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Mitchell Duncombe is currently the Legal Counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to that, they worked as legal counsel to startup companies at [Fenwick & West](/org/fenwick-west) from October 2018 to June 2022. Mitchell also worked as a Summer Associate at [Fenwick & West](/org/fenwick-west) from June 2017 to August 2017. Additionally, Mitchell has experience working as a Deputy Law Clerk at the United States District Court from May 2016 to August 2016. Furthermore, they were a Graduate student consultant to tech startup companies at InSITE from January 2016 to May 2018. Before their career in law, Mitchell was an K-12 Math Instructional Director and High School Math Teacher at [Teach For America](/org/teach-for-america) from January 2012 to December 2014. While at [Teach For America](/org/teach-for-america), they also coached Varsity Basketball.

Mitchell Duncombe has a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from University of California, Berkeley - School of Law, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Interdisciplinary study of Communication, Law, Economics, and Government from [American University](/org/american-university), and is a Visiting Scholar at Lady Margaret Hall studying politics, philosophy and economics from [University of Oxford](/org/university-of-oxford).

They work with and Tommy Szalasny - Legal Counsel. Mitchell Duncombe reports to Nicole Cadman, General Counsel.

Mitchell Duncombe

Tommy Szalasny is currently the legal counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Tommy has held this position since June of 2022. Prior to that, they were an associate attorney at Silicon Legal Strategy from January of 2020 to June of 2022. Tommy's previous positions include managing consultant at Edgeworth Economics, LLC from October of 2018 to December of 2019, and associate at Cooley LLP from November of 2016 to October of 2018. Tommy also held the position of summer associate at Cooley LLP from May of 2015 to August of 2015. Tommy has experience in the healthcare and life sciences industries, and has advised pharmaceutical manufacturers on how to improve their practices to avoid legal liability in the future. Tommy is a skilled negotiator and has helped clients develop strategies for settling alleged violations of the False Claims Act. Tommy is a graduate of Harvard Law School and currently resides in San Francisco, California.

Tommy Szalasny's educational career began with a BA in Economics and Political Science from [Northwestern University](/org/northwestern-university). Tommy then went on to earn their law degree from the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law.

Their manager is Nicole Cadman, General Counsel. Some of their coworkers include Mitchell Duncombe - Legal Counsel.

Tommy Szalasny

Nicole Cadman is the current General Counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to their current position, they worked as an Associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from June 2013 to October 2016. Before that, they were an Associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP from January 2012 to May 2013. Nicole Cadman has also worked as an Associate at TauTona Group from June 2010 to April 2011 and as a Consultant at [Cornerstone Research](/org/cornerstone-research) from January 2011 to December 2011. In addition, they did a Legal Internship at DOJ, Office of Legal Policy from May 2009 to August 2009 and worked as a Paralegal at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld from January 2007 to July 2008. Nicole's first internship was at the Embassy of the United States from June 2005 to August 2005.

Nicole Cadman has a J.D from Stanford Law School and a B.A in International Affairs; Spanish Language & Literature from The George Washington University.

They are on a team with Matt Bogrand - Senior Associate, YC Continuity, Mia Mabanta - Director of Talent and Programs, YC Continuity, and Carly Ruiz - Project Support, YC Continuity. Nicole Cadman reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity. Some direct reports include Mitchell Duncombe - Legal Counsel, Tommy Szalasny - Legal Counsel.

Nicole Cadman

Mia Mabanta

Jessica Livingston was previously VP of marketing at investment bank Adams Harkness, where she managed an award-winning rebranding of the company. She is the author of Founders at Work (2007), a book of interviews with startup founders. She has a BA in English from Bucknell.

Jessica Livingston

Shirley Truy is a paralegal at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Shirley has previously worked as a legal assistant at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates. Shirley also has experience as a customer service representative. Shirley is passionate about helping others and providing excellent customer service.

Shirley Truy holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government from the School of Public Affairs at [American University](/org/american-university). Shirley also holds an Associate of Arts (A.A.) in International Relations and Affairs from Miami Dade College. Shirley Truy's highest level of education is a High School Diploma, which they earned from John A. Ferguson High School.

Shirley Truy reports to Alex Petersen, Senior Legal Counsel.

Shirley Truy

Alex Petersen is a senior legal counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Alex has experience working in corporate law, having been a corporate associate at [Fenwick & West](/org/fenwick-west) from October 2016 to September 2019. Alex also interned at the U.S. Department of Labor in 2014, where they worked as a judicial extern to the Hon. Jennifer Gee, District Chief Judge.

Alex Petersen has a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a B.A. in Alex'story and Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Alex also has a Business Law Certificate from Berkeley.

Alex Petersen reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. and Shirley Truy - Paralegal reports to Alex Petersen. Alex Petersen works with Elizabeth Akman - Batch Director, Lindsay Selvitelle - Director of Events, and Renee Mars - Director of People Operations.

Alex Petersen

Renee Mars is the Director of People Operations at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Renee has over ten years of experience in human resources and operations, and has held positions at Tilt.com, [Airbnb](/org/airbnb), and [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Renee is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the people operations function, including onboarding, benefits, compliance, recruitment, and operations.

Renee Mars holds a Bachelor of Business and Commerce from [Monash University](/org/monash-university), where they majored in management. Renee is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the same university.

