Kacey R. Wherley
Founder / Director
Raised in Ohio, Happily Living in Pittsburgh. Art Institute of Pittsburgh graduate, event coordinator in the security software industry and avid supporter of the Pittsburgh startup community. Fan of anything tech, inspiring talks, yoga, meeting people and planning.
Favorite TED talk: Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we happy?
Shane Hvizdzak
Marketing & Interactive Innovator
Founder of Helpified.com, a social solution sharing platform. Fitness and start-up consultant. Entrepreneurship Lecturer at St. Bonaventure University. Really loves drinking tea, working out, and starting businesses – but not all three at once (yet). Last name is pronounced Weez-Jock. You know, like an athlete with asthma.
Favorite TED talk: Tim Ferris: How to Feel Like the Incredible Hulk
Matt Steiner
Director of Content
Grew up in rural southwestern PA – loves to hike, bike, and play frisbee with his dog. Happiest when exploring new places and considers himself a wannabe world traveler. An engineer trained in Happy Valley – interested in everything from nuclear energy to app development. At Penn State he worked with TEDxPSU since 2010 and was their Director of Content for the 2011 conference.
Favorite TED talk: Derek Sivers: Keep your goals to yourself
Benjamin Scheiner
Wordsmith & General of Troops
Hailing from Boston, exploring the region, traveling way too much (and wholeheartedly not enough). Has hit the East, West, and North coasts since December, spent a week in Croatia. Photography, theory, and writing in free time, Electric and Hybrid vehicles when at work. Fan of big thoughts.
Favorite TED talk (as if you could pick just one): Julian Treasure: 5 ways to listen better
Jaclyn Vesci
Social Media Leader
Founder and editor of 3HourLocal.com, a website to connect Pittsburgh through community events. Social media and networking enthusiast. Enjoys all things startup, community and technology related. Also likes to swing and salsa dance. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA.
Sara Coffey
Lead Designer
Holds a Graphic Design position at a Pittsburgh Based company as well as various freelance projects, with a focus on non-profits. Free time consists of drawing, listening to music, reading, and being outdoors!
Favorite TED Talk: Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?
Indre Sabaliunaite
Outreach Leader
Born in Vilnius (Lithuania) and raised in Lund (Sweden), London, and Cincinnati, a true Buckeye that now studies for her Master’s in Pittsburgh. Loves all things cultural, worldly, adventurous, quirky. Past-time hobbies include not only rock climbing, biking, and trying new foods, but also organizing the occasional trash clean-up project in Southeast Asia.
Favorite TED talk: Hans Rosling: Religions and babies
John Quayle
Business Developer
A native to the greater Pittsburgh area. Graphic designer by trade that has a growing passion for economics. Founder and organizer of Pittsburgh Geek Breakfast – a monthly morning technology-minded networking group. Frequent listener of BBC Radio and a devout ice hockey enthusiast.
Favorite TED talk: Malcom Gladwell: Choice, happiness, and spaghetti sauce