| The Renaissance staff are highly dedicated bunch of young entreprenure, who want to make a difference by leveling the playing field for talented underprivileged artists. Their high energy good karma is backed by a number of highly experienced Silicon valley veterans. |
| |
Ah-Née |
|
Joseph |
Shirley |
| |
Amanda |
|
Lexy |
Simon |
| |
Ashleigh |
|
Mary Lynn |
Soumya |
|
Bhaskar |
|
Megan |
Susmita |
|
Cheri |
|
Radhika |
Vincent |
|
Christine |
|
Ritwika |
|
|
Derek |
|
Rolly |
|
|
 |
Susmita is an experienced program manager. She has managed many multisite high value computer hardware and software projects for Apple, BEA Weblogic, Philips Semiconductor, Walmart.com. She is an active philanthropist. Interior decoration is her hobby. Susmita holds a Masters in Computer Application from Birla Institute of Technology, India. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Radhika is an young entrepreneur with strong desire to give back to society. She has founded Renaissance Now Corporation while a high school student. She has also founded DoSomething Club in Fremont, California. She is a columnist and reporter for Do Something organization. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Christine Knox is a native Californian who has lived in Northern California for the last 25 years. After working for Toyota Motor Mfg. for 21 years, she has, this year, left to pursue a career in the arts. Chris looks forward to the many successes of the Renaissance Now Corporation, and encourages others to join our efforts. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Ritwika is youngest officer of Renaissance Now Corporation. She meticulously plans and manages all meetings, communications and logistics. She is also the chief videographer for Renaissance Now Corporation. Ritwika loves to sing, plays piano and bass guitar. She has recorded her first CD album "Breakthrough" and donated all the proceeds of this album towards Renaissance Now 2009 Project. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Mary Lynn Pelican received her BA degree in Elementary Education from San Jose State in 1965, taught elementary grades for 36 years, and volunteered as a choir director at Ardenwood Elementary School for the past 22 years. Since her retirement in 2005, she has been actively involved in community service in Fremont, CA. She revitalized the American Association of University Women (AAUW) while serving as president 2005-2007 and was one of four authors of the book titled "From Near Disbandment to Success, The Fremont AAUW Story". She joined the Niles (Fremont) Rotary Club in 2007, following in her dad’s footsteps of 64 years of service and perfect attendance in the Fontana Rotary Club. She participates in many local clubs and activities and finds giving back to her community very rewarding. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Originally from Kolkata, India, Soumya holds a MBA from Santa Clara University, B.Sc in Physics Honors from University of Calcutta and a B.S in Computer Science from BITS Pilani, India. Soumya works as Technical Marketing Manager at a renowned technology company and devotes his personal time as a volunteer at Renaissance Now. He is an award winning photographer. His personal website is thephotomagic.com. Soumya enjoys travelling, hiking in mountains, playing guitar and reading books. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Joseph Swenson is from upstate New York, Philadelphia. Academically, he is a PhD in Nuclear Physics. Many years ago Joe has given up his career as Nuclear Physicist to pursue his passion in Computer technology in Silicon Valley. He works as a senior Software Engineer in Digital Content Management industry. In his spare time Joe makes music with his Blue Grass band Cleaver Smith & Swenson and runs and win ultra marathons races all over California. Joe is a long time friend, well wisher and advisor of Renaissance Now projects. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Dr. Bhaskar Chaudhari is a professor emeritus from Florida International University, Miami; member of Rotary Club Niles (Fremont) and past President of Miami Kendall Rotary Club. Bhaskar is a philanthropist and visits India every year to provide help to Indian underprivileged children, orphanages and schools. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Shirley Gilbert is a Canadian citizen and, after graduating from journalism school in Toronto, joined a Canadian Daily that transferred her to Japan as a Foreign Correspondent. She was lucky enough to live in Japan for 11 years where she wrote many stories, covered two Olympic Games, learned to bow and speak Japanese a little, and came to love sushi and that country. She returned to America and the Bay Area and joined Hewlett-Packard where she was Director of Employee Communications when she left in 2000 after 22 years of service. She then worked as Director of Internal Communications for Xilinx. The glue that sticks all her activities together is writing. She loves to write professionally and enjoys writing for herself as well. She is married to Arnold, the very best of men, and has two great children and two fabulous grandchildren. She has been very fortunate in her life and would like to give back to the community of artists who were so generous to her. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Simon Robertson is an artist and game designer from Oakland, CA. He is the
