It all matters.

CoOrganizer and Producer 2014 - 2016

San Diego Tech Founders has grown to be a defining element of the San Diego startup community, whose organizers have founded or been involved with San Diego Startup Week, Xconomy Speaker Series, the SWARM investor event, Founders Fight club, Connected-Dreamers, San Diego Tech Coffee, Crowdfundup San Diego and Startup San Diego.

Tech Founders Presents

Justin Mares Author of Traction

November 2015

Norway Crowdfunding Playing Lean

Consumer feedback workshop
January 2015

Tech Founders Presents

Gary Ridge founder WD40

December 2014

Tech Founders Presents

Charles Hudson Soft Tech VC

April 2014

Tech Founder Presents

Dan Martel Founder Clarity.fm

March 2014

Tech Founders Presents

Dave McClure

February 2014

Convergence SDSW and Tech Founders Demo Night January 2014

SD Tech Founders is co-organized with Brant Cooper NYT BestSelling Author on Entrepreneurship.

PRODUCTIONS

• TEDxAFC Speaker Bootcamp 2014 CoProducer
• TEDxAFC Interactive Workshop Volunteer 2014
• TEDxAFC at Main Event, Barrio Logan CoDirector 2013
• TEDxAFC Wellness Salon 2013
• TEDxAFC Story Salon June 2013
• Speaker Bootcamp, 3rdSpace 2012
• TEDxAFC at La Jolla, Volunteer Coordinator, Art Installation commissioner 2012

INNOVATIONS

2014 TEDxAmericasFinestCity Award

An opportunity for startups and community projects: a first of it’s kind sponsorship from CrowdFund-UP granting participation in the next collective.CrowdFund-UP created by TEDxAmericasFinestCity past Director Amber Brandner and Founder of San Diego Co-Working Space, PreFAB, Brian Hawkins.

Inspired by other global innovative TEDx initiatives such as TEDxAmsterdam, the organizers of TEDxAmericasFinestCity offer this as a soft launch of an award that will be ongoing from year to year.

Sponsors and Partners:

Prefab SD

NinthLink

MIND Research Institute

University San Diego

University California San Diego

San Diego State University

Microsoft

San Diego Public Market

About TEDxAmericasFinestCity

TEDxAmericasFinestCity is a local, independently organized TEDx event operated under a license from TED, the globally influential nonprofit organization devoted to ideas worth spreading. TEDxAmericasFinestCity held its first event in May of 2011 at Scripps Seaside Forum, a beautiful venue where a sold out audience enjoyed 14 brilliant and innovative speakers. Since then TEDxAmericasFinestCity has held dozens of events in several San Diego communities, bringing the excitement and wonder of TEDx to thousands of San Diego’s most interesting, discerning people. TEDx attendees leave feeling inspired and connected to one another; our platform demonstrates to our audiences that we have more similarities than differences.

To date we have showcased over 70 speakers at five large events including TEDxAFCWomens and TEDxAmericasFinestCity 2.0. The videos produced from the events have attracted over 250,000 view and counting.

Curator San Diego HUB

The Global Shapers Community is one of several multi-stakeholder communities at the World Economic Forum. Other communities include the Young Global Leaders, the Global Agenda Councils, and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs.

Projects:

• TEDxMonumento LiveStream Event at San Diego Public Library 2015
• Womens Entrepreneurship Day Sponsored by USD featuring HeraHub founders Felena Hanson and Silvia Mah
• Hera Venture Summit
• Global Conversation community outreach series.
• Panleist at Binational Model United Nations.

Creative Consultant specializing in

Community UX & Expansion to New Markets with mobile app Overnight, VC Backed Startup booking last minute stays with locals.

• Produced top tier press release event.
• Developed partnerships and aligned sponsorships for events. 
• Developed custom art and branded swag with maker communities and local creatives. 
• Produced video and photo assets.

Markets:

• NYC
• San Francisco
• Coachella Valley

Featured Press:

• Tech Crunch
• Business Insider
• Bloomberg

Executive Producer and CoOrganizer 2014

Including: Web Design, Sponsorships, managing production of crowdfunding videos.

