Team

Andrew Morgan is Director of Product & UX. He's spent 15 years moving through advertising, PR, UX, and civic tech, with detours into journalism and teaching along the way. He believes civic tech is 95% civic and 5% tech. Outside of work, he collects houseplants, plays board games, and tends to a stack of books that keeps growing faster than he can read.

Ben Nguyen is a User Researcher based in Los Angeles. As a child of refugee parents, he brings an empathetic approach to serving underrepresented communities. His experience ranges from designing digital products for startups to conducting user research in immigrant communities. Outside of work, Ben enjoys an active lifestyle with his two dogs and is a huge history buff.

Christine Cereca is a Senior Frontend Developer with experience in healthcare, online communities, security, and affordable housing. She's a maker at heart who enjoys creating projects in both digital and physical realms. Christine is driven by diversity, inclusion, and making an impact through her work.

Evelyn Hilbrich Davis is a Senior UX Researcher based in Chicago. She believes curiosity is essential to building understanding across differences. Before Friends, Evelyn worked as a museum media producer, consultant, and educator. She earned her B.A. in Religious Studies from Yale.

Joann Agnitti is a Senior UX Researcher with over a decade of experience in EdTech, Digital Health Tech, and Civic Tech. She holds a Master's of Education in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University's Teachers College. Joann strives to connect with people authentically and compassionately. She also has a shameless love for puns and dad jokes.

Joseph Lee is a Senior Product Designer with a background in creating user-friendly experiences in the non-profit sector. He believes good design must be equitable, inclusive, and beautiful. Joseph is excited to be in civic tech, helping make interactions with government more intuitive.

Lapedra Tolson is the Co-founder and CEO of Friends. She served five years in the Air Force as a combat photographer before transitioning to a Visual Information Specialist role at several federal agencies in Washington, DC. She started Friends to build a company that blends human-centered design with accessible and inclusive technology. Outside of work, she's a music lover and foodie who enjoys exploring new cultures through their cuisine.

Marcia Ortiz is a Senior Product Manager with over a decade of experience in project and product management. She's driven by curiosity and a commitment to work that makes a positive impact. Marcia is a Virginia Tech alumna. Off-duty, she practices Muay Thai.

Mayene Kim is a Senior Product Designer who focuses on creating accessible, inclusive products. She's worked across healthcare, education, and civic tech, and finds energy in navigating the systemic barriers that come with those spaces. In her spare time, she makes donuts, spoils her moody bunny, and builds a never-ending backlog of books.

Paulina Fisher is a Senior UX Researcher who believes everyone deserves an intuitive, simple, and delightful digital experience. Her past projects range from designing diapers for NICU nurses to improving HR platforms for small businesses. She's excited to be in civic tech, doing work that focuses on inclusivity and functionality.

Tamara Tolson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Friends. Her experience in corporate communications and creative project management in federal government led her to see how customer-focused technology could improve the public sector. She's a Denver native and graduate of Oglethorpe University and Kingston University in London. Off the clock, Tamara enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring new cuisines.

Victoria Suwardiman is a Senior UX Researcher who focuses on centering the people most affected by the problems she's solving. She's motivated to do social impact work because of her refugee parents, and has over a decade of experience in nonprofit, EdTech, and Civic Tech. Outside of work, she enjoys watching sports, reading fantasy novels, and chasing after her son.