About

Ben Kaufman

CEO/Founder

Ben is the 25-year-old founder and CEO of Quirky. His entrepreneurial journey started during his senior year of high school with a second mortgage on his parents’ house and the founding of an iPod accessory company called mophie. Shortly after mophie won “Best of Show” at MacWorld 2006, Ben discovered his passion for involving people around the world in the development of new consumer products. The rapid growth of the mophie brand led to its acquisition in August of 2007, which allowed Ben to focus his efforts on bringing his idea of ‘social product development’ to the next level. After two years of research and development on the unique technology platform that became the foundation of his future work, Ben publicly launched Quirky in June of 2009. A passionate and opinionated speaker, Ben talks Quirky, products and design to audiences around the world. His work has landed him in hundreds of newspapers (New York Times, USA Today, New York Observer), magazines (Business Week, Entrepreneur, WIRED) and TV networks (CNBC, FOX Business News, The Today Show). In 2007, Inc Magazine named Ben the top entrepreneur in the country under the age of 30. He was 20 at the time. Other than participating in the development of awesome new products, Ben’s favorite things include his niece Lily, Jay-Z, cool kicks and black t-shirts.

John Lott

CFO/COO

With more than 20 years of experience in finance and operations, John has a demonstrated record of achieving critical results in high-growth and turnaround environments. Before leading Quirky’s Finance/Operations team, John was the Senior Vice President, Director of Accounting for Cerberus Capital Management, a leading private equity and investment firm. While at Cerberus, John was responsible for the financial statements of more than 20 investment funds with approximately $23 billion in assets under management. Previously, John was a Founder and Managing Partner at Oak Valley Advisors, providing advisory and interim management services to corporate boards, creditors, equity holders, and management. Before that, he served as Chief Financial Officer for The Winter Group, an investment bank specializing in the purchase, sale and securitization of residential mortgages. John was also a Board Member and former Chief Executive Officer of Global Motorsport Group, Inc., a Cerberus portfolio company. Global is a leading manufacturing and distribution company in the motorcycle and powersports parts and accessories business. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Rutgers University and a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University.

Michael Lacy

Head Architect

Mike designed and built the first iteration of Quirky’s technology platform and oversees the ongoing development and maintenance of Quirky.com. Mike has more than 15 years experience building Web applications for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s. His roster of projects includes Kluster, NameThis, eMusic, Neteller, Bolt, Kaplan, Modulant, Shutterfly, and Vivid Studios. In 2008, Mike worked with a team to fulfill Karen Armstrong’s TED Prize wish to collaboratively create, launch, and propagate a Charter for Compassion. The result was CharterforCompassion.org, which enables people around the world to collaborate and connect around compassionate actions. Mike was also a co-founder at Sportsvite.com, an online home for all things recreational sports, which helps people manage teams, organize games and events, and promote leagues. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and is a die-hard Cameron Crazy.

Gaz Brown

Head of Product Design

Gaz has over a decade of experience driving design strategy and creating world-class product design. Before crossing the Atlantic, Gaz spent his early years designing performance footwear in Telford and London, England. A job opportunity lured him to New York, where he spent nine years at Pollen Design, a downtown NYC design consultancy. He worked with a roster of clients including Sirius Satellite Radio, Hasbro, Bath & Body Works, and The Pampered Chef. Gaz was crucial in driving the design strategy and 3D brand for Pollen’s in-house kitchenwares brand, Prepara. In 2010, after nine years at Pollen, Gaz was searching for an exciting new challenge and got it (and then some) by joining Quirky’s design department. He is responsible for leading a team of young, talented designers, planning and strategizing design processes, curating submission picks and handing off two compelling new products per week. Gaz holds a Bachelors Degree with Honors in Design for Industry from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, England. He has won prestigious design awards over the years, including Good Design, IDEA, CES Innovations and International Housewares Awards. He is named inventor on over a dozen high-profile patents.

Nathan Smith

Head of Tech

Nathan is a California native who has spent the last four years living and working in San Francisco. A programmer by trade, he’s come to Quirky to help build up the existing platform, and to develop fun new ways for community members to participate in the Quirky experience. He has previously worked at Google and Jumpstart Auto Group, and he has experience building applications with Objective C, Java, and Ruby. Nathan studied English at the University of California--Davis, which he’ll be the first to admit is a weird major for a programmer. He plays and collects guitars (he has 8), but that’s far from his only unhealthy obsession. Nathan is also nuts for baseball, cars, fancy restaurants (he once waited for three hours in a hail storm to meet Thomas Keller), and not-so-fancy bars.

John Jacobsen

Head of Engineering

With 15+ years of experience in product development, John applies his craftsman-like qualities to the domain of 3D design and engineering at Quirky. Previously, John was a Senior Design Specialist at SMART DESIGN, where he helped to create iconic, award-winning, patented products for brands like OXO, Shell Black Magic, Pure Digital, Logitech, Zune, Corningware, and Pyrex. As a strategic consultant, John has also worked around the world to bridge the gap between design and engineering for such clients as Airbus, NRC-Canada, Ford, GM, Piaggio, Pininfarina, Design Partners, Canon, and Seiko. In addition, John has spent over ten years in the design and development of paradigm-shifting applications in 3-D Surfacing and Visualization at PTC and UGS. Through his theoretical and practical pursuits, he has helped to evolve modern 3-D technology and its applications worldwide. John holds both a Bachelors and Masters Degree of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. With a mindset at the intersection of art, design, and engineering, John’s work is exemplified by his relentless passion, creativity, precision, and overall authenticity.

Nikki Laffel Kaufman

Head of People & Culture

A founding team member, Nikki oversees People & Culture at Quirky. Previously, Nikki held roles in community management, public relations, and operations for Quirky. She also worked with Quirky’s predecessor, Kluster, where she managed a community of 100,000 members across multiple sites and managed accounts for Kluster Agency Edition, which powered collaborative strategy at the enterprise level. Before joining the Quirky/Kluster team, Nikki was a founding team member at CareerCore, an online career mentoring community specifically targeted at helping minorities land jobs in hard-to-break-into fields. At CareerCore, she assisted in the development of proprietary Web-based career guidance, networking, and technology; developed the original frameworks for the organization’s “Six Sigma” interview execution and expert prep process; and sold and managed implementation of the process to major financial services firms including JP Morgan and UBS. Nikki holds a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy and International Affairs at Princeton University. A varsity swimmer, she swam on three Ivy League championship teams and competed internationally.