Renee Mars reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Renee Mars works with Lindsay Amos - Director of Communications, Daniel Gackle - Head of Hacker News, and Joan Degennaro - Startup School Community Manager.

Renee Mars

Tatyana Veremyova currently serves as the Director of Payroll & Benefits at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Tatyana has over three years of experience in accounting management, having previously worked as an Accounting Manager at Kranz & Associates from June 2013 to October 2016.

At Kranz & Associates, Tatyana was responsible for end-to-end General Ledger accounting at multiple Start-Ups in a consulting like environment. This included simultaneous management of associated Accounting Staff. Her specific duties included: revenue recognition, bookkeeping, payroll and benefits processing, cash management, accounts receivable and payable, equity management, month end close and financial reporting, budgeting and planning, and regulatory tax filings. Tatyana was also responsible for auditing processes and collaborating with CFOs on budget preparation.

Thanks to their experience and expertise in accounting management, Tatyana has been able to successfully contribute to [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) as Controller. In this role, they are responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's finances and ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations. Tatyana has played a key role in helping [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) grow into the successful organization it is today.

Tatyana Veremyova has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics from the Odessa National Telecommunications Academy. Her field is Management of Telecommunication Enterprises.

Tatyana Veremyova

Celia Cheung is the fund controller at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Celia has over seven years of experience in assurance and financial reporting, specializing in asset management. 

Celia began their career at PwC in 2012, where they quickly rose through the ranks to become a senior manager. During their time at PwC, Celia managed a portfolio of financial statement audits for some of the world’s largest mutual funds, exchange traded funds, private equity funds, and real estate funds. Celia was also the lead audit manager for a mutual fund complex with over $200 billion in assets under management (AUM), as well as other alternative fund complexes with AUMs in excess of $2 billion. 

Celia has significant experience with various types of security valuations, including equity, fixed income securities, derivatives, and private equity portfolio companies. Celia has reviewed consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnote disclosures for compliance with industry and reporting standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) requirements, and has provided clients with financial reporting guidance, including recent accounting disclosures, in compliance with GAAP, Reg S-X, and applicable industry standards. 

In addition to their work at PwC, Celia also completed a 6-month rotation at PwC’s National Quality Organization (NQO) Inspections Group, where they assisted with the firm’s assurance quality initiatives. This included internal reviews of large mutual fund and

Celia Cheung graduated from the University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business with a B.S. in Accounting.

Celia Cheung

Emily Manashi is a Fund Accounting Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Emily has over five years of experience in the accounting industry. Emily started their career as a Tax Senior Associate at PwC. Emily then became a Research Assistant at the [University of San Francisco](/org/university-of-san-francisco). After that, they were an Auction Fundraising Team Leader at Generation Citizen. Emily also interned at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office.

Emily Manashi has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Juris Doctor from the [University of San Francisco](/org/university-of-san-francisco). Emily also has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the [University of San Francisco](/org/university-of-san-francisco). Emily attended Valley Christian High School.

Emily Manashi reports to Kirsty Nathoo, CFO & Partner. Emily Manashi works with Yna Ortega - Fund Accounting Manager, Irina Lukashuk - Fund Accounting Manager, and Shellie Wong - Fund Accounting Manager.

Emily Manashi

Yna Ortega is a Fund Accounting Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Yna has over 4 years of experience in the field of accounting and finance.

Ortega started their career as an intern at HC Global Fund Services, LLC in 2014. Yna then joined CFA Investment Research Challenge in 2015 as a team member. In 2016, they joined PwC as a Senior Associate. Yna left PwC in 2019 to join [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator).

Yna Ortega graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accountancy from the [University of the Philippines](/org/university-of-the-philippines).

Yna Ortega works with Emily Manashi - Fund Accounting Manager, Shellie Wong - Fund Accounting Manager, and Irina Lukashuk - Fund Accounting Manager. Their manager is Kirsty Nathoo, CFO & Partner.

Yna Ortega

Ani Kochiashvili is an FP&A Associate at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Ani has over 10 years of experience in consulting and financial analysis. Prior to joining [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator), they were a Sr. Consultant at [Deloitte](/org/deloitte) Consulting, where they led the functional and technical design of a financial planning & forecasting system for a major reorganization at a beverage manufacturing company. Ani also designed an Enterprise Data Management Operating Model for a retail client and ensured regulatory compliance of a top US bank’s Credit Card business by gathering insights through complex client sessions and designing automated Regulatory Compliance Analysis model. 

In 2015, Kochiashvili left [Deloitte](/org/deloitte) to join [Deloitte](/org/deloitte) Investments LLC as a Manager. Ani stayed with the company until August 2019 when they decided to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and founded Kochi, Ltd., a company that provides financial analysis and consulting services to small businesses. Kochiashvili served as the CEO of Kochi, Ltd. from July 2008 to April 2009.

Ani Kochiashvili reports to Verena Prescher, Director of Finance.

Ani Kochiashvili

Verena Prescher is the Director of Finance at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Verena was previously the Controller at [Felicis Ventures](/org/felicis-ventures) from October 2014 to September 2015. Prior to that, they were a Tax Manager - Venture Capital at PwC from July 2008 to October 2014. Verena began their career as an accountant at DiPerna Associates from September 2006 to May 2008 where they worked in business management and tax accounting for clients in the entertainment industry.

Verena Prescher attended the NYU Stern School of Business, where they earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and economics. Verena also attended Half Hollow Hills High School East. Verena is certified as a public accountant in California (inactive).

