Everyone's a Kritik

Kritik is the only peer-to-peer solution designed to enhance students' higher order and critical thinking skills in online or in-person classes

Our Values

Innovation
Mamba Mentality
We focus on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters most. We are a sport team of family members. We keep fighting until we win. "Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses." – Kobe Bryant
Critical
Actively Learning
We are intentional in finding opportunities to learn. We set goals before acting and reflect on our actions. We ask good questions, think critically, and put our learnings into practice. We impart our knowledge to others in a true learning by teaching model. We strive to be our best selves through personal growth.
Ownership
Healthy Mind & Healthy Body
We maintain a positive attitude and understand how to work 'smart.' We take time away from our monitors to enjoy the outdoors, stay active, and spend time with loved ones. "Good Thought, Good Word, and Good Deed.” – Zoroaster
Honesty
Radical Honesty
We are honest and empathetic. We are great listeners with high levels of integrity. We are credible and trust-worthy, as we deliver our promises through an action plan. We empower each other by being a coach who trusts but verifies. "Turning our organizations into places of growth and self-actualization." - Jerry Colonna
Healthy Living
Listen with Empathy
We do our best to put ourselves in others’ shoes and understand perspectives different from our own. We listen without judgment. We ensure both our customers and our employees feel heard and valued, and cared for.
Unity
Jugaad / Always be Innovating
We are a non-conventional innovators as we are constantly evolving our platform to meet the needs of professors and students. We are agile, with the ability to pivot our focus when necessary. We think outside of the box to get it done, and do it right. "Jugaad is a way of doing more with less." – Simone Ahuja

Meet the Team

Mohsen Shahini
Mohsen Shahini, PhD
Co-Founder
Mohsen Shahini holds a PhD in Mechatronics Engineering. He co-founded Kritik in 2019 after helping to build Top Hat, an active learning software platform, which he co-founded in 2009.

