WHO WE ARE
we are hardworking americans who want to support other hardworking americans.
we are teachers, writers, engineers, bartenders, and business owners. we are not billionaires or millionaires. some of us are barely thousand-aires. but we're all tired of politicians just talking about helping the working man and yada yada. we want to do something. and we are all willing to put our literal money where our proverbial mouths are to get it done.
here are some of our names:
chisa hutchinson, founder
chisa is a playwright and a professor who grew up poor and determined in newark, nj. she seems to always be meeting people who offer her opportunities to change her life for the better, so this is her way of paying it forward.
jenny allen, general advisor
Jenny is the Director of Strategic Advancement for SkyTruth, a nonprofit that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to map and monitor threats to the environment. Appointed in 2010 by then Governor Joe Manchin, she is also a member of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the body that develops and oversees the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s baccalaureate institutions. Jenny has served on numerous boards including the Contemporary American Theater Festival, New Dramatists, the West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation and North Country School/Camp Treetops. Jenny has participated in panels for the Theatre Communications Group and for the National Endowment for the Arts and is an active fundraiser for Democrats at the state and federal levels.
yvette carrasco, general advisor
Yvette saw college as a way out of her hometown and after about a decade long journey she got her B.S. and settled in the Bay Area, CA as a Research Associate. Her grandparents took care of their families through hard work such as picking cotton and fruit, providing housekeeping and other manual labor. Her father worked construction until becoming disabled on the job. Having always believed people hold power she was grateful for the opportunities The Bedrock Initiative offered; both for herself to be involved and for the communities it could support.
cheryl davis, general advisor
Cheryl, raised in Mt. Vernon, NY, is now an attorney and playwright in NYC. She thinks it is part of the job of government (indeed, of any viable society) to help those in need, and she is willing to put time and effort where her mouth is. "Justice" should never mean "just us".
jahi gist, general advisor
Jahi became a Biomedical Engineer to improve lives while playing with gadgets. He is equal parts project leader and technical type. (He has worked on a range of devices, including wound care, surgical instruments and breastpumps.) He has experience to share with anyone developing something new, from early idea generation to post-launch. Some also say he is decent at choosing the right words for tense conversations. Jahi supports the Bedrock Initiative because ALL of his successes have been coupled with the kind support of others.
tony gore, general advisor
Tony was born and raised Southern New Jersey. He has a diverse background in IT, Project Management, Education and Computer Graphics. Currently he teaches STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, arts, math) courses as High School Computer Science teacher as, well as working part time as a lecturer at Rutgers University. Tony's life experience has allowed him to live amongst and work with people that span the complete economic spectrum. Sometimes the only thing that separates the haves and the have nots is circumstance and opportunity. While there are ways to change your circumstances through hard work, opportunities can often be hard to come by. The Bedrock Initiative is a great place to start by giving the right individuals the right opportunity to change their and their community's circumstances.
Renee jones, GENERAL ADVISOR
BIO TO COME.
vanessa kai, general advisor
Vanessa is an actor, collaborator and a 1.5 generation Asian American native New Yorker. Vanessa is incredibly grateful that she and her family have been able to live a thriving life - and it all started with Opportunity. Some of her relatives worked in sweat shops. Her mother worked in immigration bonds and her father was an auto-mechanic - all of this with the goal to live and have a good life. Everyone deserves that. Vanessa is grateful to be involved with The Bedrock Initiative and for the opportunity to help create opportunities for others.
romita muKerjee, general advisor
Romita is a nephrologist (kidney specialist) in central Florida. She was born in Chicago and grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the daughter of Indian immigrants who moved to North America in the 1960s. They started from scratch and built a good life for their family, teaching the value of hard work and education. However, Romita also recognized early on that these values alone do not ensure success. That individual prosperity is often limited by social inequity. Indeed, Romita's interest in nephrology was fueled in part by her desire to study and address health disparities, since kidney disease disproportionately affects poor minorities. Similarly, she is excited to participate in The Bedrock Initiative due to its commitment to support local entrepreneurs who may have otherwise been overlooked by the existing system, but whose ideas and skills could help their communities to flourish once again.
