Refinery 29: ANNIE GEORGIA GREENBERG

Annie Georgia Greenberg is a name to know in NYC—you heard it here first!  Ok, fine—we’re a bit biased because she’s a good friend of ours, but as the newly on-boarded New York editor of popular fashion editorial-site Refinery29, we expect for her name to be dropped in many a blog, magazine, or line at an exclusive VIP event in the upcoming months. Annie graduated from Barnard this past May with a degree in English & Creative writing (she’s a very skilled poet), and despite her rigorous academic schedule, her extensive experience in the fashion editorial industry is impressive: she’s worked for Nylon Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, Vogue’s Department of Special Events, and Lucky Magazine, and her new role at Refinery 29 really brings her full circle in the industry—after all, Annie used to work as an intern for them when the site first launched a few years ago. Now, with Refinery’s rapidly growing acclaim and audience, Annie’s influence will surely captivate the “fashionista” masses for years to come.

Annie has managed to find a job that highlights both her strengths and her interests—she is gifted with words, has a great sense of humor, and most importantly a keen AND resourceful sense of style. Be sure to check out her posts here.

Photo Credit: Sam James

Joyride: LEV BRIE

The Joyride enterprise has hit the mark by combining the three things that almost every New Yorker regularly seeks: caffeine, convenience, and guilt-free sweets. Lev Brie, the founder of Joyride, first brought these essentials to the streets via foodtruck, offering highly delicious Stumptown Coffee, organic frozen yogurt,  and...drumroll, please... the world's first caffeinated fro-yo, "Buzzed" (genius, no?). The truck also offers other innovative menu options, such as the “Jeffrey Paul,”  a decadent coffee and espresso combo made with Stumptown's Hairbender roast and Mariebelle chocolate. Joyride has some of the friendliest staff of any food truck we’ve ever seen, and it is thoroughly “green” by diesel truck standards, using the “quietest, most efficient generator on the market,” as well as ice coffee cups that are bio-degradable and made of corn. Raised in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Lev has moved around quite a bit, and is a man of academics and business--he studied undergrad at Stanford and Columbia, earned a Masters in France at 'École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and started a PhD at the University of Chicago. After dabbling in tutoring and web design, Lev is now an owner of Endeavor Tutoring and Test Preparation, in addition to Joyride Trucks and its successful spinoff venture, Joyride Coffee Distributors. Joyride Coffee Distributors is the official supplier of Stumptown Coffee and is the first company to provide “third wave” coffee delivery at almost any location in NYC.

So, if walking to the truck at its daily locations to get your Buzz on is too strenuous, call 917.670.3314 to get Stumptown delivered to your office or next event. And don’t forget to nominate the Joyride truck for the Vendy Awards on streetvendor.org!

 

iWould: JON BUDISH

Modern times have brought almost every imaginable type of human interaction to the digital world--with a host of social media devices available, communication has become nearly inextricable from the Internet. After working in customer support and account management at the site most responsible for this digital trend, Facebook, Jon Budish’s inside scoop planted an idea that given the amount of time people spend on the site “Facebook-stalking” the profiles of their romantic interests, users should be able to connect with their crushes. And so, Jon created iWould, bemoaning: “Over and over, we witnessed people not ask someone out because of the risk of embarrassment from possible rejection...So we decided to try to fix this problem. We sought out to create a safe, easy, and most importantly, private, place to help people get past the awkwardness that is finding out if someone they like, likes them back.” iWould isn’t a dating site--it’s a Facebook application, a “complement to your existing life on Facebook,” explains Jon. After all, if you are already checking out the Facebook profiles of people you like, why not find out if they are checking you out, too?
 

So if you’re itching to know if your crush likes you back, give the app a try! You might find yourself pleasantly surprised...

Funologist: JESSICA HAMMER

“I’m a professional funologist!” exclaims Jessica Hammer, a PhD candidate in cognitive studies at Columbia University, when describing her career. Jessica develops games that help to change the way people think in order to overcome cognitive challenges and addictions. If you thought quitting smoking, exercising more, or managing anger had to be a painful process, Jessica hopes to prove you wrong. As a member of Columbia University’s Teachers College EGGPLANT Game Research Laboratory, and of the Creativity, Cognition and Learning research group, Jessica has presented her work at academically distinguished meetings in the US and internationally.  Prior to her time at Columbia, Jessica was a consultant and game designer, with a focus on serious games and social software. After graduating from Harvard University with a BA in Computer Science, she went on to earn her masters degree in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Jessica has since created the game design course sequence at Teachers College, which has turned out students who have produced award-winning games. If Jessica doesn’t seem busy enough to you already, you should know that in her free time she runs an experimental storytelling group in New York City.

