Meet The Founders
Rather than bore you with our full bios,
we’ve listed a few of the things that
we hope make us interesting at parties.
Amanda
(written by Jen)
- Is a Kiwi (New Zealander) by birth.
- Has a wicked sense of humor. Particularly loves to laugh at herself.
- Collects quirky, brilliant, devoted friends all over the world.
- Was a nerd (studied neurophysiology at University of Auckland).
- Worked for Vogue magazine. Failed miserably as a fashionista and was nearly fired.
- Discovered an obsession with far-flung adventure while on camelback in the Thar Desert in India for a week.
- Quit Vogue to become a travel writer and photographer.
- Spent 23 years living mostly out of a suitcase; 10 of those were dedicated to photographing tribes. Did not accept the paltry few chickens offered as dowry.
- Became a successful travel writer and has been published in magazines and newspapers worldwide.
- Loves to host big dinner parties and have other people cook. Is extremely adept at scattering the crowd with sympathetic gourmands.
- Co-founded (yep, with Jen) Cynthia’s Sisters, which raises money to put girls through law school in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Is married to an outstandingly supportive (and handsome) man who works in high tech.
- Is mother to two nearly perfect teenage daughters.
- Produced a beautiful book called Potentia on women’s rights. The proceeds go to Cynthia’s Sisters.
- Sits on the Silicon Valley Executive Committee for Human Rights Watch.
Jennifer
(written by Amanda)
- Has a heart the size of Texas but firmly grounded in the politics of Northern California.
- Has been a successful entrepreneur in the technology, games and food industries.
- Is a certified life coach, which makes her even greater to work with.
- Was the only person ever to run for 10th grade class president with the tagline “How Do You Spell Relief?” (She lost.)
- Took a yearlong sabbatical at age 46 to volunteer with women in Nicaragua and Kenya.
- Worked at Club Med as a tennis coach and party starter in the late 80s.
- Is annoyingly fit and works out all the time.
- Is an inspired cook, which is of enormous benefit to Amanda.
- Is a beer and wine snob. Also of benefit.
- Throws impromptu dinner parties for 20 with great frequency and ludicrous ease.
- Drove a big-ass truck by herself from Seattle to Berkeley with our first tea machine in the back. Adopted the trucker handle “KikoMama.”
- Mentors many, is a superlative friend and a bountiful aunt.
- Co-founded Cynthia’s Sisters (with Amanda), an organization that puts girls through law school in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the world’s most violent place for women, according to the UN).
- Is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a degree in communications and business.