rebekah ward, general advisor
Rebekah Ward is a nomad. She was born and raised in Huntington, WV and found her tribe in Chicago and LA. She loves her Mountain ways and Mountain blood as much as she loves the front lines of the fight for Equity and Justice.
david lee white, general advisor
David Lee White is a writer, theatre artist, and educator from St. Louis, currently living in New Jersey. For 14 years he was the Associate Artistic Director in charge of Community Programs at Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ. He supports the Bedrock Initiative because he believes that real change can only take place when everyone has employment opportunity equality.
BROOKE WILLIAMS, GENERAL ADVISOR
Brooke is a native Oregonian who has made Seattle her home for over a decade with her software engineer husband, first-grade son and sweet, aging dog. Brooke is a huge fan (and college friend!) of Chisa's; She's *thrilled* that they reconnected through theater last fall, and now have an opportunity to work together on economic empowerment through The Bedrock Initiative.
Brooke is a community volunteer with a background in law and public policy, and is focused on using her volunteer time, philanthropic giving, and networks to advance social justice, racial equity, and early learning quality and access. She's an active partner at Social Venture Partners Seattle, serves on the boards of Child Care Resources and Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, and helps shape the public policy platform at United Way of King County. She is also a home cook, kid wrangler, avid reader (#WeNeedDiverseBooks), and is always happier when she's with a dog or two.
Brooke holds a B.A. from Vassar College and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. Please feel free to connect with Brooke via email or on LinkedIn!
lisa dughi, BUSINESS ADVISOR
BIO TO COME.
SEANNE FALCONER, BUSINESS advisor
Seanne Falconer, MBA is the Executive Director and Associate Cancer Center Director for Administration for the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. Ms. Falconer holds a Masters of Business Administration from Yale University with a concentration in NonProfit Management and a Bachelors of Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Madison with majors in Accounting and Management & Human Resources. With over 15-years of organizational and financial leadership, Ms. Falconer leads an organization of over 500 research and clinical faculty and staff with oversight for the finances, operations, human resources, marketing, and research support for an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Prior to her role a the University of Minnesota she had leadership roles at Harvard Medical School as part of the administration of the Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center; served as an agribusiness volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps, working with dairy/sheep/swine farmers, micro lenders, and social service agencies; and as the Director of Program Analysis & Development with the community development organization, Empower New Haven.
She's involved in The Bedrock Initiative because during the course of assisting entrepreneurs and micro lending agencies during her time in the Peace Corps - Moldova, she saw firsthand the impact of a dedicated, experienced and encouraging mentor on a budding entrepreneur and his/her family and community.
megan kingery, BUSINESS advisor
Megan is a producer of stories on stage, screens, and print, and a storyteller and strategy consultant for brand in a variety of industries. She is currently the creative producer of Blue Man Group's first book BLUE MAN WORLD, a co-producer on the Broadway hit NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, and has brought financing to shows such as FUN HOME and HAND TO GOD on Broadway, and MAT FRANCO: MAGIC REINVENTED NIGHTLY in Las Vegas. Previously as Director of Operations for Science House, Megan managed a series of pitch meetings where she worked with startups to refine their messaging for a general audience.
andrea lepcio, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Andrea is a playwright and writing coach. She has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and spent 20 years working on Wall Street and in banking analyzing markets and deals. She is also a Trustee of the Open Meadows Foundation. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, was a Dramatists Guild Fellow and served as the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program Director for ten years. She lives and teaches in Maine. Andrea believes in people and is excited to read your proposals.
rich robles, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Rich migrated to the U.S. from Guatemala at the age of 17 to pursue a better future. He now finds himself in an adventurous, happy marriage with four healthy and wicked smart girls. His measure of success is contemplating his driveway full of chalk drawings and the loud laughs at the dinner table every night. During the day he is an executive coach and consultant with the Center for Intentional Leadership where he helps leaders lead remarkable organizations and meaningful lives. He has held senior level roles in Fortune 100 companies where he advised and led work in mergers and acquisitions and organizational culture change.
