Kristine Surla
Founder
Chief Inspiration Officer
Partnership Lead
Why YWSE?
As a Social Entrepreneur, part of my mission is to inspire women to do well by doing good and to use business and entrepreneurship as a force for social good in the world. I started YWSE Los Angeles to help create a supportive and inspired community of Women Social Entrepreneurs in LA.
Kristine has extensive expertise and experience in Marketing, Strategy, Communications, Development and Product Management in industries that span Finance, Entertainment, Technology, Non-profits and Education. She has worked in the world of finance leading International Marketing and Investor Relations for a leading Asset Management Company in NY; has taught as an Adjunct Professor in Asia and California; and also created a series of Green Gourmet Sustainable Events and Eco Fashion Shows as Managing Director of Eco Umbrella. She has also worked in the Entertainment field with clients such as CBS, NBC Universal, Sony and Marvel.
She graduated from Stanford University with a Masters in Organizational Behavior/Sociology and also received her Bachelors Degree with Honors in Science, Technology &Society Minoring in International Relations and Majoring in American Studies with a focus on Politics, Economics & Institutions. Kristine is also a Certified Holistic Health Counselor having studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She believes in the power of community and collaboration and hopes that YWSE Los Angeles helps to foster, engage, support and inspire the best in us all.
Charlene Iniguez
Technology Lead
Why YWSE?
My experience with YWSE has been fulfilling. Through this organization, I was able to meet entrepreneurial minded women who are interested in both creating sustainable, monetizable businesses and giving back to society. This is a rare group to find in Los Angeles. I hope to be able to create through YWSE a powerful netowork of like minded women who are supportive of each others efforts and are doing their share to make the world a better place.
Charlene is the Director of Monetization and Analytics for Perfect Market. She helps large online publishers such as LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Philly and Market Watch increase revenue and user engagement. Charlene is a strategic thinker and versatile player in the online marketing arena. She brings results driven strategies to enhance company and client performance. She has multi-dimensional experience in the online industry including Analytics, Website Testing, PPC, SEO, Social Media, Email, Affiliate Marketing and Web Monetization.
Charlene holds a Bachelors of Science in Management of Communications and Technology from Ateneo De Manila University.
Aside from techology and the social good, Charlene is also passionate about watching live music and capoeira.
Shivani Siroya
Finance Lead
Why YWSE?
I want to help create a world where business owners, regardless of their location or background have access to the financial, social and intellectual capital they need to scale their business and drive local growth. I believe that through YWSE we can help connect women social entrepreneurs to each other and to resources that they need to achieve their missions and take our sector to the next level.
Shivani is the CEO & Founder of
InVenture. InVenture facilitates financial access to small businesses owners around the world by providing mobile financial tracking tools and direct flexible financing in order to help these businesses and their communities lift themselves out of poverty.
Shivani has a wide array of professional experiences in global health, microfinance, and investment banking. Prior to InVenture she worked health costing at UNFPA and Mergers & Acquisitions at Health Net and Citigroup.
She is a 2011 Echoing Green Fellow and 2011 Unreasonable Institute Fellow. She is also a blogger for the Huffington Post and has written on Microfinance 2.0 as well as small business growth in the U.S. She is also on the board of ReWork.
Shivani holds a M.P.H in Health Economics and International Policy from Columbia University and a B.A. in International Relations from Wesleyan University.
