Erik Anderson is a global innovation leader, investor and philanthropist. He is Founder and CEO of WestRiver Group, a thematically-driven investment platform that manages funds and builds companies in the global innovation economy.
Anderson has received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, was named by Goldman Sachs as one of the Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs and was also awarded the Transformative CEO Award by The CEO Forum Group. Early in his career, Seattle’s Puget Sound Business Journal recognized Anderson as one of the Top “40 under 40” young achievers and emerging leaders.
He is also Chief Executive Officer of the DCRB+ Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), which seek to identify impactful companies with scalable solutions to decarbonize the global economy. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Hyzon Motors Inc., a zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered commercial vehicle company with leading fuel cell technology. Anderson became Vice Chairman of Callaway Golf Company in March 2021. Prior to Callaway, he served as the Executive Chairman of Topgolf Entertainment Group. Under his leadership, Topgolf became one of the fastest-growing sports and entertainment brands in the world. In 2020, he was ranked by Golf Inc. as the No. 4 Most Powerful Person in the Golf Industry and was No. 3 in 2019 and 2018. In November 2020, Anderson joined Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) as the Executive Chairman of the SVB Capital Credit Platform and serves as Chair of the SVB Capital Advisory Committee.
“Anyone can look into the future, but few have the courage to create it." - Erik Anderson
Anderson also serves as Executive Chairman of Singularity Group, a global community using exponential technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. He is also Vice Chairman of ONEHOPE, a cause-centric consumer brand and technology company, known for their award-winning wine and world-class vineyard in Napa, Calif. He is also Co-Chairman of TOCA, the world's first technology-enabled soccer experience company.
Additionally, Anderson is the founder of America’s Foundation for Chess, currently serving 160,000 children in the United States with its First Move curriculum. For more than 10 years he served on the Board of Play Magnus, an interactive chess app inspired by Magnus Carlsen, the reigning World Chess Champion.Anderson was on the Board of Avista Corp (NYSE:AVA), an energy management company for more than sixteen years and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee for most of his tenure. His investment experience includes being Partner at Frazier Healthcare Partners, CEO of Matthew G. Norton Co. and Vice President at Goldman, Sachs & Co.
He holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Management Engineering from Claremont McKenna College.
Lisa Stone is the Chief Investment Officer at Braintrust Founders Studio and serves on the board of Singularity as well as other private startups and non-profit Project Glimmer. Lisa is a co-founder and c-level entrepreneur with extensive experience in early stage start-ups working across sales, product, engineering, marketing, content and community to design platforms, pricing and partnerships that activate millions of people and achieve defined business goals.
From 2005-2014, Lisa was co-founder and CEO of BlogHer Inc., the leading social media publisher for women (127+ million monthly uniques, $30M in annual revenues), which she merged with She/Penske Media, creating the largest women’s lifestyle digital media company (comScore). After exiting She, Lisa was an Entrepreneur In Residence with Trinity Ventures and served as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for Ellevest, an investing and financial services platform for women.
Previously, Lisa was VP Programming/Editor in Chief for Women.com Networks, a Hearst-backed company and Top-30 destination URL. At Law.com Lisa launched the Web’s first blog publishing network integrating content, advertising and e-commerce. Lisa is a former journalist (The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, CNN), Her honors include a Fortune Most Powerful Women Entrepreneur Award, Fast Company’s 1000 and 100 Most Creative People in Business and a Nieman Fellowship where she was the first Internet journalist granted the award by Harvard University. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from Wellesley College. She is a member of the Committee of 200.
Naveen is an intensely curious entrepreneur who is focused on ideas that will push humanity forward. He is the author of the award-winning book Moonshots: Creating a World of Abundance. His current moonshot adventures are Viome and Moon Express. As a serial entrepreneur, he previously founded InfoSpace, Intelius, and TalentWise.
Viome’s singular mission is to “make illness optional.” Viome has built an AI-driven platform that analyzes the interaction between food, our microbiome, and our human cells in order to develop precision nutrition to prevent and reverse chronic diseases.
Moon Express is the only company globally with permission to harvest resources from the moon—developing the infrastructure needed to push humanity forward towards a true multi-planetary society.
"A person who sees a problem is a human being; a person who finds a solution is visionary; and the person who goes out and does something about it is an entrepreneur." -Naveen Jain
In addition to his current moonshots, he is the Vice-Chairman of the Board at Singularity, where he focuses on educating and inspiring leaders to utilize innovative technologies to address humanity’s greatest challenges. He is also on the Board of the XPRIZE Foundation, an organization that uses incentivized prize competition to push the limits of what’s possible — to change the world for the better.
Naveen has been the recipient of many honors for his entrepreneurial successes. These include: “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young, “Most Creative Person” by Fast Company, “Top 20 Entrepreneurs” & “Lifetime Achievement Award” for the leadership by Red Herring. “Medal of Honor” by Ellis Island, and “Top 50 Philanthropists” by Town & Country Magazine.
Named by Fortune as one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” Peter Diamandis is the Executive Founder of Singularity. He is also the Founder and Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation, which leads the world in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions.
"The day before something is a breakthrough it's a crazy idea." - Peter Diamandis
As an entrepreneur, Diamandis has started over 25 companies in the areas of health-tech, space, venture capital and education. He is Co-founder and Vice-Chairman of two public companies, Celularity and Vaxxinity. Dr. Diamandis is Co-founder & Chairman of Fountain Life, a fully-integrated platform delivering predictive, preventative, personalized and data-driven health. Finally, he also serves as Co-founder of BOLD Capital Partners, a venture fund with a half-billion dollars under management being invested in exponential technologies and longevity companies.
Ray Kurzweil is one of the world’s leading inventors, thinkers, and futurists, with a thirty-year track record of accurate predictions.Called "the restless genius" by The Wall Street Journal and "the ultimate thinking machine" by Forbes magazine, Kurzweil was selected as one of the top entrepreneurs by Inc. magazine, which described him as the "rightful heir to Thomas Edison." PBS selected him as one of the "sixteen revolutionaries who made America.
"Kurzweil was the principal inventor of the first CCD flat-bed scanner, the first omni-font optical character recognition, the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, the first text-to-speech synthesizer, the first music synthesizer capable of recreating the grand piano and other orchestral instruments, and the first commercially marketed large-vocabulary speech recognition.
Among Kurzweil’s many honors, he received the 2015 Technical Grammy Award for outstanding achievements in the field of music technology; he is the recipient of the National Medal of Technology, was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, holds twenty-one honorary Doctorates, and honors from three U.S. presidents.
"The profound aspect of technology is that once secrets are revealed, the magic doesn't disappear." - Ray Kurzweil
Ray has written five national best-selling books, including New York Times best sellers The Singularity Is Near (2005) and How To Create A Mind (2012). He is Co-Founder and Chancellor of Singularity and a Director of Engineering at Google heading up a team developing machine intelligence and natural language understanding.
Aaron Vaccaro serves as President at Singularity. Since taking this role in 2023, he has led the management team in executing Singularity’s mission of educating, inspiring, and empowering leaders to create breakthroughs powered by exponential technology.
Prior to joining Singularity, Aaron was Vice President at WestRiver Group, a global innovation investment platform and the lead investor in Singularity since 2016, where he remains an operating partner. In addition to working closely with the Singularity Board and team for the last 8 years, he has held various leadership and board positions with other portfolio companies in the consumer and technology space, such as Topgolf Entertainment Group and Talespin Reality Labs.
Aaron holds a Master's degree from Claremont McKenna College and a Bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University, where he was a four-time NCAA All-American in swimming and is now Chairman of the Business Advisory Board at the Whitworth School of Business. He is a lifelong learner and still enjoys non-exponential hobbies such as reading and woodworking.
Alix is the Vice President of Research, Expertise and Knowledge at Singularity. In this role she oversees Singularity’s research efforts, body of knowledge, and community of experts. Among other things, she designs the curricula for SU’s flagship Executive Programs.
In addition to this role, Alix is a researcher in philosophy of technology and cultural analysis. Her current research centres around two large scale projects. The first of these is a deep dive on responsible AI, algorithmic bias and exclusion. Within this project, the aim is to raise awareness about the impact of automated decision-making algorithms, to explicate how decisions made in the design process can lead to unwanted outcomes, and to empower leaders to build AI that is equitable, fair, and just. The second project comprises an analysis of the digitalisation of information, its effects on decision making, and on ethics. The purpose of this project is to reposition decision makers vis-à-vis the way they inform themselves, to investigate and challenge computational paradigms, and to envision an approach to ethics that befits 21st century dilemmas.
Prior to joining SU, Alix studied as a PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA). Here, she researched the collaboration between human and nonhuman (technological) agents at the intersection of humans and computational systems. She has written and speaks about cyberpunk and science fiction literature, autonomous weapon systems, embodied robotics, artificial intelligence, and AI bias.
Amanda Manna is Vice President of Enterprise for the Singularity Group, leading the team that prepares organizations and leaders for the future through tailored learning programs, strategic narrative development, facilitated ecosystem connections and other custom services. Previously Amanda was co-founder of Uncommon Partners, which was acquired by Singularity University in 2019.
Prior to that, she was a Director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs, where she led development of future narratives and partnerships for the Fortune 50 home improvement retailer. Her leadership secured global recognition for the company’s breakthroughs, including in-store autonomous robotics, exoskeletons for employees, and the first store in space—a 3D printer aboard the International Space Station.Amanda earned a BA in Communications from North Carolina State University.
Outside of work, you can find Amanda spending time with her family in Charlotte, N.C. where they love to cheer on the Carolina Panthers and the Charlotte Hornets.
Sarah Rames Edgren, the Vice President of Program Operations has been with Singularity since 2015. Sarah is a seasoned professional dedicated to fostering impactful events and programs worldwide. With a wealth of experience, she considers herself fortunate to collaborate with global leaders, supporting them in their quest for knowledge and meaningful contributions.Sarah met her husband during their shared overlapping time at Singularity. In her leisure time, Sarah finds joy in the company of her family and friends. A nature enthusiast, she escapes to the mountains or woods with her husband and rescue dog, creating cherished moments amidst the serenity of the great outdoors.
Venus Ranieri joined Singularity in 2018 and currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing, where she leads the company's brand strategy and growth initiatives to support their mission of improving humanity through exponential technologies. With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, Venus has worked with a diverse range of clients, from early-stage startups to high-visibility brands with over 1 million followers, such as Futurism, PEEPS, Chiquita Bananas, and Mike and Ike Candy.
Known for her expertise in social media and digital content creation, Venus has witnessed firsthand the impact of the evolving digital landscape on business and society. In 2019, she produced and hosted the miniseries "It's A Social Thing," exploring the influence of social media on society. Currently, she is working on a project investigating pricing bias in dating apps.
As an advocate for the responsible development and use of technology, Venus believes in the positive potential of innovation while remaining cautious of the dangers and implications if not thoughtfully designed. Through her work and ongoing conversations, she aims to contribute to a future where technological advancements benefit humanity while minimizing negative societal impacts.
Venus is a graduate of Rowan University where she studied Public Relations, Advertising, and Graphic Design and holds a certificate in IP and Trademark Law from Penn Law.
Dr. Aaron Lower is an education enthusiast, innovative curriculum developer, and international instructor. As Director of Expertise, he fosters thought partnership, collaboration, and engagement within our Expert community. Aaron stewards Experts toward opportunities within the Singularity ecosystem.
Prior to Singularity, he designed the learning architecture for surgical robotic education at Johnson & Johnson. Aaron too has held leadership positions at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and within the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Outside of work, Aaron can be found hiking California’s redwood forests. One of Aaron's favorite Singularity memories includes the "Nordic Cycle", a sauna session followed by a cold water plunge. It took place in a frigid Finnish lake just before the Singularity Summit in Helsinki. He’s never been as alert before or since!
Angelo (Gelo) began his career in Supply chain management and operations, but he has since transitioned to managing expert engagements in the community at Singularity University. He is passionate about fostering collaboration and brings a proactive approach to everything he does. When Gelo is not in the professional realm, he is a highly active individual who enjoys playing badminton, boxing, and practicing calisthenics.
Audrey Morse is the Senior Program Manager at Singularity. She joined the team in 2021 and works closely with clients to design, plan, and deliver Singularity's custom programs. Audrey has had the opportunity to work with clients all over the world and as well as deliver countless programs in our own backyard of Silicon Valley.
Before joining Singularity, Audrey worked in the educational nonprofit space where she oversaw an entrepreneurial education program that served class across the US. Outside of work, Audrey enjoys spending time with her growing family and exploring the beautiful Bay Area.
As part of the marketing team Cody helps to grow the business and make sure more leaders globally discover and benefit from Singularity’s programs. Prior to Singularity, he co-founded a GovTech startup and built a grant search engine and marketplace of grant writers. He also spent time sourcing global tech startups for Peter Diamandis’ Abundance360 Tech Hub. Cody’s background is in marketing, branding, and business strategy and operations. He lives in Central California and outside of work, enjoys hiking, cycling, mountain biking, riding motorcycles, and exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Jason leads Singularity’s science and tech publication Singularity Hub. Founded in 2008, Singularity Hub reaches a wide audience of entrepreneurs, scientists, technologists, and tech enthusiasts and explores key emerging trends in science and technology. Jason has edited and written articles on a range of topics, from virtual reality to neuroscience and robotics, but is especially interested in artificial intelligence, computing, and space exploration.
He previously did research and wrote about financial markets and economic trends at an asset management firm, where he oversaw production of quarterly client reports and other research content and helped write and edit a line of investment books. Jason grew up on the move and will find any excuse to go traveling. He loves learning surprising new things about the world, doing just about anything outside, and all things music.
Jason is responsible for Singularity’s paid media strategy and oversees the company’s customer relationship management systems. Earlier in Jason’s career, he was co-founder of TeleGeography, the first company to map the world’s internet infrastructure. His interviews, writing, and infographics have appeared in the Economist, the New York Times, and the Atlantic. He holds a degree in Political Science from Tufts University. Outside of work, Jason is attempting to master the five mother sauces with varying degrees of success.
Jenny Wright holds the position of Director of Knowledge at Singularity, where she is instrumental in defining the organization's unique contribution to the executive education sector. Her role is centered on ensuring the clarity, definition, and internal accessibility of educational content. Jenny's responsibilities extend from organizing an internal database of experts and their knowledge to cataloging the core exercises and content offered through Singularity's programming. She is committed to ensuring that all team members have a thorough understanding of Singularity’s knowledge assets and can readily access any information needed for their roles.
With a background that blends content management, library sciences, and learning design, along with significant experience in graphic design and copywriting, Jenny brings a diverse skill set to her role at Singularity. Previously, she ran her own content management agency, where she guided educational organizations in developing effective strategies for managing, organizing, and archiving both their internal and external content.
Outside of work, Jenny dedicates a significant amount of time to Generative AI. She conducts classes and workshops for community members, helping them understand and utilize Generative AI in various personal and professional contexts. This expertise is also a significant contribution to her role at Singularity. Additionally, Jenny is actively working on mastering UE5, aiming to apply it in film, animation, and, eventually, game design. A lifelong fiction writer, her goal is to publish her speculative fiction novels. In her leisure time, Jenny enjoys birding and playing video and board games, with Geoguessr and Wingspan being among her favorites.
Lilian Hallstrom is an innovator and visionary dedicated to shaping a transformative destiny for humanity. In her role at Singularity she applies her expertise as a solutions architect, designer, and future maker, and works to empower leaders to utilize exponential technologies to catalyze positive impact on a global scale.
Boasting an extensive background in international business development, marketing, and talent acquisition, Lilian has navigated the forefront of innovation for decades and pioneered many executive programs, tech odysseys, digital and immersive experiences, as well as bespoke consulting engagements.
As co-founder, executive, or advisor, Lilian has led the charge in steering international digital evolution, overseeing multifaceted research initiatives, and spearheading avant-garde marketing projects. Infused with a passion for creating positive global change, Lilian brings invaluable vision and leadership to her role, propelling Singularity towards its mission by constructing paradigm-shifting programs worldwide.
Lisa Kay is the talented Creative Director at Singularity, bringing over two decades of experience in marketing, branding, digital media, and publishing to her role. With a BFA in Graphic Design from Boston University and a passion for continuous learning, Lisa has honed her skills in design strategy, art direction, and creative problem-solving.
Throughout her career, Lisa has worked with a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. Prior to joining Singularity, she held creative leadership positions at renowned organizations such as Maxim Magazine, where she established and led the marketing design department during the magazine's U.S. launch. Lisa has also collaborated with prestigious brands like Victoria's Secret Beauty, Christian Dior, and Moët & Chandon as a freelance consultant.
At Singularity, Lisa spearheads the creative vision, ensuring that all design and marketing initiatives align with business objectives and deliver measurable results. She thrives in the collaborative process, fostering an environment of creative brainstorming and innovation while maintaining a keen eye for detail and a commitment to pixel-perfect execution.
With expertise spanning branding, digital media, experiential design, and marketing strategy, Lisa brings a holistic approach to her work. She seamlessly integrates her deep understanding of design principles with her ability to craft compelling narratives, creating engaging and effective campaigns that resonate with target audiences.
When not leading the creative charge at Singularity, Lisa enjoys exploring the latest trends in technology and design, seeking inspiration to fuel her ever-evolving creative vision. Her dedication to her craft, combined with her wealth of experience and strategic mindset, make Lisa an invaluable asset to Singularity and its clients.
Moe is a Business Operations Analyst at Singularity, applying his unique perspective and skills to contribute to the organization's success. With a degree in Psychological and Cognitive Science from Claremont McKenna College, he combines strong analytical abilities with a dedication to social impact.
Moe brings valuable experience from his professional background in private equity, tech policy, and management/strategy consulting. At Claremont McKenna, he engaged deeply in initiatives focused on storytelling and community building, working to empower underrepresented communities. These experiences shaped his commitment to creating equitable spaces and driving positive change. Currently, Moe is exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and social good, investigating how emerging technologies can address complex societal challenges while considering ethical implications.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Moe is an avid reader and writer with a passion for technology, culture, and the arts. His extensive travels have cultivated a multicultural perspective that enhances his approach to business challenges, allowing him to identify innovative solutions that bridge diverse viewpoints and experiences.
Nea Haberman is not just a Marketing Specialist at Singularity; she's a dynamic force infusing creativity and passion into every aspect of her role. She plays a pivotal role in enhancing the Customer Support experience and driving the company's marketing initiatives. Collaborating closely with the Director of Marketing, she shapes and executes social media strategies, and supports data health for marketing and the website.
Drawing inspiration from her background in theatre performance, Nea brings a distinctive set of skills to Singularity. Her experiences have finely honed her creative problem-solving skills, team building abilities, communication strategy, and a profound understanding of people and social connections. Nea has seamlessly transitioned through various roles within both Peter’s team and Singularity, driven by her unwavering passion for exponential thinking and innovation.
Prior to joining the Marketing team, Nea led the Abundance Digital membership for the past three years with a mission to empower entrepreneurs to create a hopeful, compelling and abundant future for humanity.Beyond the professional realm, Nea finds joy in singing, playing music, reviewing movies, and exploring new cities.
Meet Reggie, an experienced Growth Advisor with a passion for staying ahead of the curve. Currently serving in this pivotal role at Singularity, Reggie excels in providing strategic counsel to leaders, ensuring they navigate the ever-evolving landscape with precision and foresight.
Before joining Singularity, Reggie showcased their expertise in business consulting and investment within the mom and pop shops of the 757 area. Notably, Reggie continues to invest in small businesses and engages in philanthropy in his hometown, demonstrating a commitment to fostering growth and giving back to the community.
Beyond the professional sphere, Reggie reveals a different facet of their personality. A formidable force in the virtual battlegrounds of Call of Duty, Reggie takes pride in his gaming skills. However, what truly defines them is his mastery in the art of fatherhood. Balancing the intensity of virtual warfare with the joys of parenthood, Reggie seamlessly navigates the realms of strategy both in-game and at home.
In essence, Reggie is not just a Growth Advisor in the boardroom but a multifaceted individual who excels in every arena they step into.
Riel is a member of the Singularity team specializing in the administration and maintenance of computers and web applications. With a sincere dedication to keeping things running smoothly, Riel is always ready to lend a hand in troubleshooting tech issues.
Outside of Singularity, Riel wears the hat of an architect who is well-versed in space planning and design. He also finds joy in being a mountain biker, home cook, and even a barista! Passionate about physical activities, Riel finds joy in staying active and exploring the great outdoors.
Savannah Stine is a program manager at Singularity. As a part of the operations team she works closely with clients from planning through implementation and delivery. After Graduating from the University of Arizona she worked in digital marketing before joining the team at Singularity. Outside of work she enjoys playing guitar, playing board games and rooting for Seattle sports.
Stephanie is an experienced HR professional and leads all people-centered activities at Singularity. She is responsible for recruiting and onboarding, performance management, employee benefits and oversees the day-to-day human resource functions. Recognizing the importance of cross-functional collaboration, she works with the leadership team to understand organizational needs and deliver HR solutions that align with the strategic goals of the company.
Stephanie is a licensed Life and Health Insurance Producer, prior to Singularity she worked for Lovitt & Touché as an Account Manager managing employee benefits renewals for her clients. Stephanie also worked as a Wellness Specialist at Insight managing a multi-state wellness program. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys spending time outdoors, stand-up paddling, hiking, and mountain biking.
