Builders Movement Partners

Sanda Balaban is passionate about helping young people understand their individual and collective power, at and beyond the ballot box. In response to the complex times we’re living in, the vulnerability of democracy being demonstrated, and the desire to support young people in being informed, engaged participants on the front lines of change, in 2017, she co-founded and directed cross-partisan youth civic engagement nonprofit YVote/ Next Generation Politics, aiming to equip leaders of tomorrow for their roles and responsibilities as citizens shaping a more just world and in July 2024, she became Executive Director of Project Pericles, a higher education non-profit committed to fostering the next generation of civic leaders through innovative curricula and faculty leadership that empowers students with skills to address society’s grand challenges. 

Sanda has held leadership roles in education and youth development for over 25 years, in the public sector at the New York City Department of Education, in education philanthropy at the Ford Foundation and the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and in nonprofits including Facing History and Ourselves, the Boston Private Industry Council, and The Teachers Network.

Sanda is proud to serve on the founding Board of Directors of Generation Vote, The Hope Reichbach Memorial Fund, and the Human Schools Project, as well as on the National Reader Advisory Board for Chalkbeat. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Chris Anokute is an experienced music executive and artist development specialist with over 18 years under his belt in signing and developing talent. Chris has held Senior executive A&R positions at major record labels including Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, and Epic Records over the span of his career.  Chris has signed and/or developed 4 artists from the start of their careers that have went on to be nominated for the highly coveted, ‘Best New Artist’ award at the Grammys. Those artists include: Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Bebe Rexha, and Muni Long. 

Nicole Fonarow and Jolene Conway are best friends of nearly 40 years and co-hosts of the We’ve Got to Talk podcast, where they model thoughtful conversations across political differences. They met as freshmen at the University of Iowa and have built a lasting friendship grounded in curiosity, respect, and a willingness to engage across perspectives.

Nicole is a New York City–based actor and voiceover artist who brings deep empathy and a lifelong curiosity about people to her work. A liberal Democrat, she was driven to create space for more human, constructive dialogue in response to growing division.

Jolene is a conservative Christian, entrepreneur, and founder of Dible Dough, a better-for-you cookie dough brand she launched in 2017. A mother of three and wife of a college football coach, she is passionate about leading with conviction while creating space for meaningful conversation.

Together, they launched We’ve Got to Talk after the 2024 election to challenge assumptions, encourage curiosity, and show that disagreement does not have to mean disconnection. Through honest, respectful dialogue, they invite others to listen, learn, and find common ground.

In his role as Artistic Director and President of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Tom Oppenheim created a number of programs with a focus on public access to world-class culture. The centerpiece of his vision is the Stella Adler Arts Justice Division, founded in 2004, which has since provided free theater training to over 15,000 severely underserved New Yorkers. Participating artists in a free, public art series he created have included Julianne Moore, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cornel West, Donna Murphy, John McWhorter, Joanna Gleason, Ron Carter, Harold Bloom, John Ashbery, Harold Mabern and many more. Tom co-edited The Muses Go To School (New Press 2012) and his writing is featured in Arthur Bartow’s Training of the American Actor (TCG, 2006) and The Technique of Acting by Stella Adler (Echo Point, 2024). He has acted at Theater for a New Audience, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, The Provincetown Playhouse among others. Directing credits include all of Chekhov’s plays for the Harold Clurman Lab Theater, Mercy Killers by Michael Milligan which received the Edinburgh Fringe Fest award and many more. Tom studied acting at the National Shakespeare Conservatory and with his grandmother, Stella Adler.

Jared is a professional basketball player and social entrepreneur dedicated to using sport as a bridge for connection, education, and empowerment. Through his initiatives, Jared harnesses the universal language of basketball to teach life skills, promote understanding, and drive social change across communities.

He is the founder of JAB Camp, a youth sports organization based in both Philadelphia and the Middle East, which empowers young athletes through training, mentorship, and cross-cultural exchange. Building on this mission, Jared launched JAB Courts, an initiative focused on renovating and revitalizing community basketball courts to provide safe, inspiring spaces for youth development. Expanding his impact into sports entertainment, Jared created the JAB Classic, a signature event that unites athletes and fans to combat hate and celebrate humanity through the power of sport.

