Oriona Spaulding

I just had the opportunity to present my topic proposal for my Doctor of Business Administration at Golden Gate University. Exploring Nature’s Impact on Leadership and Team Cohesion in Early-Stage Technology Startup Co-founder Teams Primary Research Question: How do nature-based team-building experiences influence the resilience and cohesion of early-stage co-founder leadership teams? More to come as I continue on my journey through the dissertation phase of my DBA. If, however, nature has had a personal impact on your life or profession, or if you just want to chat (because I think my husband is getting sick of hearing me talk about it) please pm me. #DBA #DoctorofBusinessAdministration #NaturesImpact #SharedLeadership #Startups #CoFounders #LeadershipTeams

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Last night's Technology Association of Oregon panel discussion on raising capital for AI ventures was full of interesting takeaways. The event brought together leading PNW VCs, CEOs, and funders to share their perspectives and best practices. Here's what you need to know: ➡ The AI/ML space is rapidly evolving, presenting huge opportunities for startups tackling real business problems. VCs are actively seeking out the most ambitious and disruptive companies in this domain. ➡ Having an "unfair advantage" is key - whether that's proprietary data sets, unique domain expertise, or unparalleled access to customers. AI ventures need strong differentiation to stand out. ➡ Build relationships early with VCs, even before you're ready to raise. Their insights and connections can accelerate your journey. The PNW venture ecosystem is highly collaborative and accessible. ➡ Don't be deterred by the perceived lack of local funding. Great companies with compelling visions will get funded, period. Leverage the PNW's strengths in developer/engineering talent. ➡ Recognize and proactively address the potential downsides of AI - from data privacy to model bias. Building responsibly is both an obligation and an opportunity. ➡ Move fast, be bold. Raising capital is always hard, but fortune favors the brave in this space. With the right team, tech and traction, you can build a world-changing business here in the PNW. Thanks to the fantastic panelists Diane Fraiman (Voyager Capital), Geoff Harris (Flying Fish), Jon Maroney (OVF), Chris Sestito (Hidden Layer), Jon Turow (Madrona) for sharing their insights, and to Kristy Edwards for moderating!

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I was inspired by listening to visionary AI startup founders this week @Google DC. Hearing Remy Maraz talk about how Zella Life’s AI powered coaching platform is helping to reduce workplace bias and improve retention and workforce development, or how Anthony Matos (Shubox) is using AI to help small businesses tell their story more effectively to banks and improve small business lending. These entrepreneurs aren't just building businesses; they're shaping the future, and last night was a powerful reminder that we all have a hand in shaping the future of AI. Here are three of my takeaways from our discussion: -Small businesses matter. Many of the founders we heard from had never been involved in any kind of advocacy before because they didn’t think their voices would be heard. They were overwhelmed from the positive reception they received and felt that sharing their stories with policymakers really made an impact. This experience underscores the importance of ensuring that SMBs have a seat at the table when it comes to shaping AI policy. -Lawmakers are eager to learn about AI, especially from those using it in everyday life to build new things. The founders shared how positively the stories of their AI startups were received, with lawmakers and staff asking thoughtful questions and clearly eager to learn more. This enthusiasm demonstrates a growing recognition of AI’s potential to transform industries and improve lives. The founders shared that there was clear alignment from policymakers across the board that ensuring America leads the world on AI innovation is a top priority. -AI’s transformative impact is not limited to the tech sector. The founders we heard from started companies from a range of industries including agriculture, healthcare, education, retail and more – and they all use AI in different ways. This diversity of applications highlights the broad potential of AI to revolutionize various aspects of our economy and society. At Google, we're proud to support these founders and the broader startup ecosystem, especially through our Google for Startups Founders Fund. And as announced today, our new initiative with America's Small Business Development Centers will empower even more businesses to harness the potential of AI. Together, we're building an AI-driven future that benefits everyone. #AI #startups #innovation #policy

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When you peel back the layers of the privacy onion, there's a lot of nuance that is revealed. Common Sense Privacy has the tech and the brand to manage your company's privacy policy. Thanks for enlightening us, Daphne Li!

