On September 19, join us for another event in our L.A. Tech Initiative’s Sandbox Series! We’ll explore Morality in Tech through our esteemed panel’s discussion of how the tech landscape affects data (how companies obtain and use it), interpersonal relationships, business ethics, and more.
Rabbi Adam Greenwald, Director of the Miller Intro to Judaism program at American Jewish University, moderates a group of tech industry leaders, including Marc Weinstein, Partner at Satya Management, Advisor at Battlestar Capital, and Founder of the Look Up! Podcast; Janice Taylor, Founding CEO and Board Chair of Mazu; Dr. Jessica Carbino, Former Sociologist for Tinder and Bumble, and Founder of Dr. Jess; and Joshua Kail, Director of Public Relations for Press Pass LA and whose previous agency work had him as PR manager for Cambridge Analytica.
We invite L.A.’s Jewish tech professionals — from top founders and CEOs in L.A.’s tech ecosystem to up-and-coming entrepreneurs — to come enjoy delicious food and drinks, network, and create community in a beautiful setting.
Mingling/Cocktails: 6:30-7:00 PM
Dinner: 7:00-8:00 PM
Program: 8:00-8:30 PM
Mingling: 8:30-9:00 PM
The Gallery will donate 10% of the evening’s proceeds to The Jewish Federation.
The L.A. Tech Initiative engages tech leaders in the Jewish community and serves as a convening to spark philanthropy in support of the Federation’s impactful work.
Rabbi Adam Greenwald
Rabbi Adam Greenwald is the Director of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program at American Jewish University (AJU), the largest learning program for those exploring conversion to Judaism in North America. Additionally, he serves as Lecturer in Rabbinics at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and directs the AJU Community Mikveh. In 2016, Rabbi Greenwald received the Covenant Foundation's Pomegranate Prize in Jewish Education.
Rabbi Greenwald is the editor of On One Foot, an introduction to Judaism textbook and curriculum, in wide use across the US and Canada. He is an alum of the National Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL)'s "Rabbis Without Borders" Fellowship and speaks and teaches nationwide on issues of conversion, interfaith outreach, and millennial engagement.
He received his B.A. in History from UCLA and his MA and ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in 2011. He is married to Anne Hromadka, an art curator and consultant, and they have a daughter, Grace Cecilia.
Marc Weinstein
Marc Weinstein is a serial entrepreneur having founded multiple startups in the finance and media industries. Most recently as a principal at Wave Financial, he led Wave's venture investments into the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. Marc's second company, 90sFest, was featured in the NYTimes and sold to Scopus Media at the end of 2017. He is an angel investor and advisor to a number of projects spanning many industries including tech, entertainment, and consumer. He graduated with a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Janice Taylor
After a long journey from her roots in Canada, Janice Taylor has emerged as a pioneer in solving the growing epidemic in social media. She has a Bachelor of Psychology, Honours Thesis Option and spent many years studying the impacts of addiction on the human spirit. Early in Janice’s life, she spent time with the most vulnerable populations, learning about their journey with addiction. From her teen years into adulthood, Janice’s specialty is uncovering the root cause of their emotional pain to creating an innovative healing solution called Ahava.
It was from her research focused on self-esteem and self-efficacy among women that she sought to create a solution to the issue of social media addiction and how it was affecting women, children, and families. From this 9-year journey in the wild, wild west of technology startups, she has created a solution that will awaken families with love. Mazu is the creative force of pioneering “mindful” technology usage far before the world was discussing digital addiction and digital mindfulness.
The movement to bring parents and children together online has resonated with families from all walks of life. Sports teams and brands have used Mazu as a secure channel to connect with fans and their kids, celebrating common interests and sharing content. Professional leagues such as the NHL, NBA, WNBA, and MLS have joined the movement, leveraging Mazu’s platform as their core engagement strategy for families. As Mazu evolved, Janice’s healing practice evolved into Ahava: a customized, innovative approach to healing that uniquely combines purpose-driven theory with the business chops to facilitate the ultimate purpose to life. As a result, Ahava is changing the field of healing and recovery so that every day people begin to live their life on purpose and discover their true self.
Janice has brought this message to such esteemed conferences as TEDx, Marianne Williamson Events, Tech TO, and London Digital Wellness Festival, among others. She was named one of 12 extraordinary Women in Tech by the Consulate General of Canada, chosen as one of Oprah’s Ultimate Viewers, and selected as a finalist for the 2013 Woman of Worth Awards. Additionally, in 2016, Mazu was recognized as one of the five Most Innovative Companies in British Columbia.
Janice also founded a mentorship program called The Dream Project for women in recovery to inspire and guide women healing from addictions to achieve their dreams. The Dream Project has now developed into a book by the women to tell their stories of recovery and how Ahava changed their lives. Janice’s first book Wisdom. Soul. Startup featured the beginning foundation of Ahava. The follow-up book will be released in 2020 that will provide the step-by-step guide to this revolutionary healing process.
Now, after two decades of study, Janice is helping others along their journey of healing through a 12-step program of Ahava. During the last decade, the world has witnessed an alarming increase in anxiety, depression, suicide, and addiction of many forms. As a result of these discoveries, Janice has entered the Harvard Master’s Program (thesis option) for Psychology along with Dr. Gabor Mate’s compassionate inquiry course to solidify the last 20 years of her research.
In 2019, Ahava’s tech companion will launch to support the healing journey. This innovative tech company will enter the new frontier of Digital Wellness and once again pioneer the path forward for those wanting to live their life on purpose.
Dr. Jess Carbino
Dr. Jess Carbino is a relationship and online dating expert who has been called "the Dr. Ruth of the swipe right generation" by The NY Post and "the Nate Silver of online dating” by the host of This American Life.
Dr. Jess, as she is fondly referred to, served as Sociologist for Tinder and Bumble, leading research for each of the two companies. She regularly analyzes user data to align social needs with product and user experience. She has conducted hundreds of focus groups and analyzed hundreds of thousands of profiles.
She was named one of the 100 Most Creative People by Fast Company magazine. Her work has been featured in major news outlets including The New York Times, Time Magazine, Marie Claire, Cosmo, Men’s Health, New York Magazine, and The Colbert Report. She has appeared on many TV programs including Good Morning America, Nightline, 20/20, The Doctors, CNN, and Huffington Post. Dr. Jess also regularly speaks at conferences and events, most recently at the Oxford Union.
Dr. Jess received her Ph.D. in sociology from UCLA. Her doctoral research has broadly focused on sex, dating, and relationships. Her dissertation, “Dating in the 21st Century,” used data from several online dating sites to answer the age-old question, “What do men and women want?”
She is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended Emory University, where she graduated with high honors in just three years.
Joshua Kail
Joshua Kail is the current Director of Public Relations at the L.A.-based PR Firm PPLA. A recent transplant from New York, he has spent the last 14 years working in strategic communications and public relations with an emphasis on high-tech companies from startups to multinationals. Over this time, he has assisted many organizations of all sizes within the fields of AI, ML, Blockchain, data storage, data aggregation, data security, and data analytics find their voice while increasing their market visibility and messaging.
From October 2016 until March 2018, Josh found himself in the position of Senior PR Manager on the agency side for Cambridge Analytica. What initially began as a straightforward PR campaign for the commercial goals of an unknown data analytics company quickly shifted into one of the most insane, terrifying, and fascinating experiences of his career. What he witnessed during this time and, subsequently, in a post Cambridge Analytica data-centric world, highlights the potential, dangers, and long-term risks of enhanced data analytics and personal privacy.
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