Jared’s journey reflects his belief that basketball is more than a game—it’s a platform for transformation, dialogue, and hope for the next generation.

Luke Steele is an 8X award winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and creative visionary from Perth, Australia. Steele has sold out the Hollywood Bowl, packed the Sahara Tent at Coachella and was recently honored with his own exhibit at the Western Australia Museum. He is well known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and one of the producers of the award-winning electro-pop duo, Empire Of The Sun, the act behind the multi-platinum single, “Walking On A Dream.” #WalkingOnADream has hit nearly 3 Billion views on TikTok thanks to a viral challenge inspired by the song. Steele is considered an Australian musical heavyweight having spent more than 20 years in the industry, starting his career with his band The Sleepy Jackson which received international acclaim for its debut record Lovers.

Steele has collaborated with many of music’s biggest hitmakers and artists including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Lindsay Buckingham, Grandmaster Flash, Usher, M-Phazes and Steve Aoki. He also partnered with fellow Aussie musician, Daniel Johns, to form DREAMS, whose debut album is titled No One Defeats Us. His music has been featured in a variety of motion pictures and marketing campaigns, along with video games including the FIFA and Grand Theft Auto franchises. In an age of rapid music consumption, Steele continues to produce genre-bending music, pushing the boundaries of sound innovation to new heights.

Musician, actor, author, and lecturer Dr. Daryl Davis is often called The Rock’n’Roll Race
Reconciliator. He’s not white. He’s not even light skinned. Make no mistake about it,
he’s black. As a Black man he has come in closer contact with more members of the Ku
Klux Klan than most White people and certainly most Blacks, short of being on the wrong
side of a rope.

He is the first Black author to write book on the KKK by conducting in-person face-to-face interviews. As a result of the way he conversed with White supremacists and other racists, Dr. Davis eventually became the recipient of numerous robes and hoods given to him by KKK members who rescinded their beliefs after coming to know him. He had inadvertently stumbled upon a successful method of forming friendships between sworn enemies. His methods have made him the center of controversy in some circles where he is considered “politically incorrect,” but after proving his methods work, he has made supporters out of some of his detractors.

As an award-winning musician Davis has worked with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley’s
Jordanaires, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Legendary Blues Band and many others. He is also an
actor who starred in the award-winning documentary Accidental Courtesy detailing his
real life encounters with KKK and neo-Nazi members and as an actor he has appeared in
HBO’s award-winning series The Wire.

His first book Klan-Destine Relationships was critically acclaimed and his second book The Klan Whisperer is due out soon. Dr. Davis has received numerous awards for his work in race relations and is often sought out by CNN, C-SPAN, The Washington Post, New York Times, Time Magazine and other media outlets as a consultant for his views.

Peter Seligmann is the CEO of Nia Tero, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the rights, livelihoods, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples to lead the protection and management of critical ecosystems, biodiversity, and ecosystem goods and services. Peter has been an influential leader in conservation for nearly 40 years, partnering with communities, governments, and businesses to implement solutions that ensure the sustainability of the planet’s cultural and natural resources. He is the Chairman of the Board, the co-founder, and the former CEO of Conservation International, a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard the critical benefits that nature provides the global community. Previously, Peter worked with The Nature Conservancy as a land steward for the western region and as the Director of the California Nature Conservancy. Holding degrees from Yale University, Rutgers University, and Michigan State University, Peter is an ardent advocate for listening and learning from the wisdom and ways of Indigenous peoples who protect nearly 80% of the world’s last intact ecosystems.

Brian Rudolph is the co-founder & CEO of Banza. Banza makes delicious comfort foods, such as pasta, pizza and waffles, out of chickpeas. The company has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions, Adweek’s Best Food Brand, and Nielsen’s Top Breakthrough Innovations. Today, Banza’s products are available in over 25,000 stores. Brian received his BBA from Emory University and is an alumnus of the Venture for America fellowship.

Lori Palatnik is the Founding Director of Momentum (formerly JWRP). She is a world-renowned Jewish educator, speaker, writer, and media personality who has lectured all over the world. Lori has authored four books: Friday Night and Beyond, Gossip, Remember My Soul, and Turn Your Husband Into Your Soulmate.