Verena Prescher reports to Kirsty Nathoo, CFO & Partner. Verena Prescher works with Yna Ortega - Fund Accounting Manager, Irina Lukashuk - Fund Accounting Manager, and Tatyana Veremyova - Controller. A direct report to Verena Prescher is and Ani Kochiashvili - FP&A Associate.

Verena Prescher

Shellie Wong is the Fund Accounting Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Shellie has over 7 years of experience in auditing and accounting. 

Shellie started their career as an Audit Senior at Hill Rogers. Shellie was seconded to their affiliate firm in Sydney, Australia where they performed audits on local councils. Shellie then moved to Sensiba San Filippo LLP where they were an Audit Manager for over 4 years. During their time there, they demonstrated proficiency in Xero, Caseware, and Excel by performing solo audits on 3 not-for-profit entities. 

In 2014, Shellie interned at ACE Group as an Excess Casualty Intern. Shellie was responsible for analyzing customer loss runs and auto fleets, researching prospective commercial clients, and updating and maintaining pricing workbooks. The following year, they interned at [Motorola Solutions](/org/motorola-solutions) as a Program Management Intern. 

Shellie has a degree in accounting from the University of California, Berkeley.

Shellie Wong has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration - Accounting from The Master's University. Shellie is certified by the California Board of Accountancy as a CPA.

Shellie Wong works with Tatyana Veremyova - Controller, Yna Ortega - Fund Accounting Manager, and Irina Lukashuk - Fund Accounting Manager. Shellie Wong reports to Kirsty Nathoo, CFO & Partner.

Shellie Wong

Irina Lukashuk

Heather Torres is the current head of GTM Talent at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Heather has previously worked as a sales recruiter for Betts Recruiting and as an AMER Lead for Business & G&A Recruiting at Stripe. Heather has been instrumental in leading their team of Recruiting Managers who are responsible for overseeing 30+ Business and G&A Recruiters. Her team is focused on hiring for Finance, Operations, Legal, Business Operations, Risk Product, People, Places and Recruiting across AMER and LATAM Regions.

Heather Torres attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where they completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology. Heather then participated in an Undergraduate Study Abroad Program where they researched and experimented with psychology at ACBEU in Salvador, Brazil.

Some of their coworkers include Paul Buchheit - Partner, Jon Levy - Partner, and Diana Hu - Visiting Group Partner. Heather Torres reports to Geoff Ralston, President.

Heather Torres

Andy Huang is a Technical Talent Lead at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to this, they were a Senior Manager, Engineering Talent at [Affirm](/org/affirm) from September 2017 to July 2022. Andy was also a Technical Recruiter at Palantir Technologies from March 2013 to August 2017.

Andy Huang attended the University of California, Davis where they studied communications and sociology. Andy also participated in the UCEAP Study Abroad Program at [Yonsei University](/org/yonsei-university).

Andy Huang works with Aaron Epstein - Partner, Jon Levy - Partner, and Ali Rowghani - Managing Partner, YC Continuity. Their manager is Geoff Ralston, President.

Andy Huang

Shaun Weber

Gaby Kapp is currently the legal counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Gaby has previous experience working as an associate at [Latham & Watkins](/org/latham-watkins) from October 2017 to June 2021, a summer associate at [Latham & Watkins](/org/latham-watkins) from May 2016 to August 2016, and a law clerk at Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel from June 2015 to July 2015. Gaby interned at Funky Dumpling PR from July 2013 to December 2013 and also at Good Technology from June 2011 to August 2011.

Gaby Kapp completed a B.S. in Music Industry from the [University of Southern California](/org/university-of-southern-california) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of California, Berkeley. Gaby also attended Los Gatos High School.

Gaby Kapp works with Jessica Livingston - Founder & Partner, Tom Blomfield - Consultant, and Jon Levy - Partner. Their manager is Geoff Ralston, President.

Gaby Kapp

Brigid McCurdy is a Senior Legal Counsel at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Brigid has a long history of working in various legal positions. Brigid started their career as an Operations Manager at [Georgetown University](/org/georgetown-university) Alumni & Student Federal Credit Union. Brigid then became a Judicial Extern at 1st District Court of Appeal. After that, they worked as a Buying Intern at [Bloomingdale's](/org/bloomingdales). Brigid then became a Summer Associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Brigid eventually worked their way up to Managing Associate before leaving the company in March 2021.

Brigid McCurdy received their Doctor of Law from the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law and their Bachelor of Arts in Government and Psychology from [Georgetown University](/org/georgetown-university).

Some of their coworkers include Kirsty Nathoo - Partner, Paul Buchheit - Partner, and Gustaf Alströmer - Partner. Their manager is Geoff Ralston, President.

Brigid McCurdy

Nicolas Dessaigne is co-founder of Algolia (YC W14), a growth stage Search API used by millions of developers. He led the company as CEO up to 350 people before hiring a successor in 2020. He is still very involved in the success of Algolia as Board Director. Originally from France, he currently lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and 3 kids. He has a PhD in Computer Sciencefrom the University of Nantes.



Nicolas Dessaigne

Jared Friedman was co-founder of Scribd, which was funded by Y Combinator in 2006 and grew to be one of the top 100 sites on the web. Jared previously worked at a pioneering AI company and studied computer science at Harvard.