Sponsored by

• GoFundMe Crowdfunding Platform
• California International Business University, founded in 1995 and focused on supporting innovation and entrepreneurship
• PreFAB Space, a unique combination of co-working, pop-up retail, special event, and networking for entrepreneurs,

Impact

• Over 1 Million USD raised via crowdfunding  in cohort 1. 

CrowdFund-UP  is a first-of-its-kind crowdfunding ‘hackathon’ which took place, over a period of 72 hours, with 8 Crowdfunding Campaigns produced, launched, and celebrated by a collective of passionate entrepreneurs.

The month-long journey began with a Ridiculously Collaborative Launch Party, debuting participants such as Diane Serra Designer, Lord Wallington Menswear, Mammal Clothing, Steph Johnson Band, HUSH, Gov Alert, Lift & Twist Timed Pill Cap, and The Undress Invention.

CrowdFund-UP is co-organized by Brian Hawkins, a serial entrepreneur and professor.

#GoSanDiego Inspiring Innovation Event

Executive Producer Event & Video

San Diego City Policy Panel;

Innovating a city from the inside out.

Moderator:  Kris Michell of the Downtown Partnership Panel Participants:  Assembly member Brian Maienschein, Bill Fulton Mayor Faulconer’s designate on the innovation economy. City Council President Pro Tem Sherri Lightner, Sean Barr EDC’s VP of Economic Development

Featured Musical Guest:

Sister Speak, SDMA Award Nominee

Gayle Skidmore SDMA Award Winner

Speakers:

•  Scott Case Startup America CEO, Founding CTO Priceline
•  Greg Horowitt Cofounder T2Ventures & Global CONNECT
• Katie Rast, Founder FABLAB, 
• Michael Sacca Founder Brandisty, Tiny Factory. Community Inspired
• Jim Brown, Founder Bread & Salt Factory, Civic Innovation
• Don Mirra, Art Innovator, Beyond the Lens 
• Brian Hawkins, Founder PreFab, Fabrication and Collaboration
• Miguel Buenrostro, Founder HUBSTN, A New Story 
• Joseph Jackson: CoFounder, Bio Tech and Beyond. DIY-BIO Movement and Citizen Science.
• Ari Hoffman, GOBIE, Be the Mayor
• Parker Harris, Junto 
• Neal Bloom, Founder Portfolium
• Summer Rogers Founder NPRUV
•  Nan Renner and Deborah Forster, Analog Facebook

Conversation Canopies

• ART OF SCIENCE & LEARNING Waterstock & Kate's Place
• BINATIONAL HUBS: Discuss Innovation without borders
• LOCAL AUTHORS Sharing Published Works
• PREFAB: Fabrication, Crowdfunding, Collaborations
• SAN DIEGO SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: Conversations

LiveStream Event Producer 2015

A Global Shapers Project

TEDxMonumento258 began as a collaboration between the organizers of TEDxSanDiego and TEDxTijuanain 2013. The basic idea was to conduct a cross-border TEDx event. Stages would be constructed on either side of the border and the program would consist of speakers alternating their talks; one on the U.S. side, followed by one on the Mexico side. Although a fence exists between these two countries, the fence is not solid, allowing attendees on each side to witness the talks taking place in the other country.

A number of names were considered for the event, but after a visit to Playas de Tijuana, where the border meets the Pacific Ocean, Boundary Monument 258 became the primary focus, with TEDxMonumento258 selected as the event title, along with the theme, Ideas Without Borders.

The significance of Monument 258 dates back to the point at which two countries – the United States and Mexico – were physically divided by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that was signed on February 2, 1848. Since that time these two cities – San Diego and Tijuana – continued to grow, though under very different circumstances. This event seeks to understand the history of this binational region, the success achieved and challenges that remain between these two diverse cultures some 167 years later, and highlight the opportunities which are unfolding within this unique location, and the larger CaliBaja MegaRegion.

Art of Science and Learning Incubator at Balboa Park, addressing Water Scarcity.

Mentor with team WaterStock addressing the issue of gaining awareness for water conservation through a city wide event.