IVAN AND ARI venezia-zahemski, business advisorS
Ivan Zahemski and Ari Venezia-Zahemski started Vanguard Energy Services 6 years ago, out of a desire to monetize doing good, and to not have to count vacation days. They customize Renewable Energy Solutions and Utility Reduction Measures by designing Green Solutions for everyone from local pizza joints, to international multi-million corporations. They have grown, changed direction and reinvented themselves both personally and in the business and are incredibly excited to be part of someone else's amazing journey. Even a bad ass needs a little help once in a while. Just ask Ivan and Ari, they are OG Bad Asses for sure.
CHRISTINA WALLACE, BUSINESS advisor
Christina Wallace is currently the Vice President of Growth at Bionic, an enterprise growth solution for Fortune 500 companies using venture capital and entrepreneurship as a form of management. she founded and serves as advisor to BridgeUp: STEM, a new educational division at the American Museum of Natural History with a mission to propel girls and women into computer science. She is also a contributor to Forbes.com and is the co-host of The Limit Does Not Exist, a FORBES podcast focused on the intersection of STEM and creativity.
CHRISTINA regularly speaks, writes, and consults on a wide range of topics, ranging from failure to an interdisciplinary lens on innovation. Mashable called her one of “44 Female Founders to Know” and Refinery29 named her one of the "Most Powerful Women in NYC Tech." She has been profiled in Elle, Marie Claire, the Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, among others. SHE HOLDS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN MATHEMATICS AND THEATER FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY AND AN MBA FROM HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL.
reza watts, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Reza is currently a Vice-President at BMO Capital Markets and advises corporate and financial sponsor clients in complex leveraged financing transactions, in particular leveraged buyout financings, recapitalizations and refinancings. his work on behalf of these clients includes syndicated financing transactions and private placements, acquisition financing, asset-based financing, first and second lien debt transactions, high-yield debt issuances, loan assignments and participations.
In addition to his work on behalf of clients, Mr. Watts dedicates time to civic and community organizations and served as the Co-founder of the Junior Board of Directors of Beginning with Children Foundation, which advocates for public education reform and runs multiple charter schools in Brooklyn, NY. He previously served as a member of the Young Collectors Council for the Guggenheim Museum. REZA FIRMLY BELIEVEs that MICRO-FINANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY-EFFORTS, IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR BUILDING BUSINESSES. MICRO-FINANCE APPLIED CREATIVELY AND THROUGH ENGAGEMENT PROVIDES FAIR ACCESS TO FUNDS, BUILDS SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES, AND CREATES NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES DIRECTLY IN THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.
Reza was raised in New Jersey but has completely transitioned to a Brooklynite, including the tight fitting pants and oversized glasses (also a wife and baby). He holds a bachelor’s degree in policy analysis and management and a masters in finance and fiscal policy from Cornell University as well as an MBA from Columbia University.
ann welch, business advisor
currently Chief Operating Officer at Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA, Ann has devoted her career to building infrastructure for creatives to do what they do best: turn bold visions into reality. She is truly inspired by those brave people who start their own businesses and follow their professional dreams even when there isn't an obvious path forward. With an MBA from Yale and over a decade of consulting, fundraising, business management, and operations experience, Ann has worked in cities as urban as New York and as weird as Austin, TX, and regions as a rural as southwest Georgia and densely built as Boston. She is excited to work with the entrepreneurs of the Bedrock Initiative and help them create new ventures that will add value to their local economies.
kyle winslow, business advisor
BIO TO COME.
SARAH GANCHER, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
BIO TO COME.
