Adriana Pentz became the CEO of StartingBloc in June of 2009. Since then, she has focused on the strategic direction of the organization and board development. Prior to joining StartingBloc, Adriana was the Senior Director of Operations for Vision Education & Media and a founding member of the Board of Directors for Vision Ed Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low income students with academic enrichment programs in science, technology, engineering and math. Adriana was responsible for strategic operations and planning and led a restructuring initiative that allowed Vision to increase its capacity by over thirty percent in two years. Adriana holds a bachelors' degree in English and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania, and she is a Boston 2007 StartingBloc Fellow.

Taryn learned about innovation not while working at a multi-national company but in a 100 year old farmhouse, where mom and dad ran the family business. Second-generation turkey farmers turned food distributors, her family paid attention when their customers – their community – signaled their needs had changed and her family adapted. Taryn took that passion for community to Tufts, where her studies in the Women’s Basketball Team competed for her attention. She graduated a Tisch College of Citizenship + Public Service Scholar, with an inter-disciplinary degree in American Studies and Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies. A brief stint at Reekbok in the Human Rights department helped Taryn realize she was better suited to changing the systems from outside the confines of corporate structure. In 2007, Taryn transitioned from a StartingBloc Fellow to its Director of Business Development, developing programs and partnerships for 1,300 of the next generation’s leaders, uniting them across sectors and across the globe.

Sarah coordinates StartingBloc’s flagship program, the Institute for Social Innovation. Sarah works on recruitment, curriculum design, and programming so that Fellows can get the tools, skills, and resources they need to live social innovation. She is looking forward to facilitating many happy connections during and after the Institutes. Prior to joining StartingBloc, Sarah spent two years coordinating countrywide education programs in El Salvador, Jordan, and Peru. She graduated with a B.A. in International Marketing from American University, where she founded and managed the Gymnastics team. Sarah is a proud London 2008 StartingBloc Fellow!

Rithesh handles marketing and communications strategy for StartingBloc. Previously he worked in Corporate & Investments Tax Advisory at Deloitte LLP and KPMG LLP. He has also been involved with grassroots marketing and fund raising efforts for various organizations in the non-profit sector. When he isn't thinking of more ways in which StartingBloc can change the world, he enjoys traveling and reading. Rithesh graduated from Temple University, Philadelphia with a degree in Economics and is a New York 2009 StartingBloc Fellow.