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The people behind Causes

The Causes team is made up of people from all sorts of different backgrounds who share the same desire: to empower people to change the world.

Joe Green

Joe Green Founder and President

Joe Green is the Founder and President of Causes, the largest online platform for activism. Joe’s approach to building online tools is rooted in his offline experience as a grassroots political organizer for federal, state, and local campaigns. Born and raised in Santa Monica, CA, he first become engaged in the political process while serving on the local public school board. Joe graduated from Harvard College in 2006 with a degree in Social Studies.

Sean Parker

Sean Parker Founder and Chairman

Sean Parker, Chairman and Founder of Causes, is an entrepreneur with a record of launching genre-defining companies that reinvent ways to spread information online. In 1999, at the age of 19, Sean co-founded Napster with Shawn Fanning and changed how people think about and share music. In 2001, Sean co-founded Plaxo, pioneering viral engineering technology for updating contact information. Sean served as Plaxo’s president until 2004, around which time he joined with Mark Zuckerberg to launch the online social network Facebook. Sean was the founding president of Facebook from 2004-2005, again turning a technology start-up into an industry giant. Sean is also a Managing Partner of venture capital firm Founders Fund, where he looks for and supports this spirit of innovation in up-and-coming developers.

Christopher Chan

Christopher Chan Co-Founder and VP of Product

Chris leads product strategy and design at Causes, and has helped grow the company from a few scribbles on a whiteboard to the world's largest platform for activism. Chris earned his B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science at Stanford University, but received most of his (mis)education drumming for the Stanford Band.

Jimmy Kittiyachavalit

Jimmy Kittiyachavalit Co-Founder and VP of Engineering

Jimmy scales systems, teams, and cliffs.

Matt Mahan

Matt Mahan Chief Operating Officer

Matt Mahan is responsible for the operational leadership of the company and works closely with each team lead to execute on the company's vision of creating the world's best platform for collective action-taking. Matt joined Causes after two years teaching middle school English and History through Teach for America and, prior to that, a one-year Rockefeller Fellowship in South America. Matt graduated from Harvard College, where he served as student body president, and is a native of Watsonville, California.

Aamir Mansoor

Aamir Mansoor Software Engineer Intern

When Aamir arrived for an interview in a limousine, we knew he must be filthy rich. When we looked more closely at the limo and saw that it was merely a cardboard cut-out with a raccoon for a driver, we knew Aamir must be a master of illusion. When he took off his coat to reveal a tuxedo t-shirt, we knew he probably wasn’t a master of illusion, and more like someone who’s just pretty good at it. So, we hired him as a Mediocre Illusionist, only to find out that he's also a skilled engineer. At least, we think he is.

Aaron Schiller

Aaron Schiller Business Development Manager

Aaron brings to Causes his many years of experience working with Brands on their Philanthropic, CSR and Sustainability initiatives. He specializes in creating engaging campaigns that bring consumers nonprofits and corporations closer together. He is full of enthusiasm and passion doing what he can to make a difference in the world. Prior to his work with Brands, Aaron was a high school special education teacher.

Adam Derewecki

Adam Derewecki Engineer

Adam appeared on the Causes balcony one day, deposited by a team of pelicans who had carried him from his oceanic outpost on the outskirts of Oregon. His animal telepathy immediately endeared him to Falkor, who refused to get back on the elevator until the hire was made. Luckily, among Adam's extensive skills is programming (Python, obviously), but really the time he rode undetected on the belly of a grizzly bear for 40 miles was enough to convince anybody. Just a few years ago, a grateful dolphin taught Adam the secret to aquatic breathing. Now, as a hobby, Adam is the only supplier of octopus paparazzi footage in the western hemisphere.

Anne Diaz

Anne Diaz Nonprofit Services Manager

Anne is third cousin to hip-hop legend Dr. Dre, which wouldn't be notable except that people are always confusing the two. She literally can't walk down the block to get a bagel without someone stopping her to ask when the next album will drop. "The only thing I drop is whatever I was thinking about when these people dive in my way to get an autograph," she sometimes grumbles. Dr. Dre thinks more positively about the added attention, which mostly consists of praise for Anne's latest charitable work. "It's kind of cool, actually, I've always looked up to Anne. She inspired a lot of my early music." Anne doesn't mind the misplaced accolades. "This kind of work isn't about getting credit," she says, "I'm just suprised that so many people have trouble distinguising us. We don't even look that much alike."

Becca Hare

Becca Hare Product Marketing Associate

As the vanguard of Causes' Product Marketing, Becca would be delighted to meet and get to know you, if she weren't an escaped next-generation military robot incapable of understanding human emotion. But what she lacks in ability to feel sunlight on her face or take joy in children's laughter, she makes up for with a variety of persuasive marketing strategies that are mostly sanctioned by the UN. Unable to return to her production batch, all Becca simulates wanting is to know friendship before her fusion core winds down in approximately 2.3 million years.