She has been named one of 10 “Women to Watch” by Jewish Women International, one of the “Most Outstanding Jewish American Women of Our Time” by Hadassah, and one of Izzy’s 2020 “Global Jewish 100”. Most recently, she was named one of Masa’s 2022 “Inspiring 12” in honor of her contribution to a brighter Jewish future. In 2020, Lori was selected to light the Diaspora torch at the national ceremony for Israel’s 72th Independence Day. In June 2023, Lori accepted the Jerusalem Unity Prize on behalf of Momentum at the President’s House. In 2025 she received the Global Peace Prize from Nestpoint at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Lori lives with her husband in Jerusalem.

Aaron Dorfman is Founder and Executive Director of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy, an effort to mobilize the American Jewish community to protect and strengthen American democracy. A More Perfect Union powers a collective-impact network working to expand opportunities for civic learning; promote ideological pluralism; and ensure free, fair, safe and accessible elections. Previously, Aaron served as President of Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, Vice President for Programs of American Jewish World Service, and Director of Informal Education at Temple Isaiah of Contra Costa County. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in English and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Aaron and his wife Talia live in Brooklyn, New York, where they’re raising three fierce feminist daughters and one bearded dragon.

Hey, I’m Liz Lanza, a San Francisco born entrepreneur, founder of BeeKindBrand, and the force behind Her Society SF, a growing Bay Area network that equips the next generation of female founders with capital ready skills and a community that actually shows up for one another.

From spontaneous acts of kindness with BeeKind, to panel driven brunches where first-time entrepreneurs swap playbooks with seasoned investors, my mission is to replace the us vs them mentality with “we’ve got this together.”

I joined Builders because my peers are hungry for voices that trade outrage for problem solving. I’m committed to helping young female, like minded Builders with the tools and courage to defy the divide and co-create a kinder, more collaborative tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Liz Lanza

Dan is driven by a passion for solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges through innovative, cross-sector approaches. Over the past five years at the XPRIZE Foundation, he led the design of the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition and helped build a new impact measurement and partnership strategy to scale global solutions.

Now focused on political innovation with the Leadership Now Project, Dan is exploring new ways to strengthen democracy in the United States. With a wide range of experiences spanning creative, educational, and unconventional roles—from writing a Bollywood film to teaching in Greece and even performing professionally in New York—he brings curiosity, creativity, and a fresh perspective to complex problem-solving.

Charles Blain is a Houston-based writer, public policy entrepreneur, and commentator whose work on local government reform and accountability in Texas’s major cities, with particular focus on community, institutions, and social trust spans more than a decade. His forthcoming book The Brotherhood Effect will be published in 2026 by Johns Hopkins University Press, the nation’s oldest continuously operating university press. Blain is a regular contributor to City Journal on Texas policy issues and to the Houston Chronicle, where he writes about ethics and accountability, local government, institutions and public trust, and community. He serves on the Governing Board of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program and on the Texas Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Larry Rosen is the creator and host of The Enemies Project docuseries, which brings together “enemies” for day-long conversations, offering transformation in a divided world. As the founder of the mediation law practice Through Understanding, he has helped thousands craft enduring solutions to crippling conflicts. Millions have watched his popular TEDx, The Secret to Understanding Humans.  Larry is a top-ten graduate of the UCLA School of Law, where he served as Editor of the Law Review.  His many projects share a common purpose: feeling inside our enemies so that both sides win the war. 

Irene is a cultural entrepreneur, engineer, and storyteller. She is the founder of Irene’s Entropy®, a multimedia platform designed to help people navigate life transitions with clarity and courage. Her work blends original music, symbolic storytelling, and live events that support individual and cultural transformation.

With a background in mechanical engineering, aerospace, and piloting, Irene brings a rare combination of technical curiosity and artistic depth to her work. Her platform currently reaches between 5-20 million viewers each month through content and live performances. Irene calls her community Door Walkers™—those willing to step through thresholds of change to pursue a better version of themselves. This comes from a recurring theme in her music videos where a red door transports Irene to different realms as she navigates her mental landscape. Outside of the Irene’s Entropy universe, she also hosts a YouTube series called Golf with Irene, interviewing guests while playing golf, using the sport as a vehicle for storytelling and connection.