Jared Friedman

Ali Rowghani is Managing Director of YC Continuity. Previously, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Twitter, Inc. from 2012 to 2014 and as Twitter’s Chief Financial Officer from 2010 to 2012. For the 8 years prior to his time at Twitter, Ali served in several roles at Pixar Animation Studios, Inc., including as Chief Financial Officer and as Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning. Ali holds a BA and MBA, both from [Stanford University](/org/stanford).

Ali Rowghani

Eve Bouffard is an Admissions Associate at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Eve has also worked as a Course Assistant in UX/UI Design, Master of Management in Retailing at the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, and as a Co-Founder at PaireVR. In addition, they have worked as a Consulting Business Analyst, Digital Experiences at [Deloitte Digital](/org/deloitte-digital) and as a Researcher, Strategy & Fintech at [McGill University](/org/mcgill-university).

Eve Bouffard holds a Bachelor of Commerce from [McGill University](/org/mcgill-university), where they majored in Information Technology, Analytics, and Financial Accounting. Eve also completed a Study Abroad program at the [University of Cambridge](/org/university-of-cambridge), where they focused on Strategic Management and Chinese Economics. In addition, Eve has obtained certification from Microsoft in both Introduction to Microsoft Project and Introduction to Power BI, as well as certification from Bloomberg LP in Bloomberg Market Concepts.

They are on a team with and Tommy Kilmer - Admissions Manager and Software Engineer. Eve Bouffard reports to Stephanie Simon, Director of Admissions.

Eve Bouffard

Matt Bogrand is a Senior Associate at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator)'s Continuity Fund. Matt previously worked as a Strategic Finance at [Dropbox](/org/dropbox) from November 2014 to May 2017, and as an Analyst at The Blackstone Group from July 2013 to October 2014.

Matt Bogrand completed a BS in Commerce from the [University of Virginia](/org/university-of-virginia) with a focus in finance and management. Matt also holds a bachelor's degree from The Taft School.

Matt Bogrand works with Luis Bacalao - General Counsel, YC Continuity, Simon Lu - Principal, YC Continuity, and Margot Helm - Executive Assistant, YC Continuity. Matt Bogrand reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity.

Matt Bogrand

Arnav Sahu is the current Principal at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Arnav has also worked with the [World Economic Forum](/org/world-economic-forum), [Salt Security](/org/salt-security), [Mattermost](/org/mattermost), [Fivetran](/org/fivetran), and a few other early-stage startups in enterprise infrastructure. [PostHog](/org/posthog) and [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) are their most recent companies. Before that, they were with [Rapyd](/org/rapyd) and [Turbonomic](/org/turbonomic).

Arnav Sahu graduated from The Doon School, Dehradun, India before attending [Cornell University](/org/cornell-university) where they earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and International Relations.

Arnav Sahu works with Luis Bacalao - General Counsel, YC Continuity, Simon Lu - Principal, YC Continuity, and Carly Ruiz - Project Support, YC Continuity. Arnav Sahu reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity.

Arnav Sahu

Karan Shah is currently a Senior Associate at Y Combinator Continuity. Prior to this, they worked as an Investment Analyst at [Octahedron Capital](/org/octahedron-capital), where they were responsible for crossover investing in consumer internet, payments, and SaaS companies. Karan has also worked as an investor at [Accel](/org/accel), where they made investments in consumer internet, B2B, and FinTech startups. Finally, they have also worked as an investment banking analyst at [Avendus](/org/avendus), where they advised growth-stage internet and software startups in India on fundraising and M&A transactions.

Karan Shah graduated from the [University of Warwick](/org/university-of-warwick) with a Bachelor of Science in Finance + Economics. Karan then went on to complete their MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Some of their coworkers include Margot Helm - Executive Assistant, YC Continuity, Anu Hariharan - YC Continuity Investing Partner, and Matt Bogrand - Senior Associate, YC Continuity. Karan Shah reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity.

Karan Shah

Stephanie Simon is currently the Director of Admissions at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Stephanie has previous experience as a software engineer, working at Earnest Inc. from November 2015 to October 2016. Stephanie is also the co-founder and former CEO of Murmur, an app for finding restaurants via messaging. The company grew to 17 employees before it shut down in 2015.

A direct report to Stephanie Simon is and Tommy Kilmer - Admissions Manager and Software Engineer. Their manager is Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Stephanie Simon works with Casey Muller - Product Engineer, Jared Hobbs - Product Engineer, and Mark Thurman - Software Engineer.

Stephanie Simon

Diana Hu is the current Visiting Group Partner at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to this, they were the Director of Engineering and Head of AR Platform at [Niantic](/org/niantic), Inc. from January 2018 to December 2020. Diana was responsible for leading [Niantic](/org/niantic)'s AR platform and oversaw all the teams building AR tech used in all their games. In addition, they shipped their SDK for third-party developers and scaled the AR teams by 5x over 2 years.

Before joining [Niantic](/org/niantic), Diana was the Co-founder & CTO of Escher Reality from January 2016 to December 2018. During their time there, they built the most advanced Augmented Reality API. Escher Reality was acquired by [Niantic](/org/niantic) in 2018.

Prior to Escher Reality, Diana worked as the Data Science Lead for Verizon Labs from January 2014 to December 2016. There, they led and started the machine learning and computer vision group for recommender systems and automatic TV ad detection.