Viresh Chopra

Head of Creative

Viresh crafted brand strategies for some of the world’s largest companies before joining the Quirky team as Head of Creative. Previously, Viresh was Head of Design at Fahrenheit 212, an innovation consultancy that creates new products, brands, and businesses, and drives them to market. He has freelanced and consulted for a number of New York agencies, including Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners and SS+K, where he worked on rebranding Delta Airlines. He also led a team of designers to reinvent London Fog, turning it from a dying brand into a high-end fashion competitor. Prior to that, Viresh worked for five years with nickandpaul, a New York City-based brand agency. As lead designer, he collaborated with brand strategists and clients on projects including corporate identity, packaging, Web design, and retail space. Highlights include launching Naked Juices. Viresh has also worked on projects for global brands like Coke, Motorola, LG, Samsung, McDonald’s, Lever Brothers, Fujitsu, Nestlé, and Adidas. Viresh was born and raised in London and studied at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Graphic Arts. He previously worked in the music and publishing industries.

Charlie Kwalwasser

General Counsel

As General Counsel, Charlie handles everything related to intellectual property, patent protection, and legal matters for Quirky. Before joining the team, Charlie served as Intellectual Property Counsel for Barclays Capital and previously Lehman Brothers, where he was responsible for all intellectual property matters globally. Prior to Lehman Brothers, Charlie worked in the Intellectual Property Group at the New York office of Clifford Chance, one of the world’s leading international law firms. Charlie received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Cornell Law School. He is a member of the New York and New Jersey State Bars, admitted to practice before the USPTO, and a CFA Charterholder.

Chad Hetherington

Business Development

Chad’s sales, business development, and entrepreneurial experience spans one decade and two continents. Before he was snatched up to head Quirky’s sales team, Chad represented brands including Cuisinart, Pandigital, E nergizer, Pentax, GPX, and Clickfree to retailers nationwide. Over the course of his career, Chad has sold consumer products to almost every major retailer in the US, including Target, Best Buy, HSN, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, Sports Authority, Walgreens, and Office Depot. In addition, he has co-developed and launched exclusive products with HSN and Sports Authority, and spearheaded licensing negotiations and retail placement for video games, publishing, and mobile. Chad began his career in TV production, serving as the Founder/Managing Director for Logic Films in Australia from 2004-2007. He received Australia’s Young Achiever Award for Career Achievement in 2005, and has been featured numerous times in The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, Qantas Radio, The Advertiser, The Age, and the Sunday Mail.

Nancy Chen

Head of Logistics

Nancy manages Logistics at Quirky, bringing a background in inventory management and merchandise planning for major retail brands to the team. Prior to Quirky, Nancy managed planning for the US division of Salvatore Ferragamo, working directly with the president on top-line planning down to the channel, store, and category level. She previously acquired buying experience at Lord & Taylor, in both private label and high-end categories. Nancy’s specialties include inventory management, margin management, assortment planning, sales forecasting, budgeting, and trend/marketing analysis. She holds a B.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University.

Tiffany Markofsky

Head of Publicity

Tiffany brings 15 years of PR agency experience to the table, having specialized in managing media relations for high-tech consumer product brands after years in corporate communications management. Tiffany started her career in investor relations at Citigate Dewe Rogerson, representing publicly-traded Latin American companies to the US financial media, analyst, and investor communities. At her second international agency, The Brunswick Group, she managed communication strategies for major high-profile financial transactions, as well as investor relations for international consumer brands. Tiffany eventually shifted her efforts to consumer products PR, where she fortuitously landed the mophie account at her last agency. She was responsible for the launch of mophie’s first collaboratively-developed products back in 2007, which turned out to be an enormous success. She and Ben have been working together ever since.

Bret Kovacs

Head of Marketing

Bret has been following Quirky since inception and couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer. He has joined the team to ensure that Quirky and the community are at the forefront of any discussion about invention and innovation by using his considerable experience in all aspects of marketing, from digital/social media to strategic partnerships. Prior to joining Quirky, Bret helped grow New York and Boulder-based Action Marketing Group into one of the top experiential agencies in the world with a client roster including Ford, Pepsi, adidas, Moët Hennessy and Sony, among others. Before that, he worked on campaigns for AT&T, Coca-Cola and Home Depot. When he's not in the office, you can usually find Bret seeking out the best lobster rolls in whatever town he happens to be wandering.

Tammy Loh

Brand Manager

After 10+ years in the consumer product marketing space managing the development and/or launch of 100+ products, Tammy joins the Quirky team as a brand manager. She has held a variety of roles at several Fortune 500 companies including Canon, American Express, and Philips, where she has specialized in gaining distribution with key retailers, growing market share, and activating multi-channel marketing campaigns. Originally from Southern California, Tammy graduated from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!) and later obtained her MBA at NYU Stern. An avid traveler, Tammy has explored 6 out of 7 continents to date, and her favorite places to visit have been Turkey, Tibet and Patagonia. When not in the office, Tammy continues her elusive quest to find the perfect macaron, can be found snowboarding, or training for her next triathlon.

Andy Garcia

Community

Andy is a born and bred New Jerseyan with worldly interests and aspirations. He enjoys independent music, photography, and playing his electric guitar loudly. An '09 alum of The College of New Jersey [or TCNJ (yes, the T stands for The)], Andy has previously worked in marketing, public relations, and customer service, making him the perfect fit for the Community team at Quirky. He loves to travel (near and far), try different ethnic foods, surf the web, and listen to NPR stations. Oh yeah, and despite his name, he doesn't act.

