NGT Academy Welcomes Zachary Elliott, Director of Academic Excellence

We're proud to announce that Zachary Elliott has joined NGT Academy as our Director of Academic Excellence. Zach comes to us after 13 years at Cisco Systems, where he led the Military in Sales and Leadership program and spent his career helping people navigate one of the hardest transitions there is: moving from one chapter of life into the next.

That mission is exactly why he's here.

From Cisco to NGT

For over a decade, Zach's work was never just about helping veterans find jobs. It was about helping people translate hard-earned experience into real value and step into a new arena with clarity, confidence, and purpose. He built his reputation inside one of the most respected technology companies in the world, and he's bringing that same standard of excellence to NGT.

In his own words, this next chapter isn't about leaving something behind. It's about running toward something bigger.

What Zach Will Build

As Director of Academic Excellence, Zach will lead the buildout of NGT's future curriculum and programs. That includes:

• A two-year technical degree program, launching in partnership with International American University (IAU)
• A Zero to AI Engineer track, designed to prepare students for the industry as it exists today
• An enterprise AI tools training program for working professionals

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The goal is simple, and it's one we've held since day one: every student and every professional we serve should graduate ready for the real demands of the field — not the field as it looked five years ago.

Why It Matters

At NGT, our mission has always been about access — building pathways for people who are capable, hungry, and just need the right door opened. It's the mission that drove our founder, Terry Kim, from his own start as an Air Force veteran to building a company that has trained thousands of career changers and transitioning service members.

Zach has spent his career opening those doors. Now he's helping us open more of them, for more people, faster.

"This is about access. Building pathways for people who are capable, hungry, and just need the right door opened. That's the mission that has always driven me — at Cisco, in the military community, and now at NGT." — Zachary Elliott, Director of Academic Excellence

The next chapter starts now — and we couldn't be more excited to have him helping lead it.

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