Before Verizon Labs, Diana worked as the Data Science Lead for Intel Corporation from July 2011 to December 2014. And before that, they were a Researcher for [Carnegie Mellon University](/org/carnegie-mellon-university) from January 2010 to December 2011.

Diana Hu earned their MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from [Carnegie Mellon University](/org/carnegie-mellon-university). Diana also earned their BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from [Carnegie Mellon University](/org/carnegie-mellon-university).

Their manager is Geoff Ralston, President. They work with Jon Levy - Partner, Jared Friedman - Partner, and Harj Taggar - Partner.

Diana Hu

Sam Altman was co-founder and CEO of Loopt, which was funded by [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) in 2005 and acquired by [Green Dot](/org/green-dot) in 2012. At [Green Dot](/org/green-dot), he was the CTO and is now on the Board of Directors. Sam also founded Hydrazine Capital. He studied computer science at Stanford, and while there worked in the AI lab.

Sam Altman

David Lieb

Joan Degennaro is the Startup School Community Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to their current position, Joan Degennaro served as the Network Partnerships for [Oscar Health](/org/oscar-health) from March 2018 to January 2020. Joan Degennaro also served as the Head of Operations for [Deepgram](/org/deepgram) from December 2016 to March 2018 and as the Development Associate for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York from January 2014 to February 2015. In their previous positions, Joan Degennaro coordinated the event planning, volunteering, and fundraising efforts for the 300-member Junior Board, managed the solicitation and processing of donations for general fundraising and special events, organized a day of shopping for winter necessities for over 4,000 individuals in need with a shopping budget of $250,000 and over 400 volunteers, served as the Director of Community Sanitation for SHRI: Sanitation and Health Rights in India (formerly Humanure Power) from June 2013 to May 2016, and Assistant Data Management & Strategic Communication for Big Shoulders Fund from January 2013 to June 2013. Joan Degennaro began their career as a Development and Research Intern for Big Shoulders Fund from June 2012 to August 2012.

Joan Degennaro attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart for their Bachelor of Science in Social Policy from [Northwestern University](/org/northwestern-university).

Their manager is Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Joan Degennaro works with Carolyn Conway - Admissions Manager and Data Scientist, Renee Mars - Director of People Operations, and Alex Petersen - Senior Legal Counsel.

Joan Degennaro

Nic Dardenne is a Senior Associate at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) Continuity, where they focus on investments in enterprise companies. Prior to joining [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator), Nic worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at [Morgan Stanley](/org/morgan-stanley) in both the New York and San Francisco offices. While at [Morgan Stanley](/org/morgan-stanley), Nic worked on various M&A and capital markets transactions totaling over $100 billion in value. Nic graduated from the [University of Pennsylvania](/org/university-of-pennsylvania) with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

Nic Dardenne attended the University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business, where they earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Nic also attended the American School of Dubai.

Nic Dardenne works with Mia Mabanta - Director of Talent and Programs, YC Continuity, Anu Hariharan - YC Continuity Investing Partner, and Tiffany Kosolcharoen - Investment Research Director. Nic Dardenne reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity.

Nic Dardenne

Mark Thurman is a software engineer who currently works for [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Mark has previously worked for [Evernote](/org/evernote), Google, and [Akamai Technologies](/org/akamai-technologies). 

Mark Thurman began their career in 2010 as an intern at Google, where they worked on building new features for the company's TV Ads product. Mark was then promoted to Senior Software Engineer at [Evernote](/org/evernote) in 2014, where they worked on the backend service. In 2015, they became the Technical Lead for the backend service. 

Mark left [Evernote](/org/evernote) in 2016 to join [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) as a software engineer.

Mark Thurman completed their undergraduate degree at [Carnegie Mellon University](/org/carnegie-mellon-university), where they studied computer science.

They work with Elizabeth Akman - Batch Director, Daniel Gackle - Head of Hacker News, and Lindsay Selvitelle - Director of Events. Mark Thurman reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner.

Mark Thurman

Casey Muller is a product engineer at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Casey has previously worked as a software engineer at Quip, Facebook, FriendFeed, Jamglue, Bevel, and NYU Media Research Lab. Casey also interned at Microsoft Games Studios. Muller received their research assistant training at the MIT Media Lab.

Casey Muller dropped out of their PhD program in Computer Science at [New York University](/org/nyu). Casey then went on to get their M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After that, they got their Sc.B. in Computer and Electrical Science from MIT. Finally, they got their Sc.B. in Comparative Media Studies from MIT as well.

Their manager is Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Some of their coworkers include Adele Gower - Operations Manager, Maxwell Schorer - Software Engineer, Data, and Renee Mars - Director of People Operations.

Casey Muller

Elizabeth Akman is the Batch Director at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Elizabeth has previous experience working in business operations at WhereTo and Make School, sales at [SmartRecruiters](/org/smartrecruiters) and [Invoca](/org/invoca), and as an analyst at Social Intelligence Corp.

Elizabeth Akman has a Bachelor of Science in Financial Mathematics and Statistics from [UC Santa Barbara](/org/uc-santa-barbara). Elizabeth also attended the Make School Summer Academy. Elizabeth is certified from Yoga Alliance in RYT 200 hour.

They work with Joan Degennaro - Startup School Community Manager, Stephanie Simon - Director of Admissions, and Kirsty Nathoo - CFO & Partner. Elizabeth Akman reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner.

