analyst
Hugo
DeFi Analyst
Suleiman
DeFi Analyst
Customer Success Specialists
Rafaela Sant'Anna
Customer Success Specialist
Rafaela Sant'Anna
Customer Success Specialist

Rafaela has worn many hats during her career, but all of them reflect her love of teaching and communicating.

A former teacher, she also possesses legal expertise with a specialty in intellectual property, and has helped dozens of trademark and patent owners to protect their intellectual property.

Rafaela is a dedicated community volunteer in her home country of Brazil.

Her role within Decentralized Masters has included ensuring that our customers not only receive value, but also feel valued.

As for DeFi and the future of money, Rafaela says: "Currencies have been changing since the beginning of time, and most recently we are transitioning from physical to digital money. But DeFi is bringing people a fuller awareness of money they didn't previously have- an awareness of who actually owns and controls it."

Celeste Magre
Customer Success Specialist
Onboarding Specialists
Dennys Caldera Boka
Onboarding Specialist
Tech
Derek Hurtado
Technology Advisor
Derek Hurtado
Technology Advisor

Derek serves as a technology advisor at Decentralized Masters, where he has played a pivotal role in the company's growth.

From the beginning, Derek has built our systems from the ground up and continues to guide us in software advancements to make a bigger impact.

He believes in Decentralized Finance, regarding it as a key element in safeguarding the global economic future against potential collapse. He argues that DeFi's role in enhancing financial accessibility will be pivotal for worldwide economic stability.

Nayab Nadeem
Technical Analyst
Nayab Nadeem
Technical Analyst

A software engineer by profession, Nayab has automated and streamlined processes for dozens of businesses around the world in every field and of every size.

Before coming to Decentralized Masters, Nayab had become a top-rated freelancer in high demand.

She has been critical to the successful launch of multiple new products within Decentralized Masters, and loves seeing her work make the lives of her colleagues easier.

Of the future of DeFi, Nayab says: "Not only is DeFi the future, but with technical advancements, it's inevitable. As people discover the benefits of DeFi, it's going to become a significant part of the financial landscape."