With Jessica’s help, people will be able to change their lives by tackling the hardest issues in the most fun ways possible. Get ready to play the game of LIFE-- literally.

 

Huffington Post: ROB FISHMAN

While it’s strange to think that before 2005 the Huffington Post did not exist as a staple news source, it’s even more unbelievable to consider how extensively news media has changed over the past decade with opportunities provided by the Internet. At 24, Rob Fishman, who graduated from Cornell in 2008 and Columbia’s Graduate Journalism School in 2009, has known no other employer than the Huffington Post in his adult life. Although many writers have the privilege of blogging for “Huffpo,” the website only hires a very small and trusted paid managing staff, of which Rob is one. Rob started on the staff as the associate blog editor in 2009, and in May 2010 was promoted to the position of social media editor.

Rob's truly a journalist of this generation, adeptly navigating a network of social media tools to receive and transmit news, yet with a hunger for reading that makes him one of the gifted news writers of his age. And, of course, there's charm in his wit that extends beyond the professional arena (we swear we did not pay him to plug our blog).
 

Google Expert: EVAN BAILYN

We all take for granted the effortlessness of Google: type in a search term, and voila! Results. While this functional understanding serves most of us just fine, Evan Bailyn set out to uncover the way we receive these results and, more specifically, how the results are organized. After graduating Columbia University in 2003, Evan spent 16 months questioning, investigating, and ultimately cracking the Google algorithm. In other words, he figured out how to claim the top search return of the world’s largest search engine, based on any term. His career has soared ever since. The self-proclaimed “Google expert” capitalized on his discovery by founding First Page Sage, a search engine optimization and social media company that achieves a near-perfect record of getting the websites of Evan’s clients (celebrities and Fortune 500 clients alike) to appear at the top of a Google search. Evan then went on to apply his knowledge to founding the Cartoon Doll Emporium, now one of the largest children’s websites in the world, reaching over 70 million kids and parents. Evan’s commitment to child advocacy was born out of this project, and he has since utilized Facebook to provide inspirational messages about self-psychology and childhood, attracting over 50,000 fans in 5 months, making his page the second most popular non-celebrity fan page. In 2010, Evan established The Evan Bailyn Foundation, which awards grants to groups that promote emotional awareness in children. And if that’s not enough, his first book, Outsmarting Google, will debut in bookstores in early 2011.

The internet entrepreneur, author, and child advocate, has it all: self-made success, serious levels of publicity (ABC, Fox News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, International Business Times, Crain's, and will be featured on an upcoming segment of Joan Rivers' reality show "How'd You Get So Rich?"), a girlfriend, great brother, and sense of humor and compassion that never fails.

GroupMe: JARED HECHT

Jared Hecht (Columbia College '09) applied his management and tech background as former Business Development Manager at popular blogosphere Tumblr to pursue his own pet project: launching the mobile group-chat application, GroupMe, with his friend Steve Martocci. Jared and Steve left their respective jobs to work on GroupMe full-time beginning in July, and after only three months of brainstorming, financing, programming, and fine-tuning, they had developed a full-fledged social networking device. GroupMe originated as an idea in response to his fiancee's dissatisfaction with group-communication options, and now it has received notable attention from the New York Times and Tech Crunch about the impressive $850,000 funding they were able to solicit from investors.

Jared impressively demonstrates how capitalizing on a good idea can quickly turn into greatness in the lightening-speed world of the Internet and mobile communication.