(more coming soon.)
we are teachers, writers, engineers, bartenders, and business owners. we are not billionaires or millionaires. some of us are barely thousand-aires. but we're all tired of politicians just talking about helping the working man and yada yada. we want to do something. and we are all willing to put our literal money where our proverbial mouths are to get it done.
here are some of our names:
chisa hutchinson, founder
chisa is a playwright and a professor who grew up poor and determined in newark, nj. she seems to always be meeting people who offer her opportunities to change her life for the better, so this is her way of paying it forward.
jenny allen, general advisor
Jenny is the Director of Strategic Advancement for SkyTruth, a nonprofit that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to map and monitor threats to the environment. Appointed in 2010 by then Governor Joe Manchin, she is also a member of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the body that develops and oversees the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s baccalaureate institutions. Jenny has served on numerous boards including the Contemporary American Theater Festival, New Dramatists, the West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation and North Country School/Camp Treetops. Jenny has participated in panels for the Theatre Communications Group and for the National Endowment for the Arts and is an active fundraiser for Democrats at the state and federal levels.
yvette carrasco, general advisor
Yvette saw college as a way out of her hometown and after about a decade long journey she got her B.S. and settled in the Bay Area, CA as a Research Associate. Her grandparents took care of their families through hard work such as picking cotton and fruit, providing housekeeping and other manual labor. Her father worked construction until becoming disabled on the job. Having always believed people hold power she was grateful for the opportunities The Bedrock Initiative offered; both for herself to be involved and for the communities it could support.
cheryl davis, general advisor
Cheryl, raised in Mt. Vernon, NY, is now an attorney and playwright in NYC. She thinks it is part of the job of government (indeed, of any viable society) to help those in need, and she is willing to put time and effort where her mouth is. "Justice" should never mean "just us".
jahi gist, general advisor
Jahi became a Biomedical Engineer to improve lives while playing with gadgets. He is equal parts project leader and technical type. (He has worked on a range of devices, including wound care, surgical instruments and breastpumps.) He has experience to share with anyone developing something new, from early idea generation to post-launch. Some also say he is decent at choosing the right words for tense conversations. Jahi supports the Bedrock Initiative because ALL of his successes have been coupled with the kind support of others.
tony gore, general advisor
Tony was born and raised Southern New Jersey. He has a diverse background in IT, Project Management, Education and Computer Graphics. Currently he teaches STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, arts, math) courses as High School Computer Science teacher as, well as working part time as a lecturer at Rutgers University. Tony's life experience has allowed him to live amongst and work with people that span the complete economic spectrum. Sometimes the only thing that separates the haves and the have nots is circumstance and opportunity. While there are ways to change your circumstances through hard work, opportunities can often be hard to come by. The Bedrock Initiative is a great place to start by giving the right individuals the right opportunity to change their and their community's circumstances.
Renee jones, GENERAL ADVISOR
BIO TO COME.
vanessa kai, general advisor
Vanessa is an actor, collaborator and a 1.5 generation Asian American native New Yorker. Vanessa is incredibly grateful that she and her family have been able to live a thriving life - and it all started with Opportunity. Some of her relatives worked in sweat shops. Her mother worked in immigration bonds and her father was an auto-mechanic - all of this with the goal to live and have a good life. Everyone deserves that. Vanessa is grateful to be involved with The Bedrock Initiative and for the opportunity to help create opportunities for others.
romita muKerjee, general advisor
Romita is a nephrologist (kidney specialist) in central Florida. She was born in Chicago and grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the daughter of Indian immigrants who moved to North America in the 1960s. They started from scratch and built a good life for their family, teaching the value of hard work and education. However, Romita also recognized early on that these values alone do not ensure success. That individual prosperity is often limited by social inequity. Indeed, Romita's interest in nephrology was fueled in part by her desire to study and address health disparities, since kidney disease disproportionately affects poor minorities. Similarly, she is excited to participate in The Bedrock Initiative due to its commitment to support local entrepreneurs who may have otherwise been overlooked by the existing system, but whose ideas and skills could help their communities to flourish once again.
