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. 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 Strategic Partnerships

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
Senior Social Impact Manager

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

Amanda Witt
Social Impact Manager

I used to teach Latin and hip hop dance to youth in SF schools.

Andres Acosta
Director of Design

I was a semi-finalist on master chef.

Ashley North
Senior Marketing Strategist

I love to participate in team meetings by barking while everyone else claps!

Barney Everson
Chief Zoomies Officer

I love sourdough bread making ...the six pack can wait

Brandon Yu
Release 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

Daniel Talavera

I've attended San Diego Comic Con consecutively for the last 15 years.

Daniel Talavera
Email Marketing Strategist

I was hit by a bus — and (happy to report) survived it.

Dudley Emmert
Senior Product Manager

Giovanni Scorzello

I play the guitar

Giovanni Scorzello
QA Engineer

I’ve stepped on over 3 nails and counting…

Greg Brice
Sales Engineer

I once owned 20+ bitcoin

Han Tan
Senior Software Engineer

I can eat cheesesteak every day

Huseyin Yilmaz
Software Engineer

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 love long flights, breakfast foods and Irish Whiskey.

Kait Rikkers
Sr. Director of Marketing & Growth

Katrina Chidambaram

I was an accessories designer for a brand called MissPlucky

Katrina Chidambaram
Affiliate Operations Specialist

I skied 5 days a week for a whole season!

Kaylee Feldt
Brand Partnerships Manager

I'm also a mechanic!

Kitt Mattison
Email Marketing Coordinator

I know how to weld

Leah Tichansky
Senior Account Manager

Signed up for a 350 mile charity bike ride without owning a bike and finished it!

Luis Sanchez
Director of Engineering

I can quote "Arrested Development" verbatim

Luke Weston
Tech Lead, Brands

I'm a hip hop dancer

Magalí Bejar
Product Manager, Brands

Marianella Orellana

I once won a Karaoke contest with “I Will Survive”

Marianella Orellana
Senior Executive Assistant/Office Manager

Mariano Capielo

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

Mariano Capielo
Tech Lead, Nonprofits

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 Carroll
Product Designer, Nonprofits

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

Marlene Wuest
Senior SEO Specialist

I was a mascot at Disneyland

Marlo Miller
People Operations Associate

I raise Guide Dog Puppies

Mary Hooke
Senior Director of Engineering

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
Nonprofit Communications Manager

I was a nationally published poet at age 11

Michael Keller
Product Manager, Nonprofits

Jake Gyllenhaal once met me

Mike Biller
Senior Brand Partnerships Manager

I have an actor credit on IMDB

Mike Shallop
Software Engineer

I swam with dolphins in the wild in Hawaii!

Monica Ku
Director of Ad Operations

I have a dog, a grumpy cat, and a baby, and they all love each other. Emphasis on grumpy!

Mursil Makhani
Director of Data

I won a chess tournament without having played before, ever

Nestor Britez
Tech Lead, Shoppers

I spent an entire day watching soccer

Nicolas Tudela
Software Engineer

I used to work in an air traffic control tower

Niklas Vaughan
Technical Project Manager

I love to going to comedies shows, especially at the Cobb’s Comedy Club!

Nina Pham
People Operations Associate

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

Raquel Romero
Director of People Operations

I’ve been a working drummer for the last 20+ years.

Sage Baggott
Senior Front End Engineer

I used to manage heavy machinery installations in various automotive plants

Sam Hastings
Tech Lead, Extension

I'm a terrible singer but I do it with attitude to compensate

Santiago Diaz
QA Engineer

Stephanie Zandecki

I'm a certified yoga instructor

Stephanie Zandecki
Senior SEO Specialist

I have a bunny named Waffles

Teresa Galido
Performance Marketing Manager

I eat chipotle at least once a week

Terrance Lee
Ad Operations Coordinator

I have spots on my tongue.

Ziggy Romero
Chief Belly Rub Officer