Baron Nagy

Community

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Baron spent his formative years putting on his best Indiana Jones impression. As an Archaeology major at Columbia, he ran around unearthing tombs and chillin' with crocodile mummies, before graduating and realizing he wanted to work with more talkative clientele. A year in freelance biz dev saw him writing for a dog blog, fighting the occasional rampaging lion, and building digital resources for NYU, before settling down on the Community team at Quirky. He now happily chats with all Quirks who come his way (mummy or otherwise), and is secretly saving to open up a Hanging Beer Garden of Babylon. As of yet, he hasn't figured out how that will work.

Bobby Guizio

Community

While he may seem like your average, mild-mannered New Jerseyan, Bobby (aka R2) is actually a superhero gifted with the power to make bad puns, spout off movie trivia, and lay down nasty bass lines. He attended Emerson College, where he studied media history, post production, and the exquisite art of the Boston accent. After college, he began to explore customer service, working for a well known fruit company that also makes computers. He is a lover of social media, writing, art, serialized television, classic rock, and helping people. As Community Ambassador, he’s always here to lend a hand.

Chris Tran

Community

Chris, or Tranimal as we call him, hails from California and will not confess his secret love for New York City and the East coast. He graduated from the University of California, Davis during the Governator's reign which means that his diploma is endorsed by the Terminator. His experience ranges from working in a Senator's office to managing corporate relations and building infrastructure at several prestigious non-profits. As if that weren't enough, Chris is also an avid hockey fan and a terrible basketball player with interests in food, photography, music, literature, and fun.

Nathaniel Padgett

Community

Nathaniel (Gray) is a San Francisco Bay Area native and innovation junky. Before joining Quirky, he made the rounds in Silicon Valley, tackling business development for a very early stage parking startup, helping small businesses deploy a reputable search company's enterprise platform, and recruiting software engineers for a streaming movie business in Los Gatos. Nathaniel studied Business Economics and sunrises at the University of California, Santa Barbara and lived for a year in Göttingen, Germany, where he learned that recycling empty bottles can be a great supplement to any grocery budget. When not supporting the Quirky community, Nathaniel frequents music festivals and is an avid backpacker. Other interests include food, art, politics, urban living, and keeping up-to-date on the latest innovations in tech.

Craig Williams

Creative: Design

Craig comes to Quirky with over 10 years of experience creating performance driven work for some of America's most competitive consumer, entertainment, interactive, financial, pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies. He also likes using big words to describe what he does. He earned a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design and an MS from the Pratt Institute. When Craig's not busy creating great design for us, he likes to make all sorts of things like music, art, tasty vittles, and funny faces at his coworkers.

Alex Lyon

Creative: Design

Alex is a production artist who specializes in photo retouch/manipulation for new product launches and packaging. He's also a freelance package renderer and illustrator. In addition to being a major illustration fanatic and tech toy junkie, Alex is constantly obsessing over entertainment systems, computers and cell phones. Since growing up in Kentucky and graduating from the Columbus College of Art and Design, he's moved to New York City and continued building on his serious movie addiction (over 800 and counting).

Ekta Mody

Creative: Design

Ekta is never satisfied with being ‘too comfortable,’ which is what brought her to Quirky. She loves a fast pace environment brewing with gifted people and is every ready to tackle any design problem. From packaging, typeface design, websites, posters, catalogs, signage’s, in store displays, she hopes to expand her horizon with the multidisciplinary environment at Quirky. After working as a graphic designer for a few years, she felt the need to venture out and experience new culture, foods and continue her quest to learn something new. Born and raised in Mumbai, India Ekta moved to New York to pursue a Masters In Communications Design at Pratt Institute. After graduating, she has worked as a freelance designer at a high fashion advertising firm, at a global consumer branding firm and for other social enhancement projects. She has been published in the Communication Arts, the Dieline, Lovely Package, GDUSA and several other exciting platforms. When she’s not at work, you will find Ekta catching up with her buddies at thursday night happy hours, browsing books & magazines at coffee shops and watching tons of movies.

Justin Lackey

Creative: Design

Justin comes to Quirky from Western Michigan University, where he earned a BFA in Graphic Design. His experience ranges from print to brand design, including book layouts, logo design and website designs. Justin finds inspiration in video games (he calls them the most amazing form of interactive art), science fiction, technology and philosophy. Most of all, he believes in strong friendships and works hard to maintain them. Aww!

Ben Haulenbeek

Creative: Media

Ben is a real Vermonter, hailing from a town with only one gas pump and 1.5 paved roads. He’s very picky about his cheese and won't touch maple syrup from anywhere else. His pre-Quirky work experience is full of variety. He’s filmed everywhere from the subtropics of China to the easternmost point of Newfoundland and has gotten involved in projects as varied as rally car racing, curriculum development for law enforcement, and documentary work for non- profits. Now, he’s the guy behind the scenes, capturing photo and video for ideator interviews, educational content, and more as Quirky’s in-house media producer. His favorite pastimes are best suited for life in the mountains of Vermont; he’s a mountain biker, skier, and connoisseur of firearms.

Ben Machado

Creative: Media

Ben M makes the third Ben in the Quirky tribe. Or as we like to call him, other other Ben. Hailing from Newport, RI, Ben has blazed a path of destruction (read: film/animation and design/illustration) up and down the east coast and taught others to do the same as one of the youngest college professors in the state of VT. A self professed create-a-holic, Ben is either cooking up films and commercials, designing for brands like Pepsi and Whole Foods or doodling away furiously between cups of coffee. Unable to sit still without a project in front of him, Ben took one look at the crazy Quirky office (and one stroll through NYC) and relocated instantly. In his downtime (??) Ben enjoys screen-printing, making/acquiring custom vinyl toys, cartoons, coffee, street art, and robots. Did he mention coffee?