rebekah ward, general advisor
Rebekah Ward is a nomad. She was born and raised in Huntington, WV and found her tribe in Chicago and LA. She loves her Mountain ways and Mountain blood as much as she loves the front lines of the fight for Equity and Justice.
david lee white, general advisor
David Lee White is a writer, theatre artist, and educator from St. Louis, currently living in New Jersey. For 14 years he was the Associate Artistic Director in charge of Community Programs at Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ. He supports the Bedrock Initiative because he believes that real change can only take place when everyone has employment opportunity equality.
BROOKE WILLIAMS, GENERAL ADVISOR
Brooke is a native Oregonian who has made Seattle her home for over a decade with her software engineer husband, first-grade son and sweet, aging dog. Brooke is a huge fan (and college friend!) of Chisa's; She's *thrilled* that they reconnected through theater last fall, and now have an opportunity to work together on economic empowerment through The Bedrock Initiative.
Brooke is a community volunteer with a background in law and public policy, and is focused on using her volunteer time, philanthropic giving, and networks to advance social justice, racial equity, and early learning quality and access. She's an active partner at Social Venture Partners Seattle, serves on the boards of Child Care Resources and Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, and helps shape the public policy platform at United Way of King County. She is also a home cook, kid wrangler, avid reader (#WeNeedDiverseBooks), and is always happier when she's with a dog or two.
Brooke holds a B.A. from Vassar College and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. Please feel free to connect with Brooke via email or on LinkedIn!
lisa dughi, BUSINESS ADVISOR
BIO TO COME.
SEANNE FALCONER, BUSINESS advisor
Seanne Falconer, MBA is the Executive Director and Associate Cancer Center Director for Administration for the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. Ms. Falconer holds a Masters of Business Administration from Yale University with a concentration in NonProfit Management and a Bachelors of Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Madison with majors in Accounting and Management & Human Resources. With over 15-years of organizational and financial leadership, Ms. Falconer leads an organization of over 500 research and clinical faculty and staff with oversight for the finances, operations, human resources, marketing, and research support for an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Prior to her role a the University of Minnesota she had leadership roles at Harvard Medical School as part of the administration of the Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center; served as an agribusiness volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps, working with dairy/sheep/swine farmers, micro lenders, and social service agencies; and as the Director of Program Analysis & Development with the community development organization, Empower New Haven.
She's involved in The Bedrock Initiative because during the course of assisting entrepreneurs and micro lending agencies during her time in the Peace Corps - Moldova, she saw firsthand the impact of a dedicated, experienced and encouraging mentor on a budding entrepreneur and his/her family and community.
megan kingery, BUSINESS advisor
Megan is a producer of stories on stage, screens, and print, and a storyteller and strategy consultant for brand in a variety of industries. She is currently the creative producer of Blue Man Group's first book BLUE MAN WORLD, a co-producer on the Broadway hit NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, and has brought financing to shows such as FUN HOME and HAND TO GOD on Broadway, and MAT FRANCO: MAGIC REINVENTED NIGHTLY in Las Vegas. Previously as Director of Operations for Science House, Megan managed a series of pitch meetings where she worked with startups to refine their messaging for a general audience.
andrea lepcio, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Andrea is a playwright and writing coach. She has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and spent 20 years working on Wall Street and in banking analyzing markets and deals. She is also a Trustee of the Open Meadows Foundation. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, was a Dramatists Guild Fellow and served as the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program Director for ten years. She lives and teaches in Maine. Andrea believes in people and is excited to read your proposals.
rich robles, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Rich migrated to the U.S. from Guatemala at the age of 17 to pursue a better future. He now finds himself in an adventurous, happy marriage with four healthy and wicked smart girls. His measure of success is contemplating his driveway full of chalk drawings and the loud laughs at the dinner table every night. During the day he is an executive coach and consultant with the Center for Intentional Leadership where he helps leaders lead remarkable organizations and meaningful lives. He has held senior level roles in Fortune 100 companies where he advised and led work in mergers and acquisitions and organizational culture change.