Elizabeth Akman

Margot Helm is the current Executive Assistant for YC Continuity at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Margot has previously worked as an Executive Assistant at Bugcrowd and [SmartRecruiters](/org/smartrecruiters). 

Helm is responsible for a variety of tasks, including calendaring, coordination, travel arrangements, expense reports, and event planning. Margot also has experience with office management, budgeting, and slide deck creation. 

Helm is efficient and detail-oriented, with a proven track record of providing excellent support to their executive team. Margot is an excellent communicator and excels at managing multiple tasks simultaneously.

Margot Helm graduated from Pinewood High School and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from [Southern Methodist University](/org/southern-methodist-university).

Their manager is Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity. They are on a team with Matt Bogrand - Senior Associate, YC Continuity, Simon Lu - Principal, YC Continuity, and Brendan Brown - Head of Leadership Talent.

Margot Helm

Ryan Choi is a product manager who currently works at a startup at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Ryan has previously worked at [Lyft](/org/lyft), where they were the lead product manager, and at Twitter, where they were the head of partner engineering. Ryan has also been an advisor and investor for various companies. Choi has a long history of working in various aspects of product management and has gained a wealth of experience in this field. Ryan is an innovative thinker and has a track record of successfully developing and launching new products.

Ryan Choi has an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a BA in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ryan Choi works with Elizabeth Akman - Batch Director, Adele Gower - Operations Manager, and Alex Petersen - Senior Legal Counsel. Ryan Choi reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner.

Ryan Choi

Lindsay Selvitelle is the current Director of Events at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Lindsay has previously worked as the Senior Events & Experiences Marketing Manager at Mixpanel from June 2015 to November 2019. In this role, they led and managed the Global Event & Experiences team of three, executing 68 events and 16 webinars in 2018 which influenced $8M in pipeline via events in 2018 (increase 220% YoY).

Selvitelle is responsible for developing overall event program strategy to support demand generation and awareness objectives via creative, strategic and quality events and experiences. Lindsay sets and owns annual budget, with quarterly spending at or under target budget; runs event management end-to-end, including planning and operations from pre to post, identifying venues, vendor management, full project management, creative branding, logistics, sponsor integration, onsite management, internal communication, post-event evaluation, etc.

Selvitelle collaborates with event stakeholders to include Executives, Sales, Partnerships, Content and Community teams ensuring that their needs are met and goals achieved via events.

Lindsay Selvitelle earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from Western Kentucky University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the same school.

Lindsay Selvitelle works with Casey Muller - Product Engineer, Alex Petersen - Senior Legal Counsel, and Lindsay Amos - Director of Communications. Lindsay Selvitelle reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner.

Lindsay Selvitelle

Carly Ruiz is currently a Project Support at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Carly has previous experience working as an Analyst at MacAndrews & Forbes and as Marketing and Branding at Majestic Pet Products, Inc.

Carly has a passion for retail and consumer focused business development, strategy, and investing. Carly has a strong background in marketing and branding, which they use to support the projects they work on.

Carly Ruiz completed their high school education at Newport Harbor High School. Carly then went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at [Brown University](/org/brown-university).

They are on a team with Nic Dardenne - Senior Associate, YC Continuity, Karan Shah - Senior Associate, YC Continuity, and Margot Helm - Executive Assistant, YC Continuity. Carly Ruiz reports to Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity.

Carly Ruiz

Maxwell Schorer is a software engineer and data analyst who has worked for some of the world's largest tech companies. Maxwell began their career as a data analyst for KIPP DC, a non-profit organization that runs charter schools. Maxwell then moved to Google, where they worked as a business intelligence analyst on the HR data warehousing team. From there, they went to YouTube, where they worked as a product analyst on the data science team. After a brief stint at Snapchat, they joined [Coinbase](/org/coinbase) in October 2018 as a senior data scientist. Maxwell is currently employed at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) as a software engineer and data analyst.

Maxwell Schorer's educational career includes a Master's degree in Computer Science from [Stanford University](/org/stanford), a BA in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a degree from the Haas School of Business.

Maxwell Schorer reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. They are on a team with Casey Muller - Product Engineer, Jared Hobbs - Product Engineer, and Carolyn Conway - Admissions Manager and Data Scientist.

Maxwell Schorer

Catheryn Li is currently a Product Engineer at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Before that, they were a Software Engineer at Facebook, where they built the sharing experience in the new Facebook.com web redesign, and also worked on the new composer and stories view. Catheryn also made it possible to share Feed posts to your Story, and view them directly from news feed. Additionally, Catheryn wrote the backend for some create modes and stickers on Instagram Stories (e.g. Challenges).

Before their time at Facebook, Catheryn Li was an Undergraduate Researcher at MIT Media Lab in the Human Dynamics group under Alex Sandy Pentland.

Catheryn Li has also interned as a software engineer at both [Quora](/org/quora) and Quizlet, Inc., and as an undergraduate researcher at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Catheryn Li has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Catheryn also studied abroad in Mathematics and Computer Science at the [University of Oxford](/org/university-of-oxford).

They work with Maxwell Schorer - Software Engineer, Data, Renee Mars - Director of People Operations, and Joan Degennaro - Startup School Community Manager. Their manager is Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner.

