Dear OpenSpace members,
Springtime is finally upon us! With that in mind, your OpenSpace team thought it was about time we showered you with some affection.
Please join us at OpenSpace on Thursday, March 21st from 5-6 pm for a complimentary beer tasting.
We’ll have a range of beers from local favorite, South Street Brewery, to whet your warm weather appetite. Please feel free to invite a friend to grab a taste and check out OpenSpace!
So mark your calendars and spread the love!
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James Ramsey
District Sales Manager, National Instruments
THE WHO
A native Texan, James moved to Charlottesville in 2008 after completing his Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University. James works for National Instruments, a measurement and automation company that makes products that help engineers improve everyday life through the enabling of innovation and scientific discovery. As the District Sales Manager, James is usually on the road a couple days a week, covering most of Virginia west of Richmond. The aspect of his work he enjoys the most is the opportunity to see a wide variety of high-tech applications, ranging from the technology involved in the lights above our heads to shipboard technology built to withstand depth charges on board submarines to the precision tuning of racecars. Sounds like he’s seen a lot!
THE WHY OPENSPACE
James joined OpenSpace a year and a half ago after working at home started to wear on him. The solution? The collaborative atmosphere of OpenSpace. He loves getting to work (or not work) with and around other people, including several of his close friends.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
James has been playing soccer in some form or fashion for the last 22 years! Highly involved in the sport in high school, James on occasion thinks in another life he would attempt to continue the sport on the collegiate and professional levels. James also loves working and volunteering with kids, spending much of his free time coaching a baseball team and serving with the children’s ministry at his church.
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Chris Seitz
Owner, Seitz Consulting
THE WHO
A long-time Charlottesville resident, Chris Seitz also has the distinction of being one of our longest-standing OpenSpace members. Chris runs Seitz Consulting as an independent SAP consultant for major companies across the country and Europe. Originally an English and Chemistry major in undergrad at the University of Virginia, Chris worked for the Daily Progress after college until deciding to take things in an entirely different direction. So, he returned to UVA and got his masters in Applied Mechanics from the School of Engineering. As an engineer, Chris worked for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Vehicle Research Center (testing car crashes!) and then for GE. It was at GE where Chris was first introduced to SAP programming and quickly saw the value in possessing such a specific and scarce skill set. In 1998, he was able to set out on his own as an independent consultant, using his experience with SAP to help other companies run more smoothly. And he’s quite in demand- Chris has worked all over, from New York to Cleveland to Germany, logging over 200 flights last year alone!
THE WHY OPENSPACE
Working remotely, being flexible, setting your own schedule- all the benefits of being your own boss. But when working from home gets too distracting, where do you go? An avid coffee drinker, Chris was a champion of coffee shops and could often be spotted sipping an espresso at the likes of La Taza or Shenandoah Joe. As many have found, however, navigating the crowds at a coffee bar are not always conducive to productivity. Enter OpenSpace, and problem solved. And the best part about OpenSpace, says Chris? Three words: those green chairs!
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
Chris is a big UVA baseball fan! This time of year, he can often be found at Davenport Field, cheering on the Hoos on their way to (hopefully) the College World Series. And he’s a great person to be friends with- he says he often has extra tickets!
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Ginger Moran
Writer & Coach
Associate Director of the UVA Women’s Center
Editor, Iris Magazine
THE WHO
Not many people relish the thought of getting up at 4am to start work, but for Ginger Moran, it’s a labor of love that is finally paying off- her first published novel, The Algebra of Snow, will be released next month! A Charlottesville native, Ginger earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English at the University of Virginia. She went on to get her Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Houston. After teaching Creative Writing at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and then at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, Ginger made her way back home to UVA, where she currently serves as the Associate Director of the UVA Women’s Center and is editor of the Center’s Iris Magazine.
Ginger’s love of writing has its roots in a lifelong love of reading, fostered at an early age by her Great-Aunt Moran, who was principal at Venable Elementary (and she was also the Moran whom Burley-Moran Elementary was later named after!). As she began to pursue writing, Ginger developed her writing skills in the wee hours of the morning while raising her two sons. She found that the old adage, “write what you know” wasn’t necessarily true- it’s more exciting to write about what you don’t know, she says. For example, her protagonist in The Algebra of Snow is a mathematician- a fun and different topic for an English major to explore!
