We'd like to take a moment to introduce some of the people who are volunteering to help produce BarCamp Africa Silicon Valley:
Ellen has built her career on creating customer and product loyalty for technology companies. During her ten years at Apple, Ellen drove growth in Apple's international markets and pioneered the use of online networks to connect Apple's global users to the company and its products. Her more recent work has guided Google, Oracle, Apple, NeXT, MCI, JAJAH, OurStory.com, Ribbit (recently acquired by BT) Blippr and others to expand markets and build loyalty through strategic partnerships and initiatives. She actively supports entrepreneurial, microfinance and children's causes in Africa, advises a portfolio of technology startups, and is a frequent speaker on social media strategy.
-Find Ellen on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/chep2m
Kaushal is a third generation Kenyan, currently living and working in the Bay Area as a technology strategist with a strong career focus on payment systems, mobile computing and social media. His most recent consulting relationships have been with Wells Fargo Bank, AAA of Northern California, Cisco Systems and a host of small to mid-size corporations. He is actively involved in advising various initiatives such as Ushahidi, and the India Sponsorship Committee on their use of technology to extend reach and engage communities. Kaushal continues to find elegance in indigenous reproducible solutions that solve everyday problems in Africa.
-Find Kaushal on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ksjhalla
Saul is the Director of Operations at Abraham & Harrison, LLC and a native of South Africa. He has co-founded, with his wife, two creative corporate team-building companies in the Bay Area. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Economics, and completed an honors thesis focused on South Africa's corporate investments in Africa. Saul believes that mobile technology and the "arrival" of the web in Africa will lead to profound changes throughout the continent.
Saul is a true believer and avid supporter of Africa's ingenuity, creativity and positive future and regularly travels between his homes in Cape Town, SA and Oakland, CA.
-Find Saul on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/sachutney
Shara, our "Queen of Amplification", began her internet career in 1995 working out of a San Francisco garage, and has been making media more social ever since. She led the online community for Classroom Connect's Quest, where kids around the world collaborated with an expedition team in journeys of scientific and historical discovery. In 2001, Shara was a Geekcorps volunteer in Accra, where she worked with Ghanaians to develop websites as part of USAID's EDDI initiative which had the goal of using information technology to support development of democracy and transparency. Currently she runs the small business community for Work.com, consults for MobileActive.org, and recently helped organize the Drums to Beat Malaria benefit in Venice, CA.
-Find Shara on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sharakarasic
Perrin is a passionate evangelist for the causes of Africa. Completely changed by a trip to Nairobi Kenya (pre-election crisis), his passion is devoted towards building partnerships for change between the US and Africa. Towards this end, Roots of Africa was formed to connect available resources in the US and abroad with various projects and needs in Africa. Perrin's background includes extensive sales, marketing, technology, non-profit adminstration and leadership experience. In his home life, he is the husband of a professional musician/singer/songwriter and father of three young children; all eager to travel to Africa!
-Find Perrin on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rootsofafrica
Elia is a journalist and a photographer originally from Spain, who has lived in a few countries with long names before landing in San Francisco. She has contributed to a number of blogs, including a Europe travelogue and a wine blog, and is a frequent contributor at Global Voices Online. Recently she co-founded Maneno, a web portal that strives to provide a localized and accessible communication platform specifically designed for Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal of Maneno, which means 'words' in Swahili, is to be translated in as many African languages as possible, and to assist in the development of a truly grassroots citizen journalism in Sub-Saharan Africa.
-Find Elia on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eliaws
During the day, Julie is an executive recruiter with the nonprofit strategy consulting firm, The Bridgespan Group. Prior to joining Bridgespan in 2007, Julie conceived of and built an international corporate philanthropy program for her former company, Heidrick & Struggles. In the evening, Julie is a very active volunteer with Bead for Life, an economic development project devoted to helping women living in extreme poverty in Uganda.
Through BFL, Julie has developed a passion for all things African and is delighted to be involved in Bar Camp Africa! Julie's other passions are traveling, rowing with the competitive women's crew team at Bair Island Aquatic Center (BIAC), and engaging in discourse around social justice.
