SEED SPOT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Co - Founder
- Board Member / SEED SPOT Co - Founder
- Book Co - Founder & CEO
- Co - Founder & Advisor to the CEO
Courtney Klein is the Co-Founder and CEO of SEED SPOT, an organization designed to educate, accelerate, and invest in entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to social problems. SEED SPOT ranks as one of the "Top 20 Accelerators in the World" by Gust and "Top 3 social impact incubators in the United States" by UBI Global and Cisco.SEED SPOT also holds an Emmy for their partnership with Univision serving Latino entrepreneurs.
Forbes, USA Today, Inc., Conscious Company Magazine, Huffington Post and others have profiled Courtney for her work and over 400 media stories have been written about SEED SPOT to-date. SEED SPOT operates programs across the country for both youth and adult impact-driven entrepreneurs.
Previously, Courtney served as the Co-Founder & CEO of New Global Citizens, a journey that started with a $1,000 seed grant and a dream when she was a senior in college that grew into a national-class organization that served over 10,000 youth and partnered with organizations in 33 countries.
In 2016, Arizona State University honored Courtney as the "Young Alumni of the Year" award and Arizona Economic News named her "One of Arizona's most Influential Millennials." In 2015, the Phoenix Business Journal named Courtney as one of the "Top 10 Business People of the Year" and in 2013 as one of the "25 Most Dynamic Women in Business." She has also been recognized by media outlets as one of the nation's "Top 30 Civic Leaders Under the Age of 30," one of Arizona's "35 Entrepreneurs Under 35," one of "20 Women to Change Arizona by 2020," and one of "Arizona's Most Intriguing Chief Executives."
Courtney is a graduate of Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College, where she received her undergraduate and master's degrees in nonprofit management. She also completed work through the DSIL United Nations Executive Education Program in Thailand & Cambodia focused on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Courtney resides in Austin when not on airplanes, is married to an entrepreneur and has two children. She is an avid yogi and Ironman finisher.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer / Treasurer, ThredUP
Job Titles:
- Board Member / Senior Leader
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Partner
- Partner, Ernst & Young
Lauren McDanell, VP of Strategy & Growth at SEED SPOT, has deep respect and gratitude for the impact-driven entrepreneurs who take community problems head on with their innovative products, services, and technologies. Lauren leverages her experience supporting hundreds of early-stage startups (from Minnesota to Madagascar!) to set strategic vision for SEED SPOT and build the internal architecture of resources, partnerships, and worldclass support systems that has earned the nonprofit organization the title of World Top 5 Private Business Accelerator and Top 3 Social Innovation from UBI Global.
Bringing over a decade of "rolling up her sleeves" in and alongside VC-backed startups, Lauren pulls together funders, entrepreneurship education, networks of mentors, advisors, and capital partners, and world class resources to empower founders to launch, grow, and scale their social impact ventures.
An expert in user-driven innovation, impact-driven product and service development, market validation, and achieving early traction, Lauren has been featured at conferences, in news media and startup blogs, and has led innovative corporate training programs at American Express, Booz Allen, and EY, and at major global conferences including SOCAP and Net Impact. Her fun, upbeat training style encourages experimentation, collaboration, and purposeful action that drives measurable results.
Lauren is a native Arizonan who graduated with honors from the University of Arizona after completing original research on MySpace users' brand friendships. She started her career at a venture-backed toy company where she partnered with brands like Disney, Mattel, and DC Comics, and launched dozens of new products into retailers including Walmart, Toys R Us, and Party City. She later designed and created a new cosmetic brand sold into Ulta Beauty and Sally Beauty, and spent time as a Market Research Manager for brands such as MillerCoors and ConAgra.
Prior to SEED SPOT, Lauren served as Program Director for Tallwave's High Tide tech startup accelerator program, performed venture` due diligence at Tallwave Capital, and joined one of the programs' ventures, LocalWork.com, as Director of Marketing. In her career, Lauren has advised ventures in industies ranging from technology to healthcare, education, consumer packaged goods, nonprofit, and more.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Recruitment Manager
Job Titles:
- Development & Communications Associate
Comprised of leaders in their field, the SEED SPOT board sets the vision for success for SEED SPOT. They are visionaries. Big thinkers. Dreamers. They are not afraid to challenge the status quo. They believe in a society where inspired and supported entrepreneurs are solving big problems.
Job Titles:
- Board Member / Head of Product
- Head of Product, Haven Energy
- Software Product Management Leader
Nahla is a Software Product Management leader and is currently Head of Product in Climate Tech startup Haven Energy. She specializes in the areas of Enterprise/B2B software and Artificial Intelligence. Her experience spans the fields of Retail, e-commerce, Manufacturing and Marketplaces. Nahla previously worked in Yelp and before that multiple Toronto startups where she focused on Product Strategy and starting new teams. Her background includes Software Development and Consulting. Nahla is a Computer Engineer by education. She has an EMBA and a Masters of Business Analytics from Schulich Business School in Toronto, where she currently lives.
Nahla is an international public speaker and is currently a featured speaker with Product School. Mentorship is a big part of Nahla's life. She mentored with APM Toronto and TRIEC in the past, and currently mentors junior female product managers. She was Head of planning with Marefa NGO in her home country Egypt, and her other volunteer/NGO work extends to the fields of Education, Refugee Settlement, Food Security, and working with domestic abuse survivors. Nahla is an amateur bird photographer and a wildlife enthusiast.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Board Member / U.S. Trust
- Institutional Client Advisor
- President and Advisory Board Member of Planned Giving Roundtable of Arizona
Russell Goldstein CFP®, CAP® is an Institutional Client Advisor at U.S. Trust, Bank of America with over 18 years of experience in financial services. In his role, he is responsible for identifying the needs and advising philanthropists, foundations and nonprofits. He provides guidance and sets the strategic direction for individuals and organizations focused on the community. This experience consists of education, advice, implementation, execution and monitoring focused on their needs and mission.
Russell is certified as a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and has been a Mentor in the Arizona Endowment Building Institute program through the Arizona Community Foundation. He is also part the Community Foundation's Professional Advisory Board. He is also a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy ( CAP®). He is a graduate of the Social Impact Strategy program at UPenn through the School for Social Policy and Practice.
Russell is the President and Advisory Board Member of Planned Giving Roundtable of Arizona and Chair of their Leave a Legacy program. He is a National Board member of SeedSpot, a social entrepreneur incubator. He currently serves as Advisory Board and the Chair of the Planned Giving Committee for The Musical Instrument Museum. Russell in addition, is the Chair of the Planned Giving Committee and Advisory Board Member of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art as well as Humanity Chair and Advisory Board Member for Phoenix Fashion Week. He also serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Salvation Army, Committee Member of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in Arizona.
Job Titles:
- Product Marketing Manager
- Secretary
Savannah is a commercial strategist with experience in technology, aviation, and international development sectors. In her current role at Meta, Savannah serves as a Product Marketing Manager leading product development and go-to-market efforts of early-stage investments in our eCommerce division on Facebook.
Before Meta, Savannah spent time in aviation at Delta Air Lines where she held roles in Product Development, Network Planning, Sales, and Digital. Prior to Delta, Savannah spent 6 years in international development. During her tenure, Savannah worked in 10 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe supporting US government-funded, economic development programs.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, art/cultural experiences, watching Michigan football and mentoring high school students and young adults in designing and launching small businesses.
She holds her MBA from Duke University, Fuqua School of Business, and BBA from the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Board Chair Emeritus / Executive Vice President
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Programs