Recently, Ginger has taken her love of writing in a new direction. As a novel and memoir coach, Ginger is able to help others tell their own stories. She says she loves helping people express themselves and their experiences. Most recently, Ginger was part of the Virginia Festival of the Book, participating in a panel on Fiction: Obsessions and Conspiracies. And coming up next, her novel is scheduled for release on May 15th and will be available through her website or Barnes and Nobel online.
THE WHY OPENSPACE
Ginger heard about OpenSpace from OpenSpace’s number one unofficial cheerleader, Marijean Jaggers, and now she’s hooked. She says she likes her office but always looks forward to her time at OpenSpace. It’s so congenial, she says (we think writers exhibit such great word choice!).
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
The Morans have worked at UVA almost continuously for 100 years! And with her work at the Women’s Center, Ginger proudly carries on that tradition.
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Hebah Fisher
Program Director, Community Investment Collaborative
THE WHO
Less than a year out of school and Hebah Fisher is already hard at work to bring positive change in Charlottesville. Hebah graduated from the University of Virginia in 2011 as part of the inaugural class of the Global Development Studies major, with a concentration in microfinance. While in undergrad, Hebah was a leader with SEED (Student Entrepreneurs for Economic Development), which provides consulting to NGOs and social entrepreneurs on microfinance and sustainable development. Hebah is now using that background in microfinance to help start the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), the brainchild of Cville Coffee owner Toan Nguyen. The CIC is a newly created non-profit to promote microenterprise development in Charlottesville. Through business training, microloans, and mentoring, CIC aims to encourage entrepreneurship among small businesses and low to moderate-income entrepreneurs who might not otherwise have access to traditional training or funding. Aspiring entrepreneurs participate in their 16-week business training course, and at the end training graduates can apply for a microloan to start their business, up to $35,000, after which on-going mentoring and a peer-support network keep the spirit of entrepreneurship going strong. As CIC’s first (and only!) full-time employee, it’s Hebah’s job to make sure all the pieces fit, but she says she loves the opportunity to test the theories she’s studied. The first CIC course is scheduled to launch this April, and CIC will also be featured during the Innovation portion of the upcoming Charlottesville TomTom Founders Fest.
THE WHY OPENSPACE
Hebah first came to OpenSpace through one of our Pitch Nights, loved the concept, and then kept coming back. A frequenter of coffee shops, she still enjoys Cville Coffee and Para Coffee, but it’s the opportunity to make friends and ask questions that keeps her hooked on OpenSpace. The ability to scribble on the walls in the work studios, as well as the steady stream of coffee and Twizzlers, is also a bonus!
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
Hebah is really into kickboxing! She was first introduced to the sport while in high school in Bahrain, and now she practices next door at ACAC. She loves the rhythmical sounds of hitting the bag. “It’s a lot like dancing,” she says.
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Brad Wilcox
Associate Professor of Sociology at UVA
Director of the National Marriage Project at UVA
President, Demographic Intelligence
THE WHO
He is also the Director of the National Marriage Project at UVA, which researches and reports on the state of marriage in America and analyzes the various factors involved in the quality and stability of contemporary marriage and family life. The National Marriage Project was founded in 1997 at Rutgers University, where it was located until 2009, when the Project moved to UVA and Brad took over as director. In December, Brad and the National Marriage Project released their 2011 State of Our Unions report, entitled “When Baby Makes Three: How Parenthood Makes Life Meaningful and How Marriage Makes Parenthood Bearable.” The report addresses marriage and parenthood and how it relates to happiness in marriage; the full report can be read on their website.
About a year ago, Brad started his own company, Demographic Intelligence, to provide demographic forecasting on fertility rates in the United States. A myriad of companies, from Gerber to Disney, come to him and his team for projections on US birth rates. With so many projects, Brad sums up his main focus of study as being about marriage and parenthood and the causes and consequences of a strong marriage and its effects on children. Through all his teaching and research, Brad says he strives to be a marriage-friendly voice in the academy, and he is often quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and the BBC.For this busy professor, OpenSpace is the perfect workspace when he needs to focus on a project or just get away from Grounds. It’s a great downtown location, he says.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
Brad and his wife have eight kids, ranging from 11 years old to six months. Having eight kids really keeps you on your toes, Brad says (we can imagine!), but it’s been a great experience. Five of their children are adopted, three from Guatemala and two from Ethiopia, where they have visited frequently for the adoptions. The beauty of having kids, says Brad, is that it encourages you to have the perspective of a child. And we bet if you ask, he’ll have some great baby pictures!
