Meet the Team
Terraso team members hail from around the world and come from different backgrounds. We are united in our mission to build powerful, usable, open-source digital tools in partnership with people seeking to build a healthier sustainable world.
garo likes to play music and dance, eschew recipe instructions, and read aloud! they live primarily on unceded lekwungen territory but like to move around, and identify with transness, autism, and disability. as a programmer, garo specializes in generalizing. they are excited to be working on open source technology for sharing data since that’s what they work on in their own time, and especially excited to work on tech for landscapes as they learn to relate personally to the land around them! garo can frequently be found napping, drowning in fur, or losing track of time outdoors.
José has worked as a software engineer in different industries for more than 12 years. He is passionate about developing innovative human-centered solutions. José identifies solutions using technology that can improve the experiences of people. He has a Computer Science degree from the Universidad Catolica del Ecuador and a Master of Information Technology from The University of Melbourne. In his free time you can find José trying to learn and understand what being human means.
Derek Caelin started out training activists and civil society organizations in developing countries and conflict zones on how to use digital tools to communicate, mobilize, and organize. He is a sustainability organizer in his home town of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. His writings on community-maintained software, games for social impact, privacy, and the effect of tech platforms on society, have been published in Foreign Policy and OneZero.
Steve is a senior executive and gifted product strategist with a 30-year career ranging from hands-on software engineer to public company CEO. He has substantial experience in organizing teams and attacking new opportunities and markets while ensuring a balance between specific tasks and the “bigger picture” of a successful outcome. After consulting for three years on various high-impact social good projects, he joined Tech Matters in late 2019.
Carissa (they/she) comes to Tech Matters as a software developer after studying computer science and studio art at Carleton College, developing data visualization software for 8 years at Tableau, and learning more about climate change and solutions in a Terra.do cohort. They live in Seattle, WA and are interested in how we can cultivate more nourishing relationships to the earth and each other. Carissa’s many joys include being with friends, singing karaoke, themed gatherings, art, playing off-brand DDR, eating leftovers, and telling plants that they’re doing a great job.
Johannes enjoys writing software, building things, and fixing things. He has held a variety of technical and management positions at both startups and large companies (the startups are more fun, but also more work). He started several software companies. He is semi-retired now, but happy to be working with Terraso and still learning new things every day.
Courtney is a user experience designer creating engaging and impactful digital tools. She has more than 15 years experience working in various capacities with mission-driven organizations, including 5 years as co-owner of a tech cooperative. Environmental stewardship and social justice are the main drivers of her career. In her free time, Courtney enjoys organic gardening, foraging, and exploring the mountains and waterways of Western North Carolina.