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Proud to have brought together this legendary group last week. Phil Venables, Myrna Soto, Deneen DeFiore, and Alex Stamos pulled back the curtain on what it takes to be a board-ready CISO. Their advice:    ❌ Don’t focus solely on technical cybersecurity expertise: Boards are looking for well-rounded executives, not just technical specialists. Avoid presenting yourself as a "security expert" rather than a business leader.   ✔️ Become more than a cyber expert: Develop your business chops by diving into cross-functional projects. The best board members are well-rounded leaders with a true grasp of the business. They also had plenty of guidance for CISOs who are presenting to the board. Catch the full discussion: https://lnkd.in/giuSBTPA

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It was a pleasure to have been invited to the UCLA Anderson School of Management #EmbracingAISummit- thank you @alexandradumas. I also want to thank Zheru Liu, Austin Weatherholt and Mark Dai for putting together a great event. Loved hearing the various POVs from startups, investors, and well known brands but most importantly, it was refreshing to see more female than male representation in this topic across all speakers (9 women and 3 men). Here are some of my favorite tips that the speakers shared with the audience: 1. Even if AI seems complex, it doesn't mean you can't form an opinion. We're all navigating this learning curve together, feeling overwhelmed at times. Now is the perfect opportunity to delve into learning, reading, and educating ourselves about AI. Embrace it, immerse yourself in it, and become familiar with it. 2. Be passionate about the problem, not the solution. We can have multiple ways to solve a challenge. But the focus should be on what you are trying to solve. 3. People often think AI is just ChatGPT. But that's like putting a new wrapper on an old gift and calling it new. Real AI goes way deeper than that. It's about digging into fresh ideas and pushing boundaries, not just recycling what's already out there. Let's avoid the narrow view and dive into the endless possibilities AI has to offer. 4. When introducing AI to a traditional, bureaucratic company, finding an internal champion or sponsor is key. This person understands the vision and has the influence to support and guide your efforts. They'll help you navigate through the company's established processes and ensure your AI initiatives gain the necessary traction and support. Here's my advice: As we embark in the race to understand the AI wild wild west, let's lean in and let's not forget to help each other, keep an open mind and be willing to embrace a new way of doing things. It was a delight making new connections and listening to your insights: Ebru Yıldırım Gul, Anita Schillhorn van Veen, Asha Arora, Mana Yamaguchi, Jaja Wu, James Wang, Jiajun Ma.

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Friends and colleagues interested in learning more about privacy regulations and their impact on the overall business ecosystem should attend this fantastic event hosted by San Francisco and Silicon Valley KnowledgeNet Chapters. You can chose in person or online, links below. Big thank you to Adriana Taylor and all the chapter leads. In addition to our keynote speaker Maureen Ohlhausen and speakers Tom Kemp, Stuart Lee PhD, Elena Elkina, JD, LLM #knowledgenet #iapp #privacy #dataprivacy

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Looking forward to discussing how changing demographics and culture norms are affecting investment opportunities in longevity, health and well-being at The Care Summit today Alongside Cake Ventures' Monique Woodard, Ziegler's Dan Hermann, Oak HC/FT's Billy Deitch and JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Jennifer Edwards, we’ll dive into the trends shaping how we are investing in the space: - Last year marked one of the most significant social and economic moments in modern times: The number of older adults—those aged 50 and over- surpassed the number of children under the age of 15 for the first time. - In 2020 the 50 plus population contributed $45 trillion to global GDP, or 34% of the total. That equates to about 3x the revenue of the world’s 100 highest- earning companies in 2020. - The U.S. population grew by 24.5 million from 2010 to 2022, and Hispanics accounted for 53% of this increase – a greater share than any other racial or ethnic group. - Women around the world and across all ages drive 64% of consumer spending