Comments: 1
John Semmelhack
Owner, Think Little
THE WHO
Inspired by a Wendell Berry quote, John Semmelhack started his business Think Little with the conviction that even just one individual can have a significant impact in making the world a better place. Through Think Little, John has set out to make Charlottesville more energy efficient, one house at a time. Specializing in residential energy efficiency consulting, John advises home-owners, architects, and builders on how to construct homes that both save money and reduce the impact on the environment. All the little details, John says, add up to a big effect when it comes to making a house more energy efficient. From the initial stages of site design, to stocking the finished house with efficient appliances, to planting strategic landscaping, a lower utility bill and a positive effect on the environment are in reach for home-owners.
John also serves as a technical advisor with EarthCraft Virginia, a green housing certification program that promotes sustainable and affordable energy efficient construction. In addition, John is also a Certified Passive House Consultant. Passive House is a very strict green design concept, the highest standard for energy efficient buildings in fact, and John is currently consulting on four of Virginia’s first Passive House projects!
THE WHY OPENSPACE
Previously, John worked from home, but with the arrival of his second daughter, the home office lost out to the nursery. OpenSpace to the rescue! And, as you’ve probably noticed, John prefers to commute to work by bike!
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
John can often be spotted riding his bike around town, but what you might not know is that he used to be a professional cyclist! His team even used to race against another OpenSpace regular, Ian Ayers! We’re thinking rematch?
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David Dusseau
Owner, Allies in Energy
THE WHO
David Dusseau is a Silicon Valley transplant who, after getting his start in the high-tech industry, made the switch to clean energy about ten years ago. He started his company, Allies in Energy, to provide staffing, market research, and business development services to the clean energy sector. Since moving from the West Coast four years ago, he has been working diligently to facilitate and take part in the Mid-Atlantic region’s move towards clean energy. Whether it’s researching business prospects for growing clean energy companies or working to influence policy in favor of an advanced energy economy, David is clearly enthusiastic about the possibilities and opportunities associated with clean energy.
In such a relevant and up-and-coming industry, David is also paving the way for better social networking among energy professionals, using the Allies in Energy brand to promote greater collaboration and support of clean energy development efforts. In fact, Charlottesville, is home to several national players in the world of clean energy, including GreenLight Energy Resources, HelioSage, Element Power, and BP Alternative Energy.
THE WHY OPENSPACE
Frankly, David says, he couldn’t stand working from home. For a long-time self-employed business professional, OpenSpace was the perfect ‘in-between’ workspace and a great change of pace. He found that the comfortable, natural-light filled work environment led to the greatest intangible of all: increased productivity. We say, bring on the sunlight!
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
Growing up in middle-of-nowhere Michigan instilled David with a great love of the outdoors. A fitting pastime for a proponent of clean energy, he enjoys hiking and spending time down by the river near his house. A few hikes David recommends: the St. Mary’s Wilderness in the George Washington National Forest, for the more serious hikers. Or, if you’re just looking for a nice walk in the woods, the Monticello Trail is a popular spot right outside of town. Fall in Central Virginia is the perfect time to explore the outdoors, so be sure to ask David about the next Cville Hikers Meet Up!
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Mark Watlock
Owner, Advantage Computer Training
The Who
Have you ever had one of those frustrating encounters with Microsoft Excel, usually involving blank stares at the spreadsheet wondering just how do you get that little row to go there, or how to get that formula to do that, and how in the world do you even begin to print labels? Luckily, there are people in this world like Mark Watlock. Mark does computer training for Windows and Microsoft Office, and yes, he says much of his training is geared towards Excel. With his company, Advantage Computer Training, Mark offers personalized, hands-on computer training, and with his mobile laptop classroom, he’ll come right to you.