Greg Hurrell

Greg Hurrell Engineer

Greg got off to a musical start at the age of 14 as a drum roadie for the Christopher Morris Band. However as a tour ended in Los Angeles, he got a glimpse of Frank Zappa's Black Page and promptly switched to keyboards. Greg immediately showed tremendous talent, using nearly 9 of his 10 fingers, and followed freelance work on a circuitous route through Basque country during the Tinsel Town Rebellion, finally rocking and rolling to a stop in the Bay Area. For tax purposes, he lives in Joe's Garage, building Causes by day and tutoring local youth in cat twirling during his off-hours. His favorite movie, Futurama episode, and class of witty remark are all The Sting.

Herman Ng

Herman Ng Product Manager

Originating from Hong Kong, Herman arrived in the US by way of whale. An avid whale-rider, Herman often travels the seas via his own personal whale, Blanche. Together they have vacationed all around the world from the Maldives to Azerbaijan. When not riding across the ocean together, Herman enjoys snow-related activities while Blanche enjoys drawing crude depictions of Herman on the ocean floor.

James Windon

James Windon VP of Business Development

James hails from Sydney, Australia and heads up the money-making division of Causes. In a former life, he worked as a corporate lawyer and in international development for the World Trade Organization in Switzerland. James graduated from Georgetown, and also holds degrees in arts and law from the University of Sydney. He knows much more about horse racing than you.

Jenn Ryan

Jenn Ryan Executive Assistant

Jenn has on more than one occasion averted international catastrophe. Indeed, the plots of many bestselling political thrillers (you may recognize the name Ryan) have been based on her autobiography / graphic novel, A Jenntle Touch. Jenn joined the Causes team "to guide and defend what I see as the fastest-growing global power in the world today." Her skills in espionage have not gone unnoticed, with no fewer than three assassinations thwarted by her sharp mind and steady hand.

Jenny Griffith

Jenny Griffith Visual Designer

Underwhelmed by the state-of-the-art in cupcake decoration, Jenny dropped right into the thick of things, mixing it up with new techniques and cutting-edge imagery. Describing her work as “gonzo journalism for your mouth”, she pushed poignant and sometime psychadelic cupcakes past the capabilities of traditional frosting methods and began to employ Photoshop and 3D printing to construct her pieces. In 2007, the network of Griffith Frosteries had become so deeply embedded in San Francisco's Mission district that it hampered gang operations, leading to a series of arsons and missing persons. Jenny struck back with the assistance of the FBI and a brilliant cupcake-aided sting operation, ultimately crippling 35% of the city's criminal supply chains. Victory in hand, Jenny sold her baked goods empire for an undisclosed sum and devoted her artistic efforts to more charitable means of ending California's underground violence.

Jessica Dahl

Jessica Dahl Campaigns Director

"Jessica" is definitely not at all a government spy. Seriously. Why would you think she is? I mean sure, she █████████████ foreign ███████, she has ███████████, she worked in DC, there are ████████████ with █████████████, and this one day at lunch an assassin tried to take her down and she incapacitated him in seconds, but that was the adrenaline taking control. Besides, her business cards very clearly state that she is "Campaigns Director" and nothing more.

Jon Adams

Jon Adams Senior Visual Designer

Jon Adams was an orphan from ages two to six and then again from six-and-a-half to seventeen. At age eighteen he was able to legally adopt himself through a loophole in the Connecticut childcare system, thus becoming his own father. Still though, he was motherless. Unable to marry for the fear that whoever he chose as his bride would also awkwardly become his mother, Jon put himself up for adoption once again. Now, at least, he is free to love.

Josh Persky

Josh Persky Office Manager

Referred to by last name only, Persky has spent a vast majority of his 28 years fascinated by the various people and places that comprise our global community. Born and raised in Los Angeles, and a proud graduate of the University of Arizona, he has spent the last six years working in professional sports. Josh has two missions at Causes: to better communities on a local and global level through acts of selflessness and charity, and to reassure his Dodger-loving friends back home that he will never, ever, ever support the Giants. Ever.

Kim Mason

Kim Mason Software Engineer

Kim Mason, originally from Australia, now calls America his home. Having turned his back on the land that raised him to become an American Engineer, he has decided to prove his love for America by having the face of every President tattooed around his waist. He’s calling it his “President belt.” He hopes to live long enough to have President suspenders and perhaps a President ascot. When asked about Australia, Kim will touch his fingers to your lips and say, “No. Never again.”

Lilia Markham

Lilia Markham Software Engineer

Before working at Causes, Lilia was a talented seamstress who sewed the most beautiful four-legged pants, for horses. Horse owners from all over the land would travel great distances to beg her to dress their horses, until one day when one man asked, “Can you make my horse pretty?” Lilia answered, “Not that horse. Besides, I’ve devoted my life to Causes now.” The man replied, “Please, my horse can’t bear to go on like this.” But Lilia quickly left that life behind, and that’s why all the horses you see today are naked.