Catheryn Li

Perry Wang is the Data Science & Growth Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Perry has over 10 years of experience in data and analytics and has held previous positions as the Head of Enterprise Marketing Analytics at [Atlassian](/org/atlassian) and Head of Analytics Engineering at [Intercom](/org/intercom). Perry is responsible for growing and mentoring a high-impact distributed team of managers and data scientists. Team projects include business KPI definitions, GTM data architecture, segmentation, lead scoring, ROI measurement, multi-touch attribution, and more.

Perry Wang has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Conestoga Senior High School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the [University of Pennsylvania](/org/university-of-pennsylvania).

They are on a team with Ali Rowghani - Managing Partner, YC Continuity, Diana Hu - Visiting Group Partner, and Michael Seibel - Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Perry Wang reports to Geoff Ralston, President.

Perry Wang

Esther Schwyter is a Fund Account Manager at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Esther has previously worked as an Audit Manager at Sensiba San Filippo LLP from September 2014 to June 2013, and before that as an Assistant Manager at Frodo Joe’s Coffee & Tea from April 2011 to June 2014. Prior to that, they were a Care Taker at a private company from May 2009 to October 2010, and a Receptionist at O.M.G.- A. van de Bunt from August 2008 to January 2009.

The educational career for Esther Schwyter would be as follows: Esther would first earn their BS in Business Administration in Accounting and Corporate Management from California State University - East Bay. Then, they would earn their bachelors degree from Chabot College. Finally, they would earn their Certification from CPA in CPA.

Esther Schwyter

Joseph Borges-Santos is currently a legal analyst at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Prior to that, they were a legal analyst at Kobre & Kim from June 2021 to July 2022. Joseph also interned for the [DCCC](/org/dccc) from December 2019 to February 2020, and for the United States Senate from October 2019 to December 2020. Borges-Santos has a passion for policy and advocacy, and has interned for Voice for Adoption in the past.

Joseph Borges-Santos holds a Master of Studies in Philosophy from the [University of Oxford](/org/university-of-oxford) and a BA in Philosophy from the [University of Cambridge](/org/university-of-cambridge).

Joseph Borges-Santos

Jared Hobbs is a software engineer and the current head of Tax Engineering at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Jared has over fifteen years of experience in the field, having worked with some of the biggest companies in the world such as [Carta](/org/carta) and Sandia National Laboratories. Jared is also the founder of Pyhacker, a software development consultancy. Throughout their career, Jared has been instrumental in helping companies grow and scale, thanks to their wide range of skills and experience.

Jared Hobbs has a 4.0 from [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) and a BS in Computer Science from [The University of New Mexico](/org/the-university-of-new-mexico). Jared does not have a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration, but they did attend Brigham Young University - Idaho.

Jared Hobbs reports to Michael Seibel, Managing Director, Early Stage & Group Partner. Some of their coworkers include Adele Gower - Operations Manager, Elizabeth Akman - Batch Director, and Casey Muller - Product Engineer.

Jared Hobbs

Brad Flora was co-founder and CEO of Perfect Audience, an ad network funded by [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) in 2011, acquired by [Marin Software](/org/marin-software) in 2014 and used by companies like [Eventbrite](/org/eventbrite), [Atlassian](/org/atlassian) and [New Relic](/org/new-relic) to market to more than a billion people. He is an active angel investor, occasional contributor for Slate.com and lives in San Francisco with his wife and young son. He has a BA from [Princeton University](/org/princeton) in English and an MS in Journalism from Northwestern.

Brad Flora

Kat Manalac was Chief of Staff to Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of reddit, before joining YC. Prior to that, Kat was at WIRED Magazine where she managed brand and strategy. Kat has a BS in Communications from [Northwestern University](/org/northwestern-university).

Kat Manalac

Carolynn Levy was previously at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, where she helped hundreds of startups with legal questions. She has a BA in political science from UCLA and JD from the USF School of Law, and is a member of the State Bar of California.

Carolynn Levy

Harj Taggar was previously the co-founder & CEO of Triplebyte, a technical skills assessment for software engineers, funded by [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) in 2015. Before that, he joined YC in 2010 as the first non-founding partner. During college he founded Auctomatic, which was funded by YC in 2007 and acquired by Live Current Media in 2008.


Harj Taggar

Gustaf Alstromer spent 4.5 years at Airbnb where he worked as a Product Lead on the Growth team, a team he helped start in 2012. Prior to Airbnb, Gustaf was Head of Growth at Voxer, and before that, he was CEO & co-founder of Heysan, which was part of the YC W07 batch.

Gustaf Alströmer

Dalton Caldwell was the co-founder and CEO of imeem (acquired by MySpace in 2009), and the co-founder and CEO of App.net. He has a BS in Symbolic Systems and a BA in Psychology from [Stanford University](/org/stanford).

Dalton Caldwell

Paul Buchheit is the creator of GMail. While at Google he also built the prototype for AdSense, and came up with Google's now famous slogan "Don't be evil." In 2007 he was one of the founders of Friendfeed, which in 2009 became Facebook's largest acquisition to date. He has a BS and MS in Computer Science from [Case Western Reserve University](/org/case-western-reserve-university).

Paul Buchheit

Jon Levy previously counseled public and private technology companies as an attorney for Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati. He also ran ThinkEquity's private placement department and worked as a Managing Director at Merriman Curhan & Ford. Jon earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, and a B.A. in English Literature and Religious Studies from [Wesleyan University](/org/wesleyan-university).

