WELCOME TO KOOLOOKS
Making a kinder world, one vote, one comment, one person at a time.
ABOUT
The first moderated app of our kind, Koolooks recognizes and rewards kind behavior and breaks down barriers of unconscious biases.
MEET OUR TEAM
The People Behind the Company
Get to know the amazing people behind Koolooks. We’ve built outstanding relationships with our customers, as we are always focused on providing exceptional service. Behind every successful business there’s a group of talented people, committed to success. Read all about our team below, and get in touch with questions.
BARB CHAN
Founder, CEO
My childhood experiences define who I am today. I am still that awkward little Chinese girl, who wants to please my parents and be loved unconditionally. But finding love and acceptance did not always come easy. Looking back, I consider myself somewhat of a survivor, a person, who has overcome shame, bullying, exclusion, pain, loss, abuse, and at times, a deep sense of self deprecation. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. There are many of us out there, people who never quite fit in, people, who rarely feel comfortable in their own skin, but work so hard, try so hard, and fight so hard to fit in, to be valued, to be seen and heard. The alternative for me was to create a world where diversity is celebrated and being unique and unlike anyone else, is beautiful. It is a world where we help each other feel a sense of belonging, where we feel safe, respected, and loved. This is a story about diversity, inclusion, and belonging. It is about feeling a