Shahini’s experience and innovation at Top Hat helped the product become a market leader in student engagement software and adopted by more than 4 million students every year. Working in educational technology for over a decade, Shahini is also an active speaker in the Higher Education and startup communities. His current vision is to improve classroom innovation in higher education and to help make learning efficient, effective and engaging for everyone.
Carine Marette
Carine Marette
Co-Founder
Carine Marette co-founded Kritik in 2019 after launching two startups in wearable technology and design. Marette holds a master’s degree in Information Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from École Supérieure de Génie Informatique (ESGI) and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Laurentian University. Marette oversees all internal and external operations at Kritik, from finance to human resources and business management. Her current vision is to empower student learning in higher education. More.
Mark Deepwell
Mark Deepwell
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Mark is an Engineering leader who loves collaborating and building cohesive teams. With 6 years of executive leadership experience, Mark joined Kritik to accelerate development and reliability of our products. He has a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.
Kelly Alexander
Kelly Alexander
Director of Customer Success
Kelly joined the Kritik team with 6 years of leadership experience, and over 10 years working in customer service. She holds a B.Ed. from McGill University and is passionate about encouraging the development of critical thinking skills in students of all ages.
Courtney Archer-Efimba
Holly Carvalho
Account Executive
Holly is a York University graduate and competed in Varsity Track and Field through her university career, specializing in Hammer Throw. She is a mom to a toddler and has recently begun coaching high-school aged kids in the throws events. Fun Fact: she used Kritik during her undergrad at York and she loves promoting such an amazing Ed Tech platform!
Ismael Arias
Armin Baig
Director of Marketing
Armin joined Kritik with over 13 years of marketing experience. He holds an MEng in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Toronto Metropolitan University and is passionate about overcoming growth challenges.
Justine Kronovsek
Justine Kronovsek
Full Stack Developer
Justine holds a Master’s degree from the ESSEC Business school in France. She was working in Marketing when she decided to learn how to code. During her coding bootcamp, she discovered the value of learning by teaching and peer-to-peer assessment.
Daniel Lantin
Dave Liptrot
Enterprise Account Executive
Dave spent 9 years at Top Hat, a leading Ed Tech company based in Toronto. Dave is striving to make Kritik the leading provider of peer assessment technology in higher education.
Dave Liptrot
Preeti Ravi
Demand Generation Manager
Preeti comes with SEO writing experience and has developed content monetization strategies for several startups in her career so far. She has an MBA in Marketing and has lived and worked in India, Australia and Canada.
Andy Liang
Andy Liang
Product Designer
Andy is a Product Designer based in Vancouver. He has worked in various startups in the past helping people bring their ideas to life. When not at work, he’s either cooking/eating, finding deals, or looking at all of the Pokemon stuff with his kid.
Maluh Madrones
Maluh Madrones
Leads Generation Specialist/Customer Support Representative
Maluh holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in Law. She joined Kritik with 10+ years of experience in the e-learning industry. She is passionate about helping professors and students succeed in using educational technology.
Ivansa Samararatne
Przemek Rudzki
Software Developer
Passionate for coding, Przemek became a software developer after he graduated from a coding boot camp at the University of Toronto, followed by an online Master of Computer Science program at GTU.
Dawar Saeed
Luis Rudge
Senior Software Engineer
With more than 10 years of experience as a Software Engineer and Technical Leader, Luis joins Kritik to help the tech team in their next big step. He's passionate about mentoring and believes the team only improves if everyone improves together.
Dave Liptrot
Vlad Terletsky
Director of Product
Vlad comes with 10+ years of experience in SaaS Product Management and Technical Program Management and has helped technology businesses with building, launching and, scaling software products. Vlad holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and Professional Project Manager (PMP) & PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) designations.
Dawar Saeed
Meir Cohen
Product Designer
Meir is a Toronto-based Product Designer with over five years of experience helping startups and nonprofits turn ideas into meaningful digital products. With a B.A. in Architecture and Geography, he brings a systems-thinking approach to design and is passionate about collaboration, accessibility, and equitable education. Outside of work, you’ll find him exploring trails, listening to music, or chasing after his dog and baby.
Chris Dempster
Senior Account Executive
Chris Dempster is a Senior Account Executive at Kritik Education, where he works closely with faculty to bring cutting edge technology into the classroom in meaningful ways. With a background as a former carpentry instructor, Chris brings a hands-on, practical approach to education and deeply values lifelong learning and the growth mindset. He’s passionate about helping educators discover tools that not only foster critical thinking but also lighten their workload. Outside of work, Chris is a proud husband and father of two beautiful little girls, who inspire his commitment to making education more impactful for future generations.
Stephanie Dare
Customer Success Specialist
Stephanie holds a B.Ed from McGill University and brings over 10 years of international teaching experience in Canada, South Africa, and South Korea. She is passionate about empowering educators and students through innovative educational technology that transforms the learning experience.
Dave Liptrot
Mooneb Altwer
Business Development Representative Co-op
Mooneb, a fourth-year Honours Psychology and Law student at the University of Waterloo, brings a blend of research, interpersonal skills and advocating experience to Kritik. Willing to put the team and the client first, he is willing to work for the success of the company.
Maya Hindle
Customer Success Coordinator
Maya is a fourth-year Honours Psychology student at the University of Waterloo. She brings strong critical thinking and communication skills, with a passion for applying psychological insights to support students and educators in using Kritik to enhance their learning experiences. Maya is enthusiastic about contributing to impactful work and continuing to develop her skills in a collaborative environment.
Neta Puzirevsky
Marketing and Research Analysis Co-op
Neta is a third-year Business Technology Management student at Wilfrid Laurier University with a keen interest in  business consulting and lead generation. Her dedication to effective communication and building relationships drives her success in helping Kritik reach new audiences.
Dave Liptrot
Sujan Ravi
Business Development Representative Co-op
Sujan is a third-year Business student at the University of Waterloo with experience in sales, marketing, and business development. Passionate about consulting, he is eager to work closely with industry professionals and contribute to Kritik’s growth while driving innovation and building strong client relationships.
Dawar Saeed
Paul Deraj
Marketing Co-op
Paul Deraj, a Business and Law student at the University of Waterloo, brings a strong interest in digital marketing and video editing to the Kritik team. Passionate about driving audience engagement through creative video marketing strategies, Paul is excited to contribute fresh ideas and content. When he’s not working, you can find him freestyle skiing or playing basketball with friends.
Ivansa Samararatne
Suryna Tailor
Business Development Representative Co-op
Suryna is a third-year Science and Business student at the University of Waterloo with an interest in business development and marketing. She is passionate about strategic initiatives and is eager to contribute to Kritik’s team of professionals in driving audience growth.
Dave Liptrot
Indie
Team Mascot
Indie always knows how to keep the team motivated and energized! He's always up for a walk, a treat, or just some good quality time with his fellow Kritik's.
Indie
Past Co-ops
Various roles
We believe co-op is a powerful way for students to gain experience and apply the skills they learned in school.
The co-op experience at Kritik