Mark got his start in the early days of computers, working at Dynabyte Computers on Main Street (remember that one?) and then Computer Land in sales. In a time when there was no Best Buy Geek Squad, Mark had to do all his own computer training and tech support for his customers. He had to learn all the software in addition to making the sales, and he learned it all on the job, he says. He soon realized, however, that he was better at teaching than sales. A natural communicator, his ‘let’s solve it together’ approach to training was greatly appreciated by customers and earned their loyalty. No matter the student’s level of computer knowledge, “you cannot embarrass them,” Mark says, “or they’ll never want to learn from you.” Instead, Mark emphasizes a hands-on, conversational method of computer training. Students are encouraged to share and learn from each other, and often, he says, he learns a thing or two from them. Mark also bases his computer training on real-life scenarios and applications, and he takes special care to tailor his classes to meet the clients at their level. And with over 25 years of computer training experience, he’s seen it all (a CD-ROM drive being used as a cup holder stands out in particular). But most importantly, as a dynamic and engaging teacher, Mark makes learning all the minutiae of Excel fun.
THE Why OpenSpace
At first, Mark says, he thought it was the infrastructure and the great workspace that brought him here. But after spending more and more time here, he realizes that it’s the people that make OpenSpace such a great place to work. “There’s so much talent here,” he says, “If you have a social media question, you go ask Marijean, or a career question, you go talk to Cathy Pales. And the staff are great, too.” We like having you here too, Mark.
What You Might Not Know
Mark is a dedicated, life-long Notre Dame football fan (Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!) and a music trivia buff. Find your favorite, most obscure 80’s song, and he’ll probably know who played bass on that track as well as any subsequent, equally obscure band they were a part of. Let the quizzing commence!
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Marijean Jaggers
Owner, Jaggers Communications
The Who
Spend even just a minute with Marijean Jaggers, and it is obvious that she loves people. Which makes it convenient then, that her job has her working with all kinds of people and focusing on that newest of business trends, social marketing. A super social person herself, Marijean has a knack for the ins and outs of Twitter, Facebook, and the like.
She first got her start in public relations in St. Louis, MO, and then moved to Charlottesville five and half years ago. In January 2011, Marijean started Jaggers Communications, which specializes in public relations, crisis management, and social media consulting. She offers workshops on social media for businesses, explaining the importance of how social media can be used to promote businesses. Many of her clients are usually starting from scratch, or just dabbling, in the realm of social media, but Marijean sets them straight about using online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and blogging to effectively deliver their message.
One basic practice she teaches her clients is the importance of monitoring- getting companies to be aware of what people are saying about their business or their industry, good or bad. It’s all about paying attention and responding appropriately, she says, and it can really make or break a company. Marijean is a big fan of Twitter, but she is quick to point out that there is a right and wrong way to use Twitter as a business. The recent ‘Weinergate’ scandal provided her with the perfect teaching opportunity and a catchy workshop title (Don’t Be A Weiner: How to Use Twitter As a Professional) for one key social media principle: be careful what you post, once it’s out there, it’s out there!
But used intelligently, Twitter is a powerful resource, Marijean says, for everything from news updates to store reviews. One of her biggest success stories is Charlottesville Airport. Did you know, thanks to Marijean, you can now follow CHO for everything from weather alerts to fare updates?
Interested in improving your social media skills? Follow her on Twitter @Marijean for more information on upcoming workshops!
The Why OpenSpace
A long-time OpenSpace member, Marijean started out working from home, but found that she loves being around other people too much. Knowing her, that doesn’t surprise us! Working alongside other hard-working folks helps her focus, she says, and landing here is better than coffee shops, because you won’t feel guilty for not buying anything (and the peppermint patties are free!). She especially appreciates the freedom of OpenSpace, where it is so easy to come in, sit down, and get started. We love Marijean too; she has been one of our biggest cheerleaders and is always sending new members our way!
What You Might Not Know
Three words: Key. Lime. Pie. Yes, Marijean bakes pies!! If you have been lucky enough to taste the deliciousness she occasionally has been known to share at OpenSpace, you know what I’m talking about. It all started when she set out to perfect the made from scratch pie crust, which, she says, is a lost art these days. She got so good, she now even offers in-home workshops on homemade pie crusts! Her specialties include her award-winning butterscotch-pecan pie, as well as a peaches-and-cream or other seasonal local fruits like cherries, and, of course, that key lime pie.
For the past three to four years, Marijean has participated in the annual Charlottesville PieFest, which will be downtown at the Haven later this fall. PieFest is a local pie tasting competition and auction that benefits PACEM. Check out their website CvillePieFest for all the gorgeous and (we think it is safe to assume) delicious entries!
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