Mark Wasserman

Mark Wasserman Director of Visual Design

Mark grew up in San Francisco, and was introduced to the world of design through a slightly unhealthy obsession with fonts and noise rock concert posters. For ten years, he and his wife ran their own design firm, Plinko, working on a wide variety of print and web projects. Mark also co-founded ffwd, a web video startup where he quickly learned what makes products compelling… and what doesn’t. At home, he enjoys a steady stream of lightsaber battles, drawing, and Lego building. Sometimes he even lets his kids join him.

Noah Silas

Noah Silas Engineer

It's not easy being one of the Huldufólk, but Noah manages well. Typically viewed with suspicion, the Huldufólk are frequently blamed for machines malfunctioning or small items vanishing and reappearing in a different place than you swear you left them. To avoid trouble, Noah keeps his desk empty of clutter, though he does have an odd knack for remembering where you put down your sunglasses.

Phil Patriarca

Phil Patriarca Business Development

A recent MBA graduate, Phil joins us from the Golden Gate Park University, Panhandle Campus, where he learned that “it is far better to make change than beg for it.”

Rob Goetz

Rob Goetz Software Engineer

Back in college, Rob made dozens of dollars as the inventor of the Whisk-E-Pac®, a whiskey-filled backpack (imagine one of those beer hats, but a backpack filled with whiskey) – the perfect accessory for hikers and bike messengers. Despite his riches, he has chosen to work at Causes to help improve the world, especially after all the damage his Whisk-E-Pac® has done.

Rocky Beach

Rocky Beach Community Manager

Rocky is not rocky at all. His smooth, almost cloud-like skin is a pleasure to touch and often becomes the subject of water cooler conversations. “I brushed against Rocky in the elevator,” an engineer will say, smiling. Rocky was twice voted Smoothest Surface by an impromptu gathering of people on the street and sometimes his clothes slide right off as though he’s covered in butter.

Russell Pickett

Russell Pickett Engineer

Russell managed to stumble into being a “Webmaster” back in the dark ages when the word was first invented, and has never completely recovered. Most recently, he worked as a code wrangler for craigslist, helping steer it from being San Francisco’s go-to classifieds site to being a worldwide juggernaut of apartment rentals, used appliances, and bad dates. He’s delighted to be at Causes helping the world help the world.

Shannon Riley

Shannon Riley Account Executive

The Odonceti are a proud race of seafaring hunters and traders. Indigenous to the Bering Sea, they are most notable for their enormous lung capacity and ability to remain immersed in sub-zero water for upwards of three hours. These talents make the Odonceti fearsome raiders, capable of emerging at a moments notice from the inky blackness of the sea atop their Narwhal steeds. Though threatened by warming oceans, many groups are adapting well to milder climates and finding new niches as far south as the shores of Hokkaido. Shannon is the first of her family to leave the comforts of the ocean for a career on land, though she admits to feeling right at home among New York's cozy wintertime snow banks.

Steven Dee

Steven Dee Engineer

Steven rose to fame after being featured in a popular Milton Bradley jigsaw puzzle. Due to a printing error, the puzzle was unsolvable and hundreds of frustrated puzzle-solvers filed a class-action lawsuit. The missing puzzle piece was located exactly in the location of Steve’s mouth, resulting in the media labeling him “Puzzlemouth.” His fame spawned several internet memes and, eventually, his own reality show, Seducing American Puzzlemouth. Steve was forgotten when that video of the singing cow surfaced.

Susan Gordon

Susan Gordon Director of Nonprofit Services

Susan joined the Causes team back in March 2007, long before we had fancy things like catering, a blog, or even a name. Before that, she worked as a political organizer, communications specialist for a women’s nonprofit in Cambodia, and leader of an organization providing outdoor activities and mentors for rural youth in New Hampshire. She received her B.A. in History from Dartmouth, where she focused on issues of race, ethnicity, and immigration.

Syd Fleischer

Syd Fleischer Director of Community & Support

An east coast transplant from Bethesda, Maryland, Syd earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from Pomona College, focusing in postmodern Jewish philosophy and aesthetics. Syd brings a range of skills and interests to the Causes team, particularly her expertise as a wrangler — of horses, cattle, small children, sailboats, larger children, ultimate Frisbee players, software engineers, and millions of Causes users.

Whitney Black

Whitney Black Executive Assistant

Whitney's origins are unknown, though some suspect inter-dimensional travel or an alien breeding program. A 1994 photograph places her on stage at The Superhighway Summit behind Vice President Al Gore, while later sightings include Mt. Everest's Camp III and a crowd scene in Inception. Many believe Whitney has more control at Causes than anyone lets on, and her ultimate goals are the subject of much hushed discussion.

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© Causes 2012. Anyone can change the world.