Our Team

NetSquared is a program of the Community-Driven Innovation team of TechSoup Global.
 

The Community-Driven Innovation Team

 

Billy Bicket, Vice President

Billy Bicket is Vice President, Community-Driven Innovation.
 
A former teacher, Marine Corps veteran, and longtime enabler of innovative communities, Billy Bicket joined TechSoup Global in 2005 to help nonprofits leverage the web’s potential for social change.  
 
Billy brings to TSG 20 years of experience developing programs and services in the public and private sectors. As Senior Director of the Community-Driven Innovation program (the team behind NetSquared), he leads a team of innovators working collectively toward accelerating the mission-based social-benefit projects and organizations.
 
In his tenure at TechSoup Global, Billy’s work has focused on launching and growing NetSquared from an annual conference convening public and private sector actors in 2006 into a diverse set of global programs which aim to surface, organize and enable the work of nonprofits, libraries and social innovators. Offline, NetSquared supports the efforts of more than 80 local groups hosting monthly face-to-face meetups in more than 25 countries around the world. Online, NetSquared showcases the work of more than 750 technology-driven social-benefit projects. Since 2007, NetSquared’s popular web-based challenges have distributed more than $450,000 in cash grants.
 
Currently, Billy spends his days at TSG infusing the learnings from these community-based activities into new programs and initiatives. Through the lens of community-driven innovation, Billy’s team works closely with TSG’s international network of partners, donors, and contributors to localize TSG programs with an aim to build the capacity of our global partner network and the organizations they serve. Outside of work, you can find Billy in his backyard garden or practicing the guitar. You can reach him at billyb AT billybicket.com.

Jim Lynch, GreenTech Co-Director

Over his long career at TechSoup Global, Jim Lynch has been involved in creating all of TechSoup’s environmental programs. Jim leads TechSoup Global’s work to develop the computer refurbishment and reuse field in the United States and internationally. 
 
Jim designed, in cooperation with Microsoft, the Community Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) Program for the Americas, which distributes low-cost Windows operating systems to recyclers and refurbishers. In 2005 he also started TechSoup’s Refurbished Computer Initiative, which supplies low-cost warrantied refurbished computers to U.S. nonprofits and libraries. His interest in computer recycling and nonprofit social enterprise began when he created and ran homeless education programs and computer training labs in the 1980s. 
 

Sarah Washburn, Libraries Program Manager

As Libraries Program manager, Sarah leads TechSoup Global’s efforts to help public libraries use technology more effectively. Most recently, she managed TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project, a three-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote library best practices in supporting public computers.
 
Prior to TechSoup Global, Sarah worked for both small nonprofit organizations and large corporations, focused on the intersections between the offline and online world. In 2000, she joined the Gates Foundation’s U.S. Library Program, and she spent the next four years supporting libraries as computers and Internet access entered the nation’s public libraries. Sarah’s professional background includes experience in software development, interaction design, usability, technical publications, community development, and over a decade of designing, promoting, and advocating for library projects and programs.
 

Elijah van der Giessen, Community Curator

Elijah van der Giessen is the Community Curator for NetSquared at TechSoup Global where he fosters online and offline network involvement through community management and content curation.  He works closely with NetSquared Local organizers to launch, grow, and support local community groups in over 50 cities around the world.

Previously Eli managed the David Suzuki Foundation web team, coordinated a team of 150 volunteers for the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, and spent several winters wandering Canada as part of the Canadian Idol crew.

He's currently based in Vancouver BC, contracting to the San Francisco office.

 

Frank Babbitt, Integrated Operations Manager

Frank Babbitt, Integrated Operations Manager

Frank Babbitt joined the Community-Driven Innovation team in July 2012. As operational lead for CDI he is responsible for developing process and delivering programming across TechSoup Global and to international stakeholders.
 
Prior to joining TechSoup Global Frank ran Operations, Sales, Marketing and Business Development for a wide range of Internet start-ups.  His focus has been on helping companies grow, from The College Company, whose mission is to make college affordable for families, to TRUSTe, the Internet privacy organization, to HealthCentral, an early e-health company that empowered users to learn about and manage their own health.  In the "dark days before the Internet" he worked in publishing in New York City.
 
When not sitting in front of a screen Frank spends his time volunteering for local environmental nonprofits and likes to get outside in the Northern California sunshine and go cycling, hiking and kayaking.
 

Laney Strange, Sr Manager for Product, Research, and Integration

 
Laney Strange joined TechSoup Global in 2010 as CDI's product manager. She leads the design and development team responsible for this very platform, and she is very interested in your feedback. Laney is a computer scientist by training with an extensive background in academic and industry research.  Prior to joining TSG, Laney spent three years at A9, the search engine behind Amazon.com. Her technical background is built in parallel computing, data mining, and search.
 
Laney's professional interests include scientific, writing/outreach, and women in science. Her unprofessional interests include cycling in and around SF and rooting for the Boston Red Sox (even this season).
 
Find Laney on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
 

Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, Chief Business Development Officer

Gayle Samuelson Carpentier is the Chief Business Development Officer at TechSoup Global. Upon joining the TechSoup Global in 2001 as the program's founding Business Development lead, Ms. Carpentier developed the strategic structure of its product donation service which has distributed over 2.5 billion in technology resources globally.  The service allows nonprofits to find a large array of donated technology in one place, while still reflecting each donating company's unique philanthropic goals.
 
Ms. Carpentier states that creating and developing the over 45 donation programs from industry leaders is a major highlight in her widely varied career. She takes great pride is seeing programs that were created in the U.S. expand across the global network that touches every continent worldwide.  Prior to her time at TechSoup Global, Ms. Carpentier was owner and co-CEO of VYC Yacht Charters, Director of Sales & Marketing for the San Francisco Business Times, and Director of Sales for The Healthcare Forum. She holds a BS in Journalism from the University of Oregon. Her extensive experiences in reporting and interviewing have been key to uncovering and developing the new sales models at TechSoup Global.  Ms. Carpentier has served the community as a volunteer tutor for adult literacy, and at local food banks, and also as a pro-bono consultant to several nonprofit organizations across the country seeking sales, sustainability, and market advice and direction. Outside of work, Ms. Carpentier is taking on home repairs, improving her way too weedy garden, exploring widowhood in the 21st century while also seeking some quiet time to read and exploring new parts of the world now that her son is off to NYU in the fall.