Irene’s Entropy is quickly becoming a voice for connection in an age of fragmentation. In a world of entropic chaos, she harnesses the power of storytelling, music, and conversation to reduce polarization and foster emotional intelligence.

Brooke Baldwin is a TV host, award-winning journalist and bestselling author. Brooke most recently gave her first TEDx Talk, “From Breaking News to Breaking Free: a CNN Anchor’s Journey Beyond the Chrysalis.” Brooke’s speech was inspired, in part, by her bombshell first person essay which she published in Vanity Fair entitled “Leaving CNN Was How I Found My Voice.” She’s currently the author of a weekly Substack called “Unraveling, with Brooke Baldwin.

For more than a decade, Brooke anchored her own live daily news show on CNN and was renowned for her versatility, authenticity, and humanity at the news desk. After CNN, Brooke hosted a popular social experiment show on Netflix called The Trust.

Brooke is the author of the bestselling book Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power, redefining the word ‘huddle’ to explore how women lean on one another to provide support, empowerment, inspiration, and the strength to enact meaningful change.

Brooke lives in Los Angeles after a ten year run in New York City. She is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Timothy Gaspar is the CEO and principal of Gaspar Insurance Services. A lifelong entrepreneur, Tim started his first business in high school and ran a number of businesses while attending California State University, Northridge. While attending CSUN Timothy began building an insurance practice within a small agency in Encino, CA.

In February 2008, Tim purchased his book of clients from the Encino agency and founded Gaspar Insurance Services, Inc. As of 2022 Gaspar Insurance Services has over 60 team members and is one of the largest independent insurance firms in both Los Angeles City and the San Fernando Valley (as ranked by the LA and SFV business journals). Additionally, in 2020 Gaspar Insurance was ranked by Inc. magazine as of the fastest growing companies in America. Committed to his community, Tim supports a number of non-profit organizations focused on youth and public safety and serves on a number of boards including the Discovery Cube Los Angeles, The West Valley YMCA, The YMCA board for Metro Los Angeles and the California State University Northridge Advisory Board.

Executive Director of the NYC Urban Corps, in the Mayors Office of NYC, Founder and Executive Director of Interface and the Educational Priorities Panel, Deputy Chancellor of Schools in NYC, President of the IBM Foundation and IBM VP for Corporate Affairs and CSR, Professor and Innovator in Residence at Duke U, and Professor at Columbia, and Trustee of SUNY and Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. author of 2 books and service on 2 Presidential Commissions

Hanae Baruchel leads Ashoka’s Tech for Humanity initiative – whose mission is build a world where technology drives human agency and democratic integrity, rather than extractive growth and power. She first joined Ashoka in 2008, and has worn many hats over the years, including heading up the selection and support of social entrepreneurs in the U.S. from 2011 to 2013. Hanae returned to Ashoka in 2019 – after a brief hiatus working at Engineers Without Borders Canada – to help shape the then nascent Next Now initiative, an innovation engine that weaves Ashoka’s networks of entrepreneurs around globally urgent purposes.  She has a background in Peace and Conflict Studies and is the founder of a boutique furniture and lighting design company. Hanae is based in Amsterdam.

Matt Abrams is an investor, advisor, founder, and board member with more than 30 years of experience in the technology sector. He is a co-founder of $1B for Trust, an organization focused on investing in solutions that strengthen trust in information, institutions, and one another. Matt has also helped advance the Citizens’ Assembly movement in the United States and serves on the board of DemocracyNext.

Earlier in his career, Matt worked across venture capital, startups, and major technology companies, co-founding businesses and leading product and engineering teams in organizations ranging from early-stage startups to global enterprises. He lives in Oregon, where he enjoys backcountry adventures and spending time with his family.

John Wordin has spent more than 20 years developing innovative approaches to mental, physical, and emotional wellness, with a focus on supporting veterans and first responders. A former professional cyclist and founder of the Mercury Cycling Professional Team, he later turned his attention to wellness initiatives after his racing career.