Kristen Shaw

Creative: Media

Kristen, a sun child from southeast New Mexico, brings over five years of photographic experience to Quirky. Kristen always loved writing and wanted to accompany her journalistic obsession with imagery. This ignited another passion in her: photography. She graduated from Texas Tech University with honors, earning a degree in Photocommunications with a minor in performing arts. She has owned her own freelance photography business since 2009; mainly handling weddings, graduates, children, events, and stylized portraits. She also studied at the International Center of Photography in Manhattan, where she experimented in the darkroom. Shortly after receiving her undergraduate, Kristen moved to western Massachusetts and graduated from Hallmark Institute of Photography. There she received the Highest Overall Educational Excellence award. During her experience at Hallmark, she became interested in product photography and styling. An opportunity to join Quirky in NYC seemed like a perfect fit. She now works alongside the two Ben's as an in-house media producer. With every new project, she brings her own creative perspective to the table. Her favorite hobby has been dancing since she was 12, so don't be alarmed if she busts a move. She also loves to cook and crochet.

Sally Rumble

Design

Sally brings more than 11 years of industrial design experience with world-class brands to Quirky’s design team. Most recently, Sally was the Vice President of Product Design at BUILT NY, a Manhattan-based company that designs fashionable and functional totes, bags, and cases. She has previously worked with Coach as a Technical Designer, and she spent four years at SMART DESIGN as an Industrial Designer, where she designed products for companies like OXO International, Hewlett Packard, Lego, Schick, Bic, and Tiffany’s. Sally was also an instructor of product design for Art Center at Night, a continuing education program associated with Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design. She holds a Bachelors of Industrial Design from the University of Canberra in Australia, and her latest focus is on collaborative consumption, design for social impact, and DIY lighting design.

Jordan Diatlo

Design

Designer Jordan, as you may know him, hails from the Carnegie Mellon School of Design and before that, glorious New Jersey. He has worked as a product design consultant for a wide range of products (mostly in the housewares and technology realms) and has dabbled in fashion and athletic footwear design. Besides being super particular about design, he is also surprisingly particular about his daily sandwich: turkey, provolone, and LTO with oil and vinegar. Sandwich aside, Jordan considers himself a culinary explorer, much like his hero Andrew Zimmern. Also like the Bizarre Foods host, Jordan loves traveling. He's done the backpacking-through-Europe thing, and has traveled to places as cold as Iceland, as hot as Israel and as far south as Buenos Aires. Jordan also loves cheap wine, Futurama, and riding his bike.

Adam Paskow

Design

Adam’s background is in making thoughtful, beautiful products come to life. He has had his hands in every aspect of design, from high-end furniture to high-tech electronics. But although he is always trying to push the innovation envelope, low-tech solutions are his main squeeze. Adam was born and raised in Philly, where he lived until he and his pit bull, Maybell, packed their bags and moved to San Francisco, where he attended the Academy of Art University. At the office, when Adam isn't modeling as the token disheveled designer, he can often be found defending his obnoxiously bright wardrobe palate. In addition to the whole design thing, Adam would be lost without coffee, chocolate, beer, and fuzzy critters.

Kate Vallon

Design

Kate is a New York native and graduated from the Syracuse University Honors program with a degree in Industrial and Interaction Design and a minor in Psychology. She joined Quirky as an intern, but her talent and passion quickly landed her a full-time job as a junior designer. Her professional experience includes designing housewares and medical equipment, and she recently started her own accessories line, Matilda’s Day, after being approached by Henri Bendel to hold a trunk show (she can also be found on Etsy). Her design inspiration stems from living in London and traveling around Europe for a semester, and she can spend hours meandering through aquariums, playing Scrabble, painting, and snowboarding. Her quirks? She only drinks from straws and always wears her socks inside out.

Jess Fugler

Design

Jess never wore socks while growing up in Florida, but decided it would be a good idea to buy a pair when she moved to New York five years ago. Since then, Jess has racked up a lifetime of experience: graduating from Pratt Institute’s Industrial Design program, working in design studios from New York to Paris, and living in Germany. Now Jess has landed at Quirky as a junior industrial designer, bringing knowledge and excitement about materials and manufacturing processes, as well as a diverse background in furniture and home goods. You can always spot her in the office with a coffee in her hand and felt tip pens in her pockets. When she is not at Quirky, she is most likely playing with her hedgehog, doodling in her sketchbook, or learning how to knit her own socks.

Faris Elmasu

Design

Ever since Faris can remember, he’s been taking apart and tinkering with any object he could get his hands on. He’s lucky he found Industrial Design as an outlet for his creative energy. A born-and-raised Californian, Faris was trained in Silicon Valley and studied in Paris, an experience that opened his eyes to how culture and lifestyle can shape design. Previous job experiences range from designing wire management solutions to developing all terrain vehicles. Faris is a firm believer that the more he exposes himself to different cultures, art, and people, the more inspiring his world will become. When he’s not at work, you'll find him spending hours at the grocery store painstakingly planning out each meal for the week. In other words, he loves to cook and he loves food. Other items on that list include long bike rides around NYC, keeping a camera on hand at all times to shoot interesting things, and browsing through Home Depot for no reason.

Aaron Saxton

Design

Aaron comes from a family of designers, so this is in his blood. He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Industrial Design. Along the way, he worked with Quirky as one of our very first design interns. He earned the nickname "Utah" during the internship, and it's stuck with him ever since. Now he's returned with to be us full time. When Aaron's not helping us make amazing products, he loves to run and play volleyball.

Nina Lorusso

Design

Nina grew up in Connecticut where she spent most of her childhood painting and drawing with her grandfather's encouragement. Over time, her mother, a talented dressmaker, gave Nina sewing lessons and taught her about fabric manipulation. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and spent the past few years designing soft goods for Built NY. In her free time, Nina seeks adventures on her bike, experiments with home couture, and dominates pinatas at all parties!

Richard Ganas

Design

Richard grew up and trained in Detroit at Wayne State University's industrial design program. He has always had a passion for building things. Before Quirky, Richard worked for a construction company, and believes that experience led to his position as full time shop tech/designer here. Leonardo da Vinci is a major source of inspiration, as are traveling, reading, and Motown music. He balances his intellectual pursuits out by playing a lot of hockey, helping to coach a youth hockey team in Harlem, riding his bike, snowboarding, and golfing.

