An international creative team

Maiya was first inspired to use “technology for good” on a work trip to Tanzania in 2005. At the time, Maiya worked for a San Francisco based nonprofit that organized volunteer trips abroad; among other things, she managed their website. On this trip, she helped a man create a simple webpage to gather donations so he could buy materials to build a dam in his community — she found using technology to support people making an impact in their communities to be the most fulfilling and effective work she’d ever done. She soon shifted focus from International Development (her area of study at UCLA) to coding, teaching herself what she needed to know along the way.  

In 2009 she founded Mangrove, a business dedicated to building websites that help people do good in this world. Maiya enjoys the creative problem solving of her work, especially figuring out solutions that combine sharp technical thinking with real human experiences in mind. She values working alongside a diverse team of talented people who are passionate about what they do. She is intrigued by the clients Mangrove works with and likes learning about each of them. Mostly, she loves collaborating with partners and clients who do meaningful work.  

Maiya lives most of the time in Truckee, CA with her husband Shaun and little guy Terner, and enjoys being near the river and many trees. You might also find her in Oakland or Australia, where she tends to show up a regular basis.

Once upon a time, Taylor was on a softball team that went to the Little League World Series. She soon realized that she had peaked at sports and moved into the world of digital media. She was initially drawn to the film & television industry by a desire to tell stories but later transitioned to coding. Building websites satisfies her desire to tell awesome stories, just in a different medium —one that focuses on making people’s lives easier. She loves the potential impact her work can have on people’s goals and businesses and is inspired by people who go above and beyond to make others’ lives easier or better – people like Mangrove’s clients. And like Taylor herself: she started (accidentally, she claims) a blockchain wallet that became very popular overnight, and divides her time between growing that business and helping other people grow theirs by building polished websites with Mangrove.

Jonathan taught himself to code while he was still in high school so he could make websites to share photos from events where he volunteered as a photographer. To this day, he likes creating things that are useful, and values companies that consider social good in their bottom line. With an intense focus on optimization and clean coding standards, Jonathan makes sure our code is always in tip top shape. Originally from California, he now lives and works in Germany.  He loves that Mangrove is a B Corp that’s focused on making the world better.

Megan is inspired by people – their interests, their stories, their ideas. She is a whiz with cross-platform to-do lists and loves working directly with clients to tell their stories in a way that improves their business. She also appreciates having long-term relationships with repeat clients. When she’s not working with Mangrove, she works as an Individual and Family Therapist. There is a surprising amount of crossover in her skill sets. You might also find Megan climbing in Joshua Tree or around the Denver area where she currently resides.

Adam has been a design expert since he was a child, as evidenced by the fact that he won a coloring contest when he was 7 years old. His skills have only grown and developed since then. He loves making websites that look good and function well. He lives in New Zealand with his wife and little one Maggie, and finds inspiration from nature, art, culture, and music.

As a project manager, Marie thrives on helping people achieve their best outcomes. She loves helping clients meet their business goals, and helping the team stay on task, on time and on budget. She is inspired by people who dedicate their lives to empowering others and manages Mangrove’s B Corp certification which enforces the company’s mission and values. Fun Fact: Marie represented Puerto Rico as a professional artistic roller skater, competing in the 2010 Pan American Games.

Andrzej got his first computer when he was 10, and has been designing and building websites ever since. His favorite part of his work is turning complex problems into clear, beautiful solutions and he’s inspired by simple acts of kindness. It’s no surprise he’s thrived working at Mangrove, putting both his design and development skills to the test. Originally from Poland, he graciously accepts that we’re all doing our best to pronounce the subtle z in his name.

Valerie began her career as an Athletic Trainer and High School Sports Medicine teacher, but after a couple of years she started looking for alternatives with more opportunities for growth and re-discovered a childhood love of coding. The rest is history. She loves the outdoors, her dog Moose, finding creative solutions to unique design ideas, and seeing everything come together as she turns design concepts into functional sites.

Chae started making websites in the mid-90s, as one more way to copy his older brother. Since then, he has gotten 3rd place in a business plan competition at university, has moved from the USA to South America, and has organized a charity car show for Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He spends at least 30 minutes every day tutoring students through various curricula at coding bootcamps. Chae loves solving tough problems with lasting solutions. Hopefully his brother is half as motivated.

Ivana is a creative at heart and loves crafting beautiful things. For her, web development is a natural outgrowth of that – taking great design and making it function flawlessly online. Based in Serbia, Ivana finds easy motivation in making sites she loves because she’s passionate about creating in a thoughtful way. Constantly learning new techniques, she is always ready for sharpening her skills. When not in front of a computer, you can find her enjoying time with her children, painting or crafting.