Meet TheShareWay Team

In 2018, we created TheShareWay to support those who are making an incredible impact in their community. We continue to be in awe of the nonprofits that we serve, and have enjoyed hearing their success stories.

While you may know a bit about us, we now want to share more of our story:

Hannah Yang - Founder & CEO

Why I founded TheShareWay:

In high school, I had to cold call and visit many local businesses to get food donations for our club’s event. We secured burritos from Chipotle, muffins from Mimi’s Cafe, and gift cards from Wingstop. Years later, while walking in San Francisco, I shared this experience with a friend. I told him how it would have been so helpful if a website could have told me who to call based on my city and donation category (e.g. food, beverages, or raffle items).

A few weeks later, over a weekend, a friend and I built it at a hackathon, ended up one of the top six teams, and pitched in front of 2000 people. I have never stopped working on it. I keep going for two reasons. First, nonprofits keep on signing up. We have spent zero marketing dollars since our founding. This signals to me that people need this and that we are bringing value. Second, while monetary donations have shifted online, in-kind and product donations have not. TheShareWay helps make it easier and more efficient to donate products by bringing the matching process online.

Sharing a bit more about me: I enjoy building things, writing, reading, biking, and playing tennis. Some of my recent favorite books are Give Work, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and On Writing.

Nathan Eidelson - Founder & CTO/CPO

Why I founded TheShareWay:

I co-founded TheShareWay to have an honest impact on the world with my background in software engineering and product design. Ever since traveling to Cambodia, I have felt a deep appreciation for the complexity of the world’s most pressing issues. A certain in-person humanity is required to solve challenges such as education, global health, climate change, and so on. Not only is software often not required, but it can become a costly distraction.

Ultimately, I believe that nonprofits are the conduit through which money is converted to real world impact, and the more we support the incredible work that nonprofits do the better off the world will be. If we can make it easier for businesses to support nonprofits, why not?!

Sharing a bit more about me:

Outside of work, you can find me surfing, snowboarding, or otherwise spending time outside in Golden Gate park! I tend to feel most alive on a sunny beach or at the top of a tall mountain.

Legarlin Li - Software Engineer

Why I joined TheShareWay:

When I was searching for my next career opportunity, it was important for me join a company that was committed to building a product that didn’t simply exist, but that existed for good. I wanted to use my software engineering skills and experience to build a product with a tangible, positive effect on the world. My decision to join TheShareWay came easily––this was a team that was committed to these values and more.

As an early team member, the opportunity to own end-to-end feature development was also incredibly appealing. I’ve always thrived in the tight-knit camaraderie of a small team, where everybody is willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute to building the best solutions for our customers. I'm excited to develop our product together as we continue to stay close to the impact.

Sharing a bit more about me:

Beyond the work day, you’ll most likely find me hiking in the mountains, lounging on the beach, or rallying around on the tennis courts. If it’s rainy, I’ll cozy up at home either reading, doodling, or whipping something up in my own home test kitchen.

Taylor Atienza - Customer Success and Marketing

Why I joined TheShareWay:

My experience in grassroots environmental advocacy granted me the privilege of working with many nonprofit organizations. I developed a deep sense of admiration for their work, and these experiences only cemented my aspirations to work and lead in the nonprofit sector.

In the fields I am most interested in—food systems and food sovereignty, environmental conservation and justice, and global development—I believe nonprofits are essential actors in navigating the most basic and pressing problems facing current generations: human and environmental wellbeing.

Thus, the opportunity to support nonprofits and their work by contributing to the directory was what attracted me to TheShareWay; hearing member success stories and feedback has been a highlight of my experiences here. The social and environmental good initiatives like contributions to carbon removal projects and major expansion in 2021 are just a few of the other reasons as to why I'm excited to support the ongoing growth of TheShareWay!

Sharing a bit more about me:

In my free time, I love painting, knitting and crochet, and portrait drawing. I'm always looking for a new art museum to explore, and I have recently been rediscovering my love for gardening!

Cynthia Chen - Content Specialist

Why I joined TheShareWay:

Growing up I have always been really passionate about the environment and doing my part to help reduce waste and raise awareness about climate issues and sustainability. I volunteered doing beach cleanups, and wrote short blurbs about ways to be more sustainable and interesting facts about the environment. I always believed that small actions can lead to big improvements and positive changes, and really admired nonprofits who are out there taking those steps and slowly but surely making the world a better place.

Fast forward to college, I joined a student run social enterprise that donates 60% of their profits to an environmental nonprofit each semester. I had the role of a “Social Good Associate”, and was tasked with finding and reaching out to nonprofits to partner with and ultimately donate to. I learned so much about their missions, and how while each nonprofit focuses on a different need, they all are working towards their goal of making the future a better place to live, whether it’s through direct action, legislation, or raising awareness.

In addition, prior to learning about TheShareWay, I have also had experience sourcing for donors, and have struggled with the process, not knowing which companies were willing to donate, as well as not hearing back from companies I’ve reached out to.

I joined TheShareWay because I thought it was a perfect fit for me, from my experience of struggling to source donations for events, to wanting to support nonprofits and make this aspect of their work as easy and streamlined as possible. I really love that our tool can help nonprofits save on resources, time, and energy, and help them discover more businesses wanting to support their mission.

Sharing a bit more about me:

Some of my hobbies include listening and playing music, yoga and dance, and sewing. Recently I’ve been rediscovering my love for reading, specifically the genres historical fiction and memoirs.

Jessy Lu - Content Specialist

Why I joined TheShareWay:

Growing up in Shanghai and later immersing myself in the academic world of UC Berkeley, I've always been surrounded by diverse perspectives. But one thing remained consistent: my deep-rooted passion for nonprofits. This passion was further ignited by my experiences in EthiCAL Apparel, a student-run social enterprise selling clothes and donating half of our profit to local non profit organizations. When I learned about TheShareWay's mission to support nonprofits, it felt like the stars aligned. This was an opportunity to combine my skills in content creation with my love for organizations that make a difference.

Making an Impact Through Content Creation:

At TheShareWay, my role goes beyond mere content creation. Every week, I dive deep into our database, ensuring the accuracy of our company listings and introducing new donation opportunities. But it's not just about numbers and data points. It's about understanding our users, their needs, and their experiences. By providing non-profits direct access to donation pages, we empower them to save time and channel their energy more efficiently towards focusing on their core mission: making a tangible difference in the communities they serve. Every day, I'm reminded of why I chose this path: At TheShareWay, we're not just facilitating donations; we're streamlining the process of change.

A Bit More About Me:

Outside of TheShareWay, my heart lies at the crossroads of psychology and education. I'm constantly exploring how these fields intersect with technology, aiming to create meaningful and lasting impacts. As I continue my journey, my goal remains clear: to champion the cause of nonprofits and ensure their stories are heard.