With over 45 years of proven business experience as a former advertising and marketing executive, IT professional with an extensive knowledge in information systems management and training – Roderick remains driven by his dual passions -- multimedia communications and mentoring technology careers.

A Vietnam-era veteran, Roderick attended college in Detroit, Michigan on the GI-Bill. He studied Management Accounting at Detroit College of Business for two-years; followed by two-years of Marketing and Economics study at the University of Detroit. Along the way, Rod’s passion for art and the world of advertising blossomed. As the Director of Student Public Relations at University of Detroit, Rod leveraged his natural creativity and business savvy to beat out three MBA students for a chance to work at the prestigious J. Walter Thompson Agency.

During his second career-cycle Woodruff re-purposed his business management skills and re-tooled his understanding of computers, to become an integral part of developing and managing government information technology systems. As an information technology systems’ professional, Rod has managed IT contracts valued at more than $50 million dollars over the two past decades. He has been successful in applying his background and skills in IT program management, systems applications development, business life-cycle analysis, IT Security systems, policy and training in both the private and public sector working for Management Technologies, Inc., Pragmatics Inc., A & T Systems, Inc., Regis & Associates, Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, Dept. of Transportation (Maritime Division), and Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Labs.

His current mission revolves around the continued growth and expansion of the Urban Video Gaming Academy, tech literacy and learning afterschool program dedicated to preparing students in disadvantaged areas for postsecondary education and technology careers. The program teaches STEAM fundamentals by using the video game design and development process as a launchpad for future careers and innovation. He believes that by “educating ‘generation next’: in how to create video games, we can enhance learning in mathematics, science, engineering, digital arts, and mathematics to empower our young people to become the new story tellers who will be able to use their new skills to create meaningful and productive lives.” UVGA is currently the subject of a 2007 Harvard Business Case Study for social entrepreneurship.