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Happy #NationalInternetDay! On this day in 1969, the first packets were sent by Charley Kline at UCLA as he tried logging into SRI. The first attempt resulted in the system crashing as the letter G of LOGIN was entered, foreshadowing outages, 404s, and buggy software. For more on Internet history check out Hobbes' Internet Timeline: https://lnkd.in/d6KAT8j

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Very impressed with the Wevo Energy story and I share those feelings. It is never easy facing all challenges and complexities. #Podcast #StartupJourney #SolarEnergy #Entrepreneurship #WEVO #SolarEdge #Acquisition

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There are things we can learn from others who experienced similar #demographic shifts and #labormarket volatility such as Japan. We love talking about #AI. So here's some facts. The jobs AI is most likely to disrupt are office and professional jobs. These happen to be the same jobs that new college graduates desire AND close to retirement-age workers want. Young people, older people, and AI are coming for the same jobs. AI is not making an impact on the police officer who comes to your house after a 911 call. AI is not building your new house or coming to fix your toilet. AI isn't taking your vitals at the hospital. Every conference I've attended this year, AI has become a central topic of discussion. We need leaders to talk about how we're going to run our communities that currently have over 1M job openings that AI cannot and likely will not fill any time soon.

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Amazing conversation at the 3rd Annual Littler #AI Summit in #WashingtonDC with Bradford J. Kelley, Chris Gokturk, and Markus Hartmann. We talked about how companies are looking to leverage #artificialintelligence, #regulatory developments, and Workday’s efforts in the evolving #legislative landscape. On the legislative front, three key milestones tell a lot of the story (though it is still unfolding): 🇪🇺The European Commission’s AI Act passed earlier this year, marking a significant domino falling on the global table in terms of mandatory AI governance requirements. 🏛️Congressional progress is measured while last year’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) voluntary AI Risk Managment Framework continues to drive impact. 🇺🇸🇦🇺U.S. states, including Colorado’s first in the nation AI governance law adopted in May, will potentially fill the gap between the above (with Australia also looking at mandatory high-risk AI safeguards).

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One of my favorite things is to have a conversation with builders & founders about the personal experience and complexity of working to bring new deep tech to the point where it makes a real difference in our world. So looking forward to this!

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🚀Stanford Alumni Angel Investor Opportunity Fair & Networking Mixer🚀 The Bay Area Founders Club is excited to co-host "Stanford Alumni Angel Investor Opportunity Fair & Networking Mixer" with Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (SA&E) at Stanford University on August 23rd from 4:30 PM to 8 PM. Please join us on campus for an evening of networking with other supporters of the entrepreneurial community and exploring ways to get plugged into Stanford innovation and entrepreneurship. ​This event will draw a diverse group of influential angel investors, industry leaders, and dedicated supporters of the startup ecosystem. Please register here: https://lu.ma/BFCStanford ​Here’s a lineup of our esteemed speakers. ​The AI Dilemma: Growth Versus Existential Risk (Prof. Charles Jones) ​Stanford Graduate School of Business STANCO 25 Professor of Economics Dr. Charles "Chad" Jones's influencial paper explores the dual nature of AI, which offers significant economic growth potential but also poses existential risks. Dr Jones will summarize the paper in the context of the startup world. ​Stanford High Value Healthcare Incubator (Prof. Craig Lindquist) ​Inadequate access to the right medical care over time results in high-cost, sub-optimal care at crucial times, a major problem in rural communities. These access problems are at the heart of much of the inequity in healthcare throughout the United States. Learn how Stanford's Clinical Excellence Research Center (CERC) is addressing these access problems through the High Value Healthcare Incubator, an entrepreneurial organization using the design thinking method to uncover the root causes of inadequate access, evaluate healthcare system data, and define solution concepts to increase participation in programs. ​Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (Alec Walker, Founder and Co-President, Texas Chapter) ​Learn about Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (SA&E) and how it serves the alumni network and beyond: how the organization is organized as a non-profit to not take carry, how we provide deal flow through pitch sessions and curated blind introductions for our angel members, how we assemble and deliver educational content on timely startup-related topics, and insight into our strategies for how we choose which startups we support. ​Bay Area Founders Club (Paul Fang, Ph.D.) ​The Bay Area Founders Club (BFC), founded by Dr. Paul Fang in Silicon Valley in 2022 and managed by a dedicated group of Stanford alumni and students, is a thriving community of over 4,000 members, including more than 120 startups and over 80 venture capital firms. With most startups in our network raising $1-10 million, and some exceeding $20 million, our mission is to empower creators who aspire to make a global impact. We provide the essential resources, support, and connections needed to transform visionary ideas into reality. Dr. Fang will discuss the BFC and how to get involved.