Warren Yan

Engineering

Warren likes to fix things and is passionate about innovation, which is what led him to product development at Quirky. Warren began his career as an engineer in the nuclear industry and quickly grew tired of living in towns in the middle of nowhere. After moving back to civilization, he worked in the consumer products industry developing toys at Mattel and innovative office products at Accentra before coming to Quirky. In his off time, you can find Warren marathon training on the West Side Highway, riding his bike around the city or just chilling with his Yorkie, Pinot. He also enjoys traveling, rock climbing and discovering new restaurants in NYC.

Jovena Whatmoor

Finance

Jovena loves all things green: eco-friendly products, renewable energy, recycling, dollar bills… which makes her the perfect person to head up Quirky’s finance department. She brings 15 years of accounting and human resources management experience to the team, with a background that includes running her own consulting practice, facilitating business skills workshops for executives, and serving as a Principal/Director for a Seattle tech consulting firm, Atlas Accelerator. At Atlas, she developed auditable financial systems for about a dozen companies, including Citrix (now public), Coffee Equipment Company (acquired by Starbucks) and Tri-State Biodiesel. Jovena holds a BSBA degree from American University and is SPHR-certified. An outdoors gal, she spends her weekends biking the length of Manhattan and traipsing through neighborhood parks in Inwood, where she makes her home.

Diana Simmons

Finance

Diana joined the Quirky team to help keep those financials in order (read: she’s one of the reasons y’all get paid). She brings more five years of experience in business and financial management to Quirky. Although she graduated from New York University with a degree in marketing and management, she somehow found herself diving into the world of accounting – and loves it! This girl keeps her eye on the prize and is always up for a challenge. Aside from crunching numbers and handling bills, she enjoys taking long walks around the city, reading mystery novels, and hitting the spa. Diana loves life and always has a smile on her face – even while attacking the books.

Garrick Wong

Finance

Garrick brings 4 C’s to the table -- he’s a cool, calm, and collected CPA, who joined Quirky after spending just about two and a half years at a Big 4 accounting firm. Garrick graduated with a BBA in accounting, interning throughout college with firms like Morgan Stanley, Deloitte Touche LLP, and a hedge fund. He has a background in public auditing, and has worked on high-profile projects including the liquidation of Lehman Brothers. At Quirky, Garrick is responsible for keeping the books squeaky clean and streamlining recurring processes. Luckily for him, one of his many quirks is using his OCD to his advantage, and he has a knack for creating highly automated Excel spreadsheets. When not in the office, Garrick enjoys anything and everything from snowboarding to window-shopping, interior decor, and underground live poker.

Anthony Del Plato

Finance

A physicist by training, Anthony swapped his lab coat for a hoodie when he joined the team as our resident number cruncher and financial analyst. Yup - this guy can do both. Anthony was born, raised, and now resides in Astoria, Queens, and he holds a B.A. in physics from Binghamton University. Before stumbling across Quirky, he worked as a physics lab technician at Yeshiva University. He's an avid rower, and also enjoys tennis, football, crossword puzzles, computer games, and cooking in his free time.

Andrew Erlick

Invention Ambassador

Andrew has always had an interest in consumer products and technology, especially electronics. He worked with a home audio/visual company in high school and went on to study a mixture of Electrical Engineering, Requirements Engineering and Economic Analysis at Binghamton University. That knowledge served him well when he started his own laser light show company. Yeah, that’s right, LASERS. Andrew's experience in managing a company and navigating the patent process make him the perfect person to guide our inventors through the development process.

Courtney Theese

Invention Ambassador

Courtney was never much of a city girl. She grew up in the woods of northern New Jersey climbing trees, making forts and generally spending her time in the mud. This is probably where her love for running long distance along overgrown muddy trails stems from. Courtney's craftiness and passion for getting messy led her to study industrial design at Rochester Institute of Technology. She has worked as a freelance designer, interned and worked as a designer at Cases by Source, and was a QDS intern. This experience in design will be helpful in her role as an Invention Ambassador, guiding inventors through the Quirky process. Courtney loves dinosaurs and Legos and in her free time, she enjoys running, rock climbing, and traveling all over the world.

Katherine Druback

Invention Ambassador

Katherine grew up on Staten Island (and hopes you didn't immediately think of the Jersey Shore cast after reading that). She spent most of her days trying to set herself apart from her twin sister, and has always had a passion for playing around with new technology. You should be warned now Katherine is very talkative, but she loves hearing all of the inventors stories too. Katherine worked towards her Media degree from Hunter College while employed in the world of high end retail. Katherine's background in wholesale management and sales will help her guide Quirky inventors to develop their ideas into retail ready products.

Rob Lubow

Marketing

Rob hails from Merrick, NY, an ordinary suburban town, which is also home to legendary artists Lindsay Lohan and Deborah (nee Debbie) Gibson. From a very young age, he has taken extraordinary measures to rid himself of his unfortunate Lawn Guyland accent (which he hopes you appreciate the next time you call the office). As a two-time college dropout, he is a jack of some trades, and a master of also some, including but not limited to: pontification, social media douchebaggery, and making Key Lime Pie. He's an all-around good guy, who's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke... oh wait, no, that's a Billy Joel song... but we're pretty sure he can do that stuff too.

Kerri Ruggiero

Operations

Kerri brings her technical background, manufacturing experience, and general expectation that everything get done "right" to Quirky's Operations team... along with extra coffee, of course. Kerri graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Loyola University Maryland. Before Quirky, she worked at a solar cell manufacturing plant as a Quality Engineer. She was born, raised, and lives in Connecticut with her obscenely large family, which includes five siblings ranging in age from one to 20. In her free time, she loves cooking, eating, watching cooking shows, reading recipes and cookbooks, and grocery shopping. When not doing something food-related, you might find her doing crossword puzzles, watercoloring, trying out miscellaneous crafts, enjoying wine, practicing yoga, and unsuccessfully trying to become a runner.