IVAN AND ARI venezia-zahemski, business advisorS
Ivan Zahemski and Ari Venezia-Zahemski started Vanguard Energy Services 6 years ago, out of a desire to monetize doing good, and to not have to count vacation days. They customize Renewable Energy Solutions and Utility Reduction Measures by designing Green Solutions for everyone from local pizza joints, to international multi-million corporations. They have grown, changed direction and reinvented themselves both personally and in the business and are incredibly excited to be part of someone else's amazing journey. Even a bad ass needs a little help once in a while. Just ask Ivan and Ari, they are OG Bad Asses for sure.
CHRISTINA WALLACE, BUSINESS advisor
Christina Wallace is currently the Vice President of Growth at Bionic, an enterprise growth solution for Fortune 500 companies using venture capital and entrepreneurship as a form of management. she founded and serves as advisor to BridgeUp: STEM, a new educational division at the American Museum of Natural History with a mission to propel girls and women into computer science. She is also a contributor to Forbes.com and is the co-host of The Limit Does Not Exist, a FORBES podcast focused on the intersection of STEM and creativity.
CHRISTINA regularly speaks, writes, and consults on a wide range of topics, ranging from failure to an interdisciplinary lens on innovation. Mashable called her one of “44 Female Founders to Know” and Refinery29 named her one of the "Most Powerful Women in NYC Tech." She has been profiled in Elle, Marie Claire, the Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, among others. SHE HOLDS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN MATHEMATICS AND THEATER FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY AND AN MBA FROM HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL.
reza watts, BUSINESS ADVISOR
Reza is currently a Vice-President at BMO Capital Markets and advises corporate and financial sponsor clients in complex leveraged financing transactions, in particular leveraged buyout financings, recapitalizations and refinancings. his work on behalf of these clients includes syndicated financing transactions and private placements, acquisition financing, asset-based financing, first and second lien debt transactions, high-yield debt issuances, loan assignments and participations.
In addition to his work on behalf of clients, Mr. Watts dedicates time to civic and community organizations and served as the Co-founder of the Junior Board of Directors of Beginning with Children Foundation, which advocates for public education reform and runs multiple charter schools in Brooklyn, NY. He previously served as a member of the Young Collectors Council for the Guggenheim Museum. REZA FIRMLY BELIEVEs that MICRO-FINANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY-EFFORTS, IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR BUILDING BUSINESSES. MICRO-FINANCE APPLIED CREATIVELY AND THROUGH ENGAGEMENT PROVIDES FAIR ACCESS TO FUNDS, BUILDS SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES, AND CREATES NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES DIRECTLY IN THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.
Reza was raised in New Jersey but has completely transitioned to a Brooklynite, including the tight fitting pants and oversized glasses (also a wife and baby). He holds a bachelor’s degree in policy analysis and management and a masters in finance and fiscal policy from Cornell University as well as an MBA from Columbia University.
ann welch, business advisor
currently Chief Operating Officer at Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA, Ann has devoted her career to building infrastructure for creatives to do what they do best: turn bold visions into reality. She is truly inspired by those brave people who start their own businesses and follow their professional dreams even when there isn't an obvious path forward. With an MBA from Yale and over a decade of consulting, fundraising, business management, and operations experience, Ann has worked in cities as urban as New York and as weird as Austin, TX, and regions as a rural as southwest Georgia and densely built as Boston. She is excited to work with the entrepreneurs of the Bedrock Initiative and help them create new ventures that will add value to their local economies.
kyle winslow, business advisor
BIO TO COME.
SARAH GANCHER, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
BIO TO COME.
(more coming soon.)
