What does it means to "Socialize Better"?

Socializing Better is as simple as the name - it's gathering with friends to have a great time - but it's better, because while you're socializing, you're also learning about and contributing to a worthy cause. And it's easy, all you have to do is show up.

It started out as just socializing...

After graduating from the University of Virginia and starting their professional lives in Washington DC (and Boston), Katie, Allison, Payal, Serena, Emily, and Amanda started feeling like they needed a more consistent way to keep in touch. With the challenges of living in a city and balancing hectic work schedules and social commitments, the ladies were missing the regular contact with friends that happened so unintentionally in college. To remedy their lack of regular contact, they decided to start meeting weekly on Sunday nights for ladies' wine nights. What started as a chance to catch up on recent dating drama, family updates, and work success/failures eventually progressed into wanting to do something productive together...

And then it got better. . .

Finding a common theme in their passion for service, the weekly Sunday evenings became a chance for the women to brainstorm about potential projects to undertake. What you see now, Socialize Better, is the result of the dreaming - a non-profit to raise awareness and resources for worthy causes by simply funneling the already amazing energy of young adults in Washington, D.C. Oh, and they are incredibly excited!

Founders

Katie Appel

Katie is the Program Manager for Youth and Exchanges at Meridian International Center. She works to provide global education to students in Washington, DC through such programs as International Classroom, the International Children's Festival, and Wired World, a digital youth exchange program that connects DC students with students abroad through technology. She received a BA in American Studies from the University of Virginia in 2007. Following graduation, she moved to Ambato, Ecuador to teach English to adults for a year with WorldTeach, a program of Harvard University’s Center for International Development. Katie has spent time on five continents, loves baseball and corny jokes, and is working toward a future career of developing training programs for women in Latin America.

Amanda Huffman

Amanda Huffman currently works as a Sustainability Research Assistant for Calvert Investments. As a member of the International Labor Relations and Diversity Team, she provides research to combat unfair labor practices and promote gender equality. She is passionate about social justice, compassion and serving others. She is currently applying in to graduate programs to study international labor and trade issues. In her free time, as a Board Member of her church, Amanda enjoys teaching Sunday school. And, of course, she loves to socialize!

Serena Bolliger

Serena Bolliger is an '07 University of Virginia grad (go Hoos go!) and current GWU grad student focusing on museum studies and environmental sustainability (it's an up-and-coming niche market, no really.) Born and raised in Foreign (just go with it, its easier than the actual explanation) she has acclimated to American ways and is loving life in the capital. Her main role within SB is as the environmental nazi, making sure all our events are as sustainable as possible and convincing the world that green is not only possible but easy and hoo knows, maybe even fun. Attitude on life: if you can, do; if you can't, fix it so that you can.

Payal Maheshwari

Payal Maheshwari works in the Strategic Initiatives Group at TechnoServe, a nonprofit focused on business solutions to poverty in the development world (mainly, Africa, Latin America and India). Prior to TechnoServe, Payal was an investment banking analyst at Lehman Brothers (yikes!), and separately worked on a variety of high-level projects developing the Lehman women's network. Payal received her B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. Favorite quote: "Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain." And yes, dancing in the rain is really one of my favorite things in the world. As is ice cream and chips and salsa (not all together...).

Emily Archambeault

Emily Archambeault is a Senior Admissions Counselor at George Mason University, located right outside of our nation's capital in Fairfax, VA. She serves on the admissions committee, counsels prospective students, and advises the Mason Ambassador student organization. Emily is a 2007 graduate of the University of Virginia where she received her BA in American Studies and Government. In addition to being a huge sports fan (particularly college football), Emily loves traveling, DC Kickball, dancing to girly pop music, and visiting family at home in Lynchburg, VA.

Allison Murphy

Allison Murphy works at The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit consulting firm that helps other nonprofits and foundations develop strategies and build organizations to inspire and accelerate social change. Allison received her BA in American Studies and English in 2007 from the University of Virginia, as well as an MA in English in 2008, also from the University of Virginia. A Virginia native, she currently lives in Boston, where she spends her time soaking up New England history and learning to love the Red Sox.