Waterstock Site Description

Waterstock is an interactive music and arts festival that promotes a DIY attitude toward water conservation by encouraging behavioral change through gamification. Not simply a concert for a cause or just another music and arts festival to boost awareness. We want to see you change your behaviors toward water to maintain our stock. Not only are we innovative, we want you to innovate with us. The art and music festival is:

• Aesthetically and sonically exciting, featuring DIY water-saving solutions combined with live music and performance, public and interactive art.
• Gamified to let you see your own and others’ impact on our water supply.
• Participatory to let you showcase your stock in our water’s future.

Waterstock had presence at several events throughout San Diego, raising awareness and aligning community in a shared initiative to conserve water.

Event Producer, 2014

An event produced for

California International Business University

B Corp Workshop

Retail and Manufacturing Workshop

Future trends panel discussion with

Lauren Avenius, Sony Electronics

Patricia Stitson, TEDxElCajonKIds

Shannon McCarey LiveGoode

Jessie Gardner Founder at HeySoul

Live Music by Luneaux

Facilitator & Speaker

2013, 2014, 2015

Geek Girl empowers women & girls (and dudes!) of all ages and all financial levels in technology, from beginner newbie to startup savant.

Productions

• Give "TED Worthy talk" Workshop
• Business Storytelling with Karen Dietz
• Crowdfunding Video Workshop
• Crowdfunding 101 Workshop

Brand Ambassador, Partnerships 2014

The easiest way to build event apps that help event organizers print less, attract more sponsors, and boost attendee networking & engagement

Whova has been incorporated into Geek Girls, TEDx, Tech Founders, Tijuana Hackathon.

Keynote Binational Stage Balboa Park, 2015

The art of team building and the essence of communicating your brands mission.

About the event and contest:

This contest seeks to boost entrepreneurship through the contestants’ exposure to an experience similar to the real world and attract investment for their projects, promote young entrepreneurs from both sides of the border in an academic environment, providing a platform to discuss their ideas and experiences, encourage the creation and strengthening of binational networking bonds.

Community Member & Event Production

Coworking & Club For The Creative, is a dynamic hub for creative entrepreneurs, startups, and change makers in San Diego.

• Human Rights Crowdfunding Launch Event 2013, with live music, art exhibit, storytelling and afterparty.  
• Convergence SDSW with Pitch Night, Art installation, live muscial performances and DJ bringing together over 300 entrepreneurs and startup enthusiaist for a night of connection and pure fun. 

Re'flect, successful aging defined, is a new documentary series that highlights six vibrant older adults living life by their terms. This series provides a fresh and inspiring look at aging successfully and insight into the active and engaged world of today’s seniors who are living out loud and defying stereotypes associated with aging. Their stories unfold through interviews, day-in-the-life footage, and archival materials. Also featured are the many healthy living opportunities San Diego affords seniors, from work to play to volunteering, and everything in between. RE’FLECT will broadcast on KPBS San Diego in January 2017.

*Amber worked developing digital presence for the series and helped bridge the personal brand of the director. Amber took on creative direction of website design, development and outgoing communications.

Producer and Event Organizer, 2014

Prefab is an unique co-working and event space.

• Concert Series
• Art Shows
• PopUp Shops
• CrowdfundUP

Brand Strategy and Community Building, Workshop 2015

IMPACT SD is an alliance of high impact non profits, private sector, and educational orgs working together to create a larger scale impact in San Diego.  Emphasis on high growth with sustainable results. 

Mentor Startup Weekend EDU 2015, 2016

Startup Weekend Womens Perfect Pitch Talk:

Participants were prepped on the weekend before them with an informal informative talk covering technical and nontechnical elements of the pitch.

Binational Hackathon for Social Good.

Keynote Idea Lifecycle.

Partners:

• Angel Ventures Mexico
• HUBSTN
• Ideator
• Global Shapers

Interview with Leslie Fishlock

Founder of Geek Girls

Interview with Brant Cooper

NYT Best selling Author

The Lean Entrepreneur

The Lean Brand

CoFounder Moves The Needle

Founder of a Coworking accelerator for a collective of neoteric entrepreneurs, innovators & creatives bringing ideas to life. Productions include the Naked Truth exhibit, Gender Equality through a nonbinary lens with UN Panelist, "He Named Me Malala viewing event," Global Shapers Conversations of Connection.