John has helped lead several pioneering programs in adaptive cycling and suicide prevention, including Ride 2 Recovery, Project Hero, and the No Vet Alone initiative. He is the founder of LifeAid Research Institute and the creator of LifeScore, a platform designed to help people track and improve their overall wellbeing while expanding access to support for those who need it most.

Joshua P. Darr is an associate professor at the Newhouse School of Public Communications and a Senior Researcher in the Institute for Democracy, Journalism & Citizenship at Syracuse University, teaching classes in political communication. His research focuses on local news, partisan polarization, and campaign strategy. Darr has co-authored two books: Home Style Opinion: How Local Newspapers Can Slow Polarization (2021) and Storefront Campaigning (2024). He received an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship in 2022 for his project investigating how newspapers can earn trust and reduce polarization. Darr earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Libby Prosch is the co-founder and the progressive content editor at Sandbox. She studied Philosophy, Spanish, and Political Science at Loyola University Chicago. Libby has helped with local political campaigns and reproductive justice initiatives in her community. When she isn’t working, she’s playing guitar, making jewelry, or swimming in Lake Michigan.

Brad Porteus is the founder of Bridge Grades, a data-driven “Rotten Tomatoes” for Congress that uses public data to measure how collaboratively or divisively each member of Congress governs. After 14 years abroad, Porteus returned to the U.S. to find an ineffective Legislative Branch paralyzed by performative partisanship. Alarmed by the gridlock, he launched Bridge Grades by leveraging emerging data technologies for the public good.

The Bridge Grades platform uses objective, non-partisan data to score members of the House and Senate on their ability to govern collaboratively. Porteus’s vision is to establish Bridge Grades as a transparent, open-source public utility that shifts the incentives on Capitol Hill—identifying and rewarding lawmakers who prioritize country over party.

Based in Emerald Hills, California, Porteus enjoys timelapse photography, and trail running in his spare time. He is the author of Roll With It—a memoir set in the early 1990s that doubles as a love letter to GenX and nostalgia for a time that preceded the technological wave that took over everything.

Bion Bartning is an entrepreneur and investor, and co-founder and Board President of the Prohuman Foundation.

Previously, Bion founded FAIR, the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, and co-founded and led the launch of eos Products, a personal care brand best known today for its iconic egg-shaped lip balm, while serving as an equity partner and Chief Operating Officer of The Kind Group, a privately held company dedicated to the development and expansion of brands.

Bion was also part of American Express’ Strategic Planning Group, where he conceived of and patented a new multi-channel system for booking travel and led the launch of a new consumer online travel business as Director, New Product Development, partnering with a major online travel agency.

Bion earned his MBA from Columbia Business School, and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in economics and environmental studies from Occidental College. He lives in Miami with his wife, two children, and their family dog Charlie Brown.

Ian Sandler is a Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer at Insight Partners, where he oversees Legal, Finance, Compliance, Investor Relations, IT, HR, and Onsite operations, and helps lead the firm’s Public Equities business. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Global Equities at Citadel, was a Partner at The Carlyle Group, and held senior roles at Morgan Stanley.

Ian is the co-founder of Riley’s Way Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers young leaders to create positive change through kindness and empathy. He serves on the Boards of Trustees for The Browning School and The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City.

Ian holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Through venture capital firm Crystal Venture Partners (www.crystalventurepartners.com), Jonathan Crystal invests in and advises technology companies accelerating the future of the insurance industry, applying more than 20 years of operational and industry domain experience.

In 2018, he combined his family’s insurance brokerage firm, Crystal & Company, with Alliant
Insurance Services, the nation’s leading specialty insurance brokerage firm, bringing together
two great companies and successfully capitalizing on the strengths of each firm. Jonathan began his professional career as a management consultant and project manager with Oliver Wyman, where he focused on risk management and strategy work with financial institutions in Europe and North America.

Jonathan graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a Bachelor’s degree from the School of Public & International Affairs and a certificate in Latin American Studies

Based in New York City, Jonathan is active in his community. He currently serves as a board member of Central Synagogue, The Jewish Museum, and 21/64.

Will Hurd has spent the past 20 years on the front lines of the most pressing fights facing our nation, in the Middle East, Congress, and the highest levels of business and tech.

Will has spent his life fighting for our country, and he will take those decades of experience with him as he fights for all us.