 

Author: ANISHA LAKHANI

Author, teacher, screenwriter, blogger, and it-girl Anisha Lakhani (Columbia College and Teachers College graduate) gained national recognition for Schooled, her debut novel inspired by her own experiences as an English teacher turned private tutor at the Dalton School on the Upper East Side. After spending nearly a decade in academia (she rose to be chair of the Middle School English department), Anisha left Dalton in 2006 to further pursue her greatest passion, writing. She was approached by online fashion magazine Pink Memo editor Katrina Szish, who "knew Anisha liked to write" and offered her the position of New York Scene Editor, where she fittingly covers some of NYC's most fabulous events. Anisha has also contributed to Vogue India and The New York Post, as well as Q and Quest magazines.  More recently, she started her own blog, Back to A, on which she realizes her new-found love for home-decorating by documenting her journey to redesign her Upper East Side one-bedroom apartment. It's an unusual decor blog, and we can't help but wonder if Anisha is using it as inspiration for her next book?

Anisha's charm, passion, and exuberance ensures she'll live a fun and successful life enjoying what she does best: write. And keep your eyes peeled for Schooled the movie--we hear the rights were optioned by actress Lorraine Bracco and Anisha wrote the adaptation herself.

Actor: SPENCER CLARK

Spencer Clark has evolved from a child actor to a burgeoning movie star. He's our personal favorite--not only because he's our friend, but also because he explains so well what it feels like to watch yourself on screen (and is wholly unaffected). You may remember him as the young Lucius Verus in the Academy Award winning film Gladiator, or know him as the (all grown up!) teen son of the bad guys in The Last House on the Left .  He has also appeared in Unbreakable, Mystic River, and on the television show, The Good Wife. But these days, Spencer has been focusing on playing the role of "college student," attending Columbia University full-time and majoring in political science. He's talented both on screen and in the classroom. When asked what his upcoming projects were, he duly responded: "My only project right now is somehow making it through this next week of school!" We feel your pain, Spence. 

Insider tips: If you camp out in Morningside Heights, you might spot Spencer riding his bicycle around Columbia. And if you want to see his baby pics, click here. 

Author: AMITAV GHOSH

Our very own Hilary will be studying abroad in India next semester, and in anticipation of her travels, she has focused her leisurely reading on one of India's most famous and award-winning authors, Amitav Ghosh. Born and raised in India, Amitav offers an authentic, culturally descriptive homage to his country in his writing.  He has a distinguished portfolio of written work, including his novels (In An Antique Land, The Glass Palace, Incendiary Circumstances, The Hungry Tide, Sea of Poppies, among others) and his essays (published in The Hindu, The New Yorker, Granta, and The New York Times Editorial Section). He has also influenced many young writers while teaching at Delhi University in India and Harvard and Columbia Universities in the United States.

And so, we give you: a short but sweet peek into the mind of Amitav Ghosh.

Movement: RAFFI RADNA and TREVOR VAZ

Just as many high school romances fizzle at graduation, Trevor Vaz and Raffi Radna's high school band wasn't able to commit to a long distance relationship through college. Against all odds of it working out, Trevor (Columbia University '11) and Raffi (Vassar College '12) decided to take the plunge and start their own band, Movement, in the summer of 2008. All jokes aside, these two have managed to keep up their songwriting and recording over the phone and internet with great dedication. This shows in their latest self-recorded and self-released free EP. Trevor (vocals, guitar, and beats) and Raffi (guitar, bass, and synths) charm audiences with their distinct sound, relatable lyrics, and stage energy. Check out their next show at Vassar College on November 21st, and click here for a list of their other upcoming performances.

We have a feeling this musical couple is going to last.

DormAid: OTTO MAGDANZ and CARLO PASSACANTANDO

Otto Magdanz and Carlo "the Great" Passacantando bought Lion Laundry their sophomore year at Columbia University. Now they are seniors and have taken over DormAid, a company present on college campuses across the country, and are starting their own laundry service for NYC apartment buildings called Valet Laundry. Otto is off to Harvard Business School in two years, while Carlo will continue to balance his time between New York City and his native Rome.

What does it take to be an entrepreneur and a college student? The ability to multitask and the perfect blend of motivation, laziness, and an unusual obsession with laundry.

Tom's Restaurant: MIKE ZOULIS

“There’s always been a funny side to Tom’s,” says Mike Zoulis, owner and manager of Morningside Heights staple, Tom’s Restaurant, favorite to the Seinfeld cast, Columbia students, and Upper West Siders alike. Having grown up in nearby Washington Heights, Mike was brought into the business 30 years ago by his father, who was in partnership with the original Greek founder.

Despite the morning rush, Mike was willing to sit with us and chat over a cup of coffee.