Featured Columnists
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The Missing Middle
This July, during the launch of curaJOY’s Impact Fellowship, I had a sobering realization. These were some of the brightest high school and college students we had ever worked with—motivated, passionate, and full of ideas. Yet, many had never written a research paper. Few had been asked to conduct original investigations or engage in meaningful…
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Check In. Learn to See. Live Better.
To kick off the summer, I took my daughters to explore sprawling underground caves and dive into cenotes on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. The wildlife and natural beauty were surreal—hypnotic limestone caverns connected by clear underground rivers that Batman would envy—the eerie stillness of magnificence formed from meteorites when dinosaurs still walked the earth. But even…
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You’re almost an adult
To my daughters, on your 17th birthday— I knew time would fly, but I didn’t expect it to hit like this. You’re on the edge of adulthood now, close to leaving home, and I’m supposed to be preparing you to fly. But I’m the one who’s unsteady today. Because when I look at you, I…
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Product Design Philosophy
I’m sharing my core product design philosophy that I’ve learned and formed over the decades of working with Harman, Fender, Gibson, Acer, Foxconn, Steinberg, Dolby and other brands on creating lasting and profitable products.
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When Speed Hurts: Why We Built Our Behavioral Health Solution the Hard Way
Our booth at the AI Show @ GSV + ASU was tiny—just 3×3. We were flanked by past winners of the Tools Competition, NewSchools Venture Fund, and Fast Forward Accelerator—programs we’re now going through ourselves. It was inspiring to be among them—but I’ll admit, I had a moment of doubt. Had I waited too long?…
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Monumental (but not in the way you think)
This week is monumental for me. Not because of some achievement or award (don’t worry, no humblebrags here 😉), but because—for the first time in 16.5 years—I have five consecutive days to myself. No caregiving. No rushing from one in-person meeting to the next. Just… me. It’s the first time since before my children were…
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From Big Booths to Bigger Impact: Building AI with Youth
More than 10 years ago, I led teams in 20×30 double-decker booths at major trade shows. CES, NAMM, Infocomm, ProLight+Sound. Big budgets, big lights, big business. This year, I found myself leading 15 first-timers in a 3×3 space. Smaller footprint. Wildly bigger impact. But let me back up. We signed up for the show just…
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Parenting Is Hard. The Advice Is Confusing. What’s the Real Solution?
Parenting: A Life-Diminishing Factor? I couldn’t believe it when a colleague told me that research suggests parenting is one of the most stressful roles an adult can take on. It made me pause—how could something so deeply meaningful also be so exhausting? But then I looked around: parents today are juggling work, life, guiding kids…
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Leaning In on Nonprofits in Uncertain Times
Sometimes, the world just sucks. Jobs disappear overnight, bills skyrocket, and each day seems to usher in a new crisis. I’ve witnessed firsthand how these harsh realities—the uncertainty of 2025—can knock the wind out of families and erode our sense of hope. But I’m not here to wallow. It’s clear people need help, and our…
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The Hardest Thing to Build: An Ecosystem Where People Stay
During my interview with Twilio for Transform Together, I was asked “What metrics tell you that you are succeeding at your mission?” I had metrics that should impress: All of that matters. Each of our team operates with quantifiable metrics—OKRs, KPIs, and data-driven goals that ensure we aren’t just doing good work, but the most…
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Unlocking Better Behavioral Support: How AI is Transforming Functional Behavior Assessments
Imagine a child struggling with severe emotional outbursts in school, a teen engaging in self-injurious behaviors, or an adult with autism experiencing daily frustration due to communication barriers. Families and educators often feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to help, leading to trial and error approaches that can frequently cause more harm than good. This…
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Unlocking Functional Behavior Assessments Funding
A mother once told me she felt like she was fighting battles on multiple fronts, barely holding on. Her 11-year-old son, bright and curious, had been labeled ‘disruptive’ at school. He wasn’t misbehaving on purpose—he just couldn’t sit still or follow directions like his classmates. When he pushed or shoved, she had to leave work…
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