Giving Assistant - Meet the Team

Meet our team

Who exactly is behind Giving Assistant? A fast-growing, diverse team obsessed with giving back! Giving Assistant was founded in 2014 by five human beings who wear their big ol' hearts on their sleeves with one single mission: to transform everyday shopping into charitable giving. Our team is committed to raising $17 million for charitable organizations by 2020. We're a mission driven, for-profit, Certified B Corp company and we aim to have a positive social impact across the globe. Our team has grown tremendously over the years. Here are a few facts about our team that we're pretty proud about:

Combined, we have over 35 years of experience working at nonprofits.
14 of us have volunteered abroad or created a fundraiser for a nonprofit.
3 of us have worked at other B Corps.
We enjoy 2 company-wide volunteer days per year.
12 of us have pets. (Ziggy is Chief Belly-Rub Officer!)
100% of us use Giving Assistant to support a nonprofit.

I drove Coolio to one of his concerts

James Gray
Co-Founder | Chief Giver

I grew up next to an alligator farm in Southern Louisiana

Katie Horgan
Co-Founder | VP of Operations

I once jumped out of an airplane at 11,500 feet

Scott Everson
Co-Founder | VP of Engineering

Lauren Makiyevskiy

I used to attend circus school for flying trapeze.

Lauren Makiyevskiy
VP of Partnerships and Business Development

I was a competitve Irish Dancer for 8 years

Alison Edwards
Customer Happiness Manager

If I went to Hogwarts, I'd be in Gryffindor

Amanda Chun
Nonprofit Partnerships Manager

I am allergic to the cold, really. It's a medical condition

Amanda Witt
Nonprofit Partnerships Manager

Andrew Sorensen

I've never eaten at Cheesecake Factory

Andrew Sorensen
Product Manager

I discuss my most important life decisions with my dog

Ariel Camino
Software Engineer

Started a year ago and became windsurfing addict, I only travel where there is water and wind

Carlos Minatti
Software Engineer

I always have at least 8 different varieties of nut butters stocked in my pantry

Caroline Vivat
Business Development Manager

Giovanni Scorzello

I play the guitar

Giovanni Scorzello
QA Engineer

I once owned 20+ bitcoin

Han Tan
Software Engineer

I can eat cheesesteak every day

Huseyin Yilmaz
Software Engineer

I have a pet chameleon named Jumanji

Ian Robertson
Graphic Designer

I have three Simpson's tattoos...for now...

Javier Tolj
Software Engineer

I was stung by a stingray on my birthday

Jenni Cassidy
Director of Brand Partnerships

I skiied 83 days in one ski season while living in Jackson, WY

John McMahon
Director of Product

I know how to weld.

Leah Tichansky
Account Manager

My brother and I were born on the same date 4 years apart

Luis Sanchez
Director of Engineering - Remote Team

I can quote "Arrested Development" verbatim

Luke Weston
Software Engineer

I'm a hip hop dancer

Magalí Bejar
Product Manager

Mariano Capielo

The first time I sang live was for 300 people at a company holiday party

Mariano Capielo
Software Engineer

I used to play rugby

Mariano Gomez
Software Engineer

I am award-winning pie baker, with a pie crust recipe handed down from great-grandma Tweety

Mariel Caroll
Nonprofit Product Designer

I haven’t eaten anything with eyes for 10 years.

Marlene Wuest
Senior SEO Specialist

I was a mascot at Disneyland

Marlo Miller
Operations Associate

I raise Guide Dog Puppies

Mary Hooke
Director of Engineering - Local Team

I dropped my phone from the top of Machu Picchu while taking a selfie

Matias Diez
QA Engineer

I used to be a Salsa teacher and dancer

Mauro Gava
Software Engineer

Melissa Glidden

I’m embarrassingly bad at Scrabble

Melissa Glidden
Communications Manager

I was a nationally published poet at age 11

Michael Keller
Nonprofit Product Manager

Jake Gyllenhaal once met me

Mike Biller
Senior Brand Partnerships Manager

I have an actor credit on IMDB

Mike Shallop
Software Engineer

I won a chess tournament without having played before, ever

Nestor Britez
Software Engineer

I used to work in an air traffic control tower

Niklas Vaughan
Technical Project Manager

I have the same birthday as Notorious B.I.G.

Raquel Romero
People and Business Operations Manager

I used to manage heavy machinery installations in various automotive plants

Sam Hastings
Software Engineer

I’m an avid couponer

Stephanie Yang
Email Marketing Manager

I have spots on my tongue

Ziggy Romero
Chief Belly Rub Officer