WellMoney

Last month I wrapped up my role as a Visiting Social Entrepreneur at Stanford. Working closely with passionate students was such a rewarding experience, and I'm thankful I could contribute to their journeys. We tackled big challenges together—from reimagining healthcare systems in underserved regions to exploring innovative ways to fund civil rights cases. Their dedication and fresh perspectives were truly inspiring, and it reminded me why I love this work. This experience was incredibly meaningful to me, and I'm excited to keep sharing what I've learned. I'm currently looking for speaking opportunities to talk about social entrepreneurship, healthcare innovation, and making lasting change. If you know of any events or conferences where these topics could make an impact, please reach out. #Grateful #StanfordGSB #Entrepreneurship #SocialImpact #HealthcareInnovation #SpeakingOpportunities

Last month I gave a talk to a group of folks at an AI company. I shared some of my experiences building tech tools that actually help people who often get overlooked. I walked away from the talk knowing that I provided the audience with value and that I was an engaging speaker. And it shows in the feedback that I received--which is pretty stellar. ?? 100% of attendees found the session valuable. ?? 100% want to hear me speak again. ?? 100% found the session engaging, inspiring, interactive, and relevant. And there were a couple comments that truly made my day: ??"I like Kortney. He's cool." ??"Real, authentic, and actionable." Connecting with people and sparking inspiration in them through the privilege of sharing my story, is one of the things that I do best. My talks are always about ways that we can all do good in the world. I am currently looking to spread more of that good energy in July. If you need a speaker who'll wake up your audience (in a good way), hit me up. I promise that I won't let you down. The people have spoken and they said I'm pretty awesome. ??

This week my college alma mater, UC Santa Cruz, featured me in their magazine, writing about my life’s work in tech, film, and social advocacy. While I’m always deeply grateful to be recognized for my work as well as having it documented, this interview is extremely special to me. It demonstrates that central to my professional technology founder narrative, is the reality of my computer science background. Correcting a common misconception, this feature highlights my technical foundation laid solidly 21 years ago, through my computer science degree. Funny story. I was accepted to college as a computer science major and spent three years pursuing the degree until I realized that I am also an artist and storyteller. So, I switched to making movies. I ended up making cool films while I also learned programming and the fundamentals of computer science. I’ve spent my entire career as a technology founder challenging those who, because of their own personal beliefs, instantly doubt my technical credentials. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked: “Are you even technical?” This recognition of my academic roots by my own college, is gratifying and deeply affirming. Thank you God. Here is the article:

Honestly, I held off posting during #GivingTuesday to avoid adding to the overwhelming sense of donation requests. But today, I’m absolutely stoked to announce that WellMoney has won its FIRST industry award--the 2023 Zendesk Tech for Good Impact Award! Out of over 300 companies from around the world that were considered for this honor, WellMoney was selected as 1 of 15 winners for 2023! Winning this award comes with financial support and free Zendesk software to help further our mission of putting money directly into the hands of Americans facing financial emergencies, from people that are willing to help. While the cash is cool, it is an incredible honor that validates the importance of our innovative work. To end the year on another strong note, I’m hoping to raise an additional $5k to send more emergency cash gifts this holiday season to our dedicated members who have believed in us since inception. Please consider a contribution to our platform so that we can help address financial emergencies that come with the holiday season. Any amount helps us continue this needed community lifeline: