I was born in Moscow, grew up outside Washington, DC, went to college in Philadelphia, and now live in San Francisco.
I started my career at a small management consulting firm. Then I launched a line of cold-pressed juices for sweetgreen when the team fit in a small townhouse and had fewer than 10 locations.
I fell into venture capital after moving to the Bay Area. I’ve worked at Felicis Ventures, a top-tier early stage VC firm, since 2013. There I established the Founder Success function and launched the 1% founder development pledge.
I consider myself an introverted skeptical optimist. I’m fascinated by people: how we are alike and what makes us unique, our incredible potential for growth, the process of navigating life. I believe asking good questions is much more powerful than having answers. Building trust is my favorite infinite game.