Julie Andress

Operations

Julie was born and raised in Cincinnati (shout out to the Midwest), but ventured east to pursue a BA in Architecture from Yale, and then even further east to practice architecture and learn Mandarin in China for a couple years. After several years as an architectural designer, gaining LEED environmental design certification in the process, Julie came to Quirky to utilize her project management skills in new ways. Outside of work, she is learning to surf, eating lots of chocolate, watching films, and exploring the latest city to capture her heart.

Justin Seidenfeld

Operations

Justin is a proud Long Island native who isn’t embarrassed to show off his killer dance moves (but probably should be). Equipped with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton, Justin worked in a number of industries before making his way onto the Operations and Logistics team here at Quirky. After teaching high school math at a charter school in Memphis, TN, Justin moved back to NYC to found and run an advertising start-up. Now, he’s helping to ensure that Quirky products make their way from the design team to market – and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. Besides appreciating logistical efficiency, Justin loves playing music, watching SNL and snowboarding, and can be found most weekends playing soccer or tennis on the West Side Highway. But don’t try to come challenge him unless you don’t mind losing.

Suzannah Kerr

Operations

I am introducing myself as a new member of Quirky’s Ops team, I’ll be working as a research analyst and admin ninja for our COO/CFO John. I grew up in Melbourne Australia – recently voted as the ‘world’s most livable city’ (I can't confirm the source but it’s totally true…). After completing my Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne I set out to explore the world. I’ve lived in London and Sydney, and backpacked through South America, Asia and Europe. Naturally, the next city on my ‘to conquer’ list was NYC! I absolutely love my new life in this crazy/wonderful city, and I’m so excited about diving headfirst into the Quirky whirlwind! That being said, I would do anything for a Melbourne latte…

Jaime Yandolino

Publicity

Jaime worked in TV publicity for 8 years, managing series launches, rebranding campaigns and talant coordination. Lucky for us, one of her roles was to coordinate PR for the first season of "Quirky" on the Sundance Channel. She soon joined the team to spread the word about us. Jaime is a true New Yorker, born and raised on the Upper West Side, where she still lives today. When she's not busy telling the world about Quirky, she enjoys photography, random art projects and visiting the beach.

Garret Van Der Boom

Sales

Garret is here to get your products into stores around the world. He is excited to be in New York by way of California and even more excited to travel internationally and distribute Quirky products wherever he goes. He previously worked at Jumpstart Automotive Media, where he worked with leading in-market automotive publishers to maximize revenue and advertiser results through innovative products and services. On the side, he loves helping small literary publishers create remarkable marketing campaigns (shout out to http://flatmancrooked.com). He promises to incessantly push products that will sell well in areas that have beaches so he can continue his pursuit of surfing in as many countries as possible (he’s only kinda kidding). Garret also loves to give himself nicknames and likes it even more when they stick, so send the sobriquets his way.

Julia Verplank

Sales

Julia hails from the "Third Coast" (Lake Michigan), but bounced between the East and West Coasts for good measure. She majored in English, minored in Film Studies, and dominated in Women's Basketball at Tufts University. Stints at The Seattle Times and Fundex Games built up her experience with client services and retail support. Now that we've lured her into the concrete jungle, she spends her time watching movies, catching music, playing basketball in an urban professionals league, and working on a novel.

Joe Rishe

Sales

Joe is a travel enthusiast, adventure seeker, and avid reader. An Upstate New Yorker by birth and graduate of Syracuse University by choice, he moved to New York City for its warm climate and pristine beaches. When not rocking the market analytics at Quirky HQ, he gets excited about independent movies, basketball, chicken tenders, innovation, and debating foreign policy.

Samantha Engler

Sales

Samantha came to NYC by way of the Midwest, having grown up in Minnesota, and attending UW-Madison (Go Badgers!). After too many years in the brutal cold, she moved to NYC on a whim for a change of pace and scene. As soon as she came across Quirky, she knew she had to be a part of the magic. Samantha joined us as an intern, and then officially signed on as a member of the Sales team. When not at work, she spends her time exploring the city with friends, petting strangers' dogs on the street, and hanging out at her favorite oyster bars.

Conroy Whitney

Tech

Conroy is a web-dev software engineer. He likes what he does, very much. He likes creating, learning, and problem-solving. He likes taking an idea or feature and (systematically and conscientiously) making that idea a (digital) reality. He like deconstructing nouns into their component parts (their data), storing them, retrieving them as needed, then re-assembling them according to governing constraints and aesthetics. He likes creating things that people use, and creating these things with the users in mind. Conroy got his BS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech in 2008 and worked with CareerBuilder.com in Atlanta for a few years before moving to NYC. If we were playing "Guess Who?", he would be the male with blue eyes, glasses, and a beard.

Susan LoVaglio

Office Manager

Susan is a multi-tasking wiz, honing her skills with about a million different jobs. Numbers are her thing, but weren’t always. She spent ten years in the US Navy as a jet engine mechanic, turning wrenches and busting knuckles. After moving from place to place, she ended up in school at Hawaii Pacific University, where she earned a degree in accounting (and learned that numbers rock!). After that, she spent time in Kuwait as the logistics go-to gal for the Army, driving semi-trucks and earning some chest candy. Most recently, she worked as a publicist for niche beauty products, making the world pretty. When she’s not zooming around the office, Susan loves traveling, playing drums, and making fancy soaps to sell at the farmer’s market. Can we say A.D.D.?

Allie Rodriguez

Admin

Born and raised in The Garden State, this "Jersey Girl" couldn't be happier to have landed at Quirky. While she's not exactly using her Math Ed degree from the University of Delaware or her mad color guard or dance skills, she's putting her OCD tendencies to work as a member of the HR team. In her non-Quirky time, she can be found listening to her iPod -- anything from Billy Joel to the Beatles to Zac Brown Band to Mumford & Sons -- catching up on episodes of "Glee" or "Law & Order SVU" --- or watching "Dirty Dancing," any of the Harry Potter movies or "Star Wars" for the umpteenth time. She likes to think that her eclectic taste in just about everything does NOT make her indecisive...just more open-minded and tolerant. Allie is excited to have begun this new chapter of her life at an awesome company in her favorite city in the world with a fabulous group of people!