founder of the independent game design company SideHatch Studios. Simon
has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Digital Art and Animation with a special
focus on Game Design and Interactivity. He has developed
educational/serious games and interactive environments to create social
change. Additionally, Simon has worked as a designer in the magazine
industry and created strong community websites in the Bay Area. Currently,
he teaches a multimedia course to Bay Area high school students through
the SMASH Academy. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Vincent Jones, a California native, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and is currently a sophomore at Middlebury College. Jones has a long history of serving the community and his leadership and civic service efforts have been recognized by various organizations including The Alameda County Alliance for Civic Engagement, The Viola Blythe Foundation, Bank of America, Lockheed Martin, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Along with presiding over the Black Student Union in high school, Vincent served on the regional and state boards for the California Association of Student Councils as the Bay Area Development Director and Newsletter Editor respectively. Jones has a keen appreciation for the arts and was involved with the Peninsula Teen Opera in addition to his school’s award winning choir and drama program. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Derek Macario is a young photographer from San Francisco, who tries to capture the better moments of the life around him. His work has been posted on minimal art sites but he puts his photos on his flickr . He is slowly making a name for himself in the SF and Art community, after he started his SF based Blog in Fall 08; The Wee Gees Blog . After 3 Summers spent taking classes at Cal Berkeley with Radhika, in Summer 09 Derek has quickly jumped on board with the Rennow Team. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Cheri is a veteran educator and English department chair in the Fremont Unified School District. She has taught grades 2nd, 5th, 8th, and adult literacy. She especially supports who students who want to actively make the world a better place for all. She is active with the Humane Society and Zero Population Growth. The quote that she lives by is by Mahatma Gandhi: "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Her favorite hobbies include travel, going on long walks, spending time with her pooch, and mentoring students. Cheri holds a masters in educational leadership and will soon have an administrative credential. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Amanda Nguyen absolutely loves anything that has to do with food or fashion. Her favorite thing to do is bake, and she enjoys crocheting and making jewelry. She also love to play the drums and sing. Amanda actively helps Renaissance Now fundraisers |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Hi my name is Rolly Bhatnagar and I am a senior in Irvington High School. I am hard-working and love to give back to society. Through Renaissance Now, I am helping unpriviliged artists all over the world and trying to improve their quality of life. |
| |
|
Back to top |
|
Ah-Née aspires to be an Orthopedic Surgeon and enjoys giving back to the community through the academic tutoring of inner city youth. She seeks to increase exposure and awareness of the Renaissance Now Corporation. In her spare time, Ah-Née loves competitive cheerleading, gymnastics and playing the violin. She is one of the designated trainer in Renaissance Now Kolkata project. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Hi! My name is Ashleigh Richelle. I am 17 years old and an incoming senior of the Class of 2010 at Santa Teresa High. I enjoy listening to music, playing softball and spending time with family and friends. Before hearing about Renaissance Now, I was not aware about the serious dilemma artists in poverty faced. I am so excited and privileged to be part of Renaissance Now team. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
Lexy is a junior in high school in Florida and has found a real passion for community service. She loves the mission of Rennow, being an artistic person herself. She loves to draw, but is particularly fascinated by photography right now. She is also an active Youth Advisory Council member for the not-for-profit, Do Something. She has also founded a Girl Talk chapter at her high school and has future ambitions of pursuing a law degree. |
| |
|
Back to top |
 |
My name is Megan Gage, and I am currently a junior in high school. I aspire to be a surgeon, with dreams of going to Stanford. As a singing enthusiast and an avid doodler, I believe in Renaissance Now's mission to equalize the playing field for under privileged and under represented artists around the world. A lot of hard work and dedication goes into making these works of art and it's about time the creators get some of their well deserved profits. |
| |
|
Back to top |
| |
|