Jon Levy

Kirsty Nathoo was previously an audit manager at PwC based in Cambridge UK, where she audited tech and biotech companies ranging from startups to public companies. She has an MEng in electrical and information sciences from Cambridge, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Kirsty Nathoo

Aaron Epstein was co-founder and CEO of Creative Market, which was funded by [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) in 2010 and acquired by [Autodesk](/org/autodesk) in 2014. He later spun the company out as an independent startup again in 2017, and has helped generate more than $100M in sales for independent creators around the world. He also has a BS in Business from the [University of Maryland](/org/university-of-maryland).

Aaron Epstein

Robert Morris is a professor of computer science at MIT, where he is a member of the PDOS group. He has published extensively on wireless networks, distributed operating systems, and peer-to-peer applications. In 1988 his discovery of buffer overflow first brought the Internet to the attention of the general public. He has an AB and PhD in Computer Science from Harvard.

Robert Morris

Paul Graham is the author of On Lisp (1993), ANSI Common Lisp (1995), and Hackers & Painters (2004). In 1995, he and Robert Morris started Viaweb, the first SaaS company, which in 1998 became Yahoo Store. In 2002 he discovered a simple spam filtering algorithm that inspired the current generation of filters. He has an AB from Cornell and a PhD in Computer Science from Harvard.

Paul Graham

Trevor Blackwell is a roboticist who in 2007 built the first dynamically balancing biped robot. He has published papers on congestion control in high speed wide area networks, signalling protocol architecture, and file system performance. He has a BEng from Carleton, and a PhD in Computer Science from Harvard.

Trevor Blackwell

Michael Seibel is a Group Partner and Managing Director, Early Stage at YC. He was the cofounder and CEO Justin.tv and Socialcam. Socialcam sold to [Autodesk](/org/autodesk) in 2012 and under the leadership of Emmett Shear, Justin.tv became [Twitch](/org/twitch).tv and sold to Amazon in 2014. Before getting into startups, he spent a year as the finance director for a US Senate campaign and in 2005, Michael graduated from [Yale University](/org/yale-university) with a BA in political science.



Michael Seibel

Surbhi Sarna was founder and CEO of nVision Medical, a medical device company dedicated to cancer detection in women. After several successful clinical trials and FDA clearance, it was acquired by Boston Scientific in 2018 for $275M. Previously, she held engineering roles at Abbott Vascular and other device start-ups, and now is an active advisor and board member. Originally from the bay area, she lives in San Francisco with her husband and two kids. She went to UC Berkeley where she earned a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and conducted extensive research in bioengineering.

Surbhi Sarna

Tasnim Thakur is a legal analyst at [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator). Tasnim has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Arizona. Tasnim has worked in the legal field for four years. Tasnim began their career as a legal assistant at Aloia, Roland, Lubell & Morgan, PLLC. After two years, they were promoted to VP of Consulting Operations at Hyperslate Consulting. Tasnim has been with [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) for six months.

Tasnim Thakur completed their high school education with an International Baccalaureate Diploma from Fort Myers High School. Tasnim then went on to complete their Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the [University of Florida](/org/university-of-florida).

Tasnim Thakur

Steven Pham

Tom Blomfield

Luis Bacalao is the current General Counsel for [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator)'s Continuity fund. Prior to that, they were an Assistant General Counsel at [Khosla Ventures](/org/khosla-ventures) from July 2016 to June 2021. Luis has also worked as an Associate at Fenwick and West, where they provided outside counsel to some of Silicon Valley's most innovative companies. Bacalao began their legal career as an Associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP from November 2010 to April 2012. Luis then returned to Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as a Summer Associate in May 2009 before interning for Hon. Richard M. Berman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from May 2008 to December 2008.

Luis Bacalao has a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. in Government and Economics from [Cornell University](/org/cornell-university). Luis also attended Suncoast H.S.

Their manager is Ali Rowghani, Managing Partner, YC Continuity. They are on a team with Arnav Sahu - Principal, Anu Hariharan - YC Continuity Investing Partner, and Matt Bogrand - Senior Associate, YC Continuity.

Luis Bacalao

Angela Prochnow

Simon Lu

Anu Hariharan is a Partner with the YC Continuity Fund. Previously, Anu was an investment partner at [Andreessen Horowitz](/org/andreessen-horowitz), where she worked actively with the management teams of portfolio companies including [Airbnb](/org/airbnb), [Instacart](/org/instacart), Medium, [OfferUp](/org/offerup) and [Udacity](/org/udacity). Prior to this, Anu was a Principal at BCG's Private Equity Practice and was a senior software engineer at [Qualcomm](/org/qualcomm). Anu holds an MS in Electrical Engineering from [Virginia Tech](/org/virginia-tech) and an MBA from The Wharton School.

Anu Hariharan

Tommy Kilmer

Geoff Ralston is the President of [Y Combinator](/org/y-combinator) and has been with YC since 2011. Prior to YC, he built one of the first web mail services, RocketMail which became Yahoo Mail in 1997. While at Yahoo, Geoff worked in engineering and ran a business unit before becoming Chief Product Officer. After Yahoo, he was CEO of Lala, which was acquired in 2009 by Apple. In 2011, he cofounded Imagine K12, the first Ed Tech accelerator, which funded companies like [ClassDojo](/org/classdojo) and [Remind](/org/remind), and merged with YC in 2016. He has an AB in Computer Science from Dartmouth, an MS in Computer Science from Stanford, and an MBA from [INSEAD](/org/insead).

Y Combinator

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