Brandon Sheffield

Admin

Brandon hails from below the Mason Dixon: Charleston, South Carolina, to be exact. Sick of the south (but not of its food or the word y'all) Brandon left The College of Charleston and his hometown for a challenge in the city. His go-getter attitude landed him a position at Quirky, and he could not be more stoked. Now, he is the man with the plan here to tie up loose ends and keep Ben's schedule running smoothly. Quite the list of odds and ends, Brandon's prior work includes roles as a consultant for a baked goods company, a clothing merchant, and an executive assistant. His hobbies include but are not limited to binge eating (ice cream), baking, and making the best of the best mix tapes.

Jeff Natland

Advisor

Wines, cars, racing, art, real estate, and entrepreneurship are just some of Jeff’s interests, and the list of companies that he has been influential in moving forward is just as long. Among the big names are: PhoneTag, CloudSponge, BrightSquid, Neteller, TrustMe.com, Grid.com, Jumpstart Digital Marketing, Pro Player Connect, and now Quirky. When Jeff’s not investing, hiking, or drinking wine, he stays busy as a partner at Arizona Bay venture capital fund and consulting firm. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention that Jeff personally developed the initial prototype for a sponge-counting system that makes surgeries safer, for what is now Patient Safety Technologies. I think we all can agree that Quirky’s lucky to have Jeff on board.

Jon Liebman

Advisor

Jon is the CEO and co-owner of Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a powerful Hollywood entertainment management firm with a roster of some 200 clients, including Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, and Ben Kaufman/Quirky. Brillstein also produces television shows and films that showcase the talents of its clients. Does that mean you’ll be seeing Ben’s name in lights in the near future? You’ll just have to wait and see. Liebman is an active member of both the Los Angeles Committee on Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council on International Policy, and he serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at the LA Sports & Entertainment Commission.

Josh Spear

Advisor

At 25, Josh Spear is one of the youngest marketing strategists in the world. He's regularly sought out for his fresh perspective and no-holds-barred style of consulting on, oh, basically everything new media. In addition to running JoshSpear.com, his internationally recognized trend-spotting blog, he's a founding partner of Undercurrent, a digital think tank focused on exploring new ways to reach young people without interrupting them. Josh has appeared in Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Flair Italy, Inc., and countless other major media outlets. He's also a member of the Global Agenda Council at The World Economic Forum and was recently nominated a Young Global Leader. With his obvious glut of downtime, he also signed on for some team Quirky action.

Philip Erdoes

Advisor

Philip is the founder and CEO of Bear Ventures, but he still finds time to hang out with the Quirky crew. This guy's a serial entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience creating new enterprises, so when he talks, we listen. He's also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and participates in a number of charitable activities -- good man. Before all of this went down, Philip practiced law at a Texas-based national law firm, Andrews and Kurth, where he specialized in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He holds a B.S. in Biology and Biomedicine from Oklahoma State University, a J.D. with Honors from the University of Oklahoma, and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. Yeah, top that.

Charlie Walk

Advisor

Charlie is the president and CEO of Charlie Walk Entertainment Media, a multimedia entertainment company dedicated to developing projects for television, music and online platforms. Under his leadership, CWE Media recently partnered exclusively with Endemol USA, a leading producer of television programming. Under this agreement, Charlie will executive produce and develop new scripted and unscripted television shows. Hmm… wonder if he’d be interested in a pilot about a group of quirky tech start-up staffers? Before starting CWE Media, Charlie was the president of Epic Records, where after-work happy hours included folks like Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Ozzy Osbourne (throw up the devil horns!), and George Michael. We’re happy to be a part of this elite group.

Andre Zdanow

Advisor

In high school, while other students were spending their free time playing sports and joining clubs, Andre spent every spare moment analyzing companies and trading financial markets. So it's no surprise that he continues to trade and raise assets for privately held companies today -- and he's quite talented at it, we might add. Andre graduated from the Long Island University, C.W. Post campus, with a B.S. in International Business, and he currently holds Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses. He occasionally contributes to WPIX Channel 11 in New York and has appeared on FOX Channel 5 as well. In January 2009, Andre joined Charles Vista, LLC, in an effort to merge his greatest career passions: business development and financial markets.

Brad Beckerman

Advisor

With over two decades of experience spanning all facets of merchandising, product development, licensing, and marketing of consumer products, Brad Beckerman has developed an enviable record of achievement, having designed and established platforms for globally recognized corporations and celebrities, as well as sports & entertainment franchises. In 2008, Brad founded it.worldwide, a one-of-a-kind brand creation and incubation tank that brings concepts to reality. it.worldwide cultivates in-house properties and sculpts private brands through a comprehensive approach integrating identity, creation, design, business development, marketing, and overall brand management. Noted as a serial entrepreneur and expert brand architect, Brad’s latest endeavor is the creation and launch of Original MOONSHINE® Clear Corn Whiskey, the flagship product of spirits company STILLHOUSE®. As CEO and Co-Founder of STILLHOUSE®, Brad oversees all facets of Original MOONSHINE® and infuses the brand with a modern twist of individuality, style, and attitude. Beckerman’s intuitive vision and entrepreneurial background is redefining the whiskey category with this unique new spirit. Beckerman is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he played football for the school’s nationally ranked Gators team.

Mitch Lowe

Board Chairman

Mitch is Quirky's guardian angel -- a super-involved planner and operator who brings years of entrepreneurial experience to his role as chairman. After a year working on financial models deep into the night as an associate at a boutique investment bank, he started his first company, a consumer products direct marketing firm, at age 23. He was then employee #2 at a consumer Internet start-up, and in 2001 founded Jumpstart Automotive Media. Mitch was Jumpstart’s chairman and CEO from inception until February 2009, seeing it from pre-revenue to more than $50 million, and from two employees to more than one hundred. In 2007, Jumpstart sold to Hachette Filipacchi Media (the parent company of Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Elle). Mitch is passionate about company culture, and brings a relentless focus to the importance of people and culture in building extraordinary companies. In addition to Quirky, Mitch is a partner in a Napa Valley winery, an organic food distributor, and a music publishing company. He’s a Chicago native (go Bulls!), a graduate of Arizona State University, and enjoys tennis, sailing, and guitar.