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With Meta recently releasing its 2023 EEO-1 report detailing Executive and Professional (non-managerial) workforce by race and gender, I decided to look at longitudinal data for Meta and assess any recent improvements since last reviewing the question of executive equity for API women with available 2021 data. https://lnkd.in/g7eXhrpX Unfortunately, the new data show that while API men and women are now 54% of its Professional workforce, they remain the least equitably represented as Executives in Meta's workforce. And while White women now represent 9% of Meta's Professionals and 20% of its Executives, API Women's numbers are virtually flipped with 19% and 10%. A comparison of historical FB/Meta EEO-1 data from 2013 to 2023 show that White Women continue to remain ~3X more likely to reach Executive levels than API women. No improvement.

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This is a story I get asked about a lot, how I got into trust and safety. It's also the first time I've written it down, which was a lot of fun to do. Let me know what you think in the comments, and be sure to share some of your favorite resources for others. -favorite newsletters -Book Recommendations for Trust & Safety -Conferences to attend (virtual or in person) -Trust and Safety Orgs that you support Let's make the internet better together #trustandsafety

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A few weeks ago at Upstream, Tidelift co-founder Luis Villa sat down with HBS professor Frank Nagle to discuss his recent report that estimated the value of the open source ecosystem at 👉 8.8 trillion dollars 👈 . By way of comparison, the U.S. Interstate Highway System is valued at only $742 billion, and the entire U.S. electrical grid is valued at only $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion. Beyond the fact that $8.8 trillion is a very, very large number, in this clip from the talk, Dr. Nagle explains why he thinks the study hit a nerve, as it came out at a time when government and industry are increasingly focused on new policy and technology solutions for improving open source health and security in the wake of recent well-publicized attacks impacting open source. From the talk: "This is coming out of the log4j incident and, very recently, the xz incident. People, even if they know nothing about open source, are starting to understand that it is really important." I highly recommend watching the full talk, which you can find here: https://lnkd.in/gkKhk_n8

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Sharing a critical perspective from Bryan Cunningham from our recent company update webinar. It's more important than ever to hear from those on the frontlines of protecting our democracy and way of life. Please take a few minutes to watch and consider the insights shared here.

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Agree with all you write Bryan Cantrilland also believe that remote more is more than just a generational shift. It is a step towards more fair work and also a way to bring highly talented people into jobs they might not otherwise have been able to sustain. For example, remote/hybrid disproportionately benefits women who continue to shoulder more of the burden for caring for children and elders, and housework than does men. Remote work also enabled a huge increase of employment for employees with different intellectual abilities (meaning, people with autism) or for people who are physically disabled because they can far more easily integrate into and succeed in a job from a home environment they have already optimized for their specific needs. (Nicholas Bloom at Stanford has documented all of this). RTO not only makes companies less competitive and angers employees -- it discriminates in ways that harm some workers. And it shuts out million of workers who might otherwise contribute -- a massive amount of brain power that our economy and society is foolish to ignore. Obviously, some work needs to be in person. At Oxide, am sure there are things that you have to see, feel and touch. But if you can make it work, so can everyone.

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