Jason Port

Board of Directors

Jason is the brave soul who first saw Ben's quirky vision and stepped up to help make it a reality -- go Jason! This is a man with a serious background. Words like vice president, strategic development, and accretive acquisitions pepper his CV, and with those terms come serious companies like the NBA, CBS Sportsline, and Wicks Sports Group. Jason's first entrepreneurial stint was in college, where he founded Port-O-Dog, which sold late night hot dogs to inebriated college students. From Port-O-Dog through to Quirky, Jason has had a hand in countless companies and seems to know just about everyone. Seriously, mention a name, and there's sure to be a Jason connection. He happily resides in Miami with his wife, Lisi, and three boys, Stevie, Michael, and Jonathan.

Ben Kaufman

Board of Directors

Ben is the 24-year-old founder and CEO of Quirky. His entrepreneurial journey started during his senior year of high school with a second mortgage on his parent’s house and the founding of an iPod accessory company called mophie. Shortly after mophie won “Best in Show” at MacWorld 2006, Ben discovered his passion for involving people around the world in the development of new consumer products. The rapid growth of the mophie brand led to its acquisition in August of 2007, which allowed Ben to focus his efforts on bringing his idea of ‘social product development’ to the next level. After two years of research and development on the unique technology platform that became the foundation of his future work, Ben publicly launched Quirky in June of 2009. A passionate and opinionated speaker, Ben talks Quirky, products and design to audiences around the world. His work has landed him in hundreds of newspapers (New York Times, USA Today, New York Observer), magazines (Business Week, Entrepreneur, WIRED) and TV networks (CNBC, FOX Business News, The Today Show). In 2007, Inc Magazine named Ben the top entrepreneur in the country under the age of 30. He was 20 at the time. Other than participating in the development of awesome new products, Ben’s favorite things include his niece Lily, Jay-Z, cool kicks and black t-shirts.

James D. Robinson

Board of Directors

Jim Robinson is a Co-Founder & Managing Partner of RRE Ventures. He has been active within the technology community for over twenty-five years as a venture capitalist, entrepreneur and banker. Since co-founding RRE in late 1994, Jim has been responsible for more than thirty technology investments, with a focus on digital media, enterprise and financial services technologies. He is currently a Director of AdaptiveBlue, Betaworks, m-Via, Netsertive, OLO, OpenPeak, Quirky, SmartPay, and WisdomTree. While earning a dual degree in Computer Science and Business Administration at Antioch College during the early 1980's, Jim worked as a programmer for state government. Later he founded and was President of IV Systems, a firm that created small business applications for unix workstations. In 1986, Jim joined JP Morgan & Co., where he spent four years working on technology-related assignments, initially helping build their global risk management systems, and later as an investment banker in corporate finance. Jim earned an MBA from Harvard in 1992, and subsequently joined Hambrecht & Quist Venture Capital in San Francisco. While at H&Q he led investments primarily within the software and communications sectors. Jim is involved in several non-profit endeavors, and has a particular interest in children’s rights and issues. He is a Director of the New York City Investment Fund (NYCIF), NYC Seed, a member of the National Police Defense Foundation, and a member of the Advisory Board of the National Association on Drug Abuse Problems. Jim has been a member of the Young President's Organization since 1998.

John Maeda

Board of Directors

John Maeda is the president of Rhode Island School of Design, a world-renowned artist, graphic designer, computer scientist and educator whose career reflects his philosophy of humanizing technology. For more than a decade, he has worked to integrate technology, education and the arts into a 21st-century synthesis of creativity and innovation. Maeda's early work redefined the use of electronic media as a tool for expression by combining skilled computer programming with sensitivity to traditional artistic concerns. This work helped to develop the interactive motion graphics that are prevalent on the web today. A pioneering voice for simplicity in the digital age, he also initiated the Design by Numbers project, a global initiative to teach computer programming to visual artists through a freely available, custom software system he designed. As a digital artist, Maeda has exhibited in well-received one-man shows in London, New York and Paris. His work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Cartier Foundation in Paris. In the design realm, he is a trustee of the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and has developed advanced projects for major corporations such as Cartier, Google, Philips, Reebok and Samsung, among others.

Josh Goldman

Josh Goldman is a General Partner at Norwest Venture Partners and has spent his career seeking to combine his passion for breakthrough technology with an ability to create innovative and sustainable business models. He brings more than 25 years of operational and investing experience, having been a repeat entrepreneur, CEO, board member, and investor in many highly successful technology companies. As CEO or board member, Josh has generated more than $2.6 billion in M&A exit values and has participated in two highly successful IPOs. At NVP, Josh focuses on investments in e-commerce, search, social networking and digital media. In addition to Quirky, his current investments and/or board seats include WhaleShark Media ("RetailMeNot"), Jiwire, Sojern, Snapfinger, and is an advisor or observer with Apigee, Retrevo, and Sabre Holdings. As an operating executive, Josh has served as President & CEO of mySimon, Inc. (a pioneer in online comparison shopping, acquired by CNet in 2000 for over $700 million), President of CNet's Consumer Division, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Sprout Group, CEO of internet video-on-demand company Akimbo Systems, Inc., and has held senior management roles at USWeb/CKS (IPO in 1998), Softbank Content Services (Acquired by Logistix, Inc.), Phoenix Technologies, Inc., and Apple, Inc. As a board member, Josh has previously served at Synaptics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA) through its successful IPO, at Ask.com from 2002 until its $1.9 billion acquisition by IAC/Interactive Corp, at PremierGuide, Inc. (acquired by Local.com) and NearbyNow (acquired by Jiwire, Inc.). Married with two children and residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Josh holds an MBA from Harvard Business school and a bachelor of science (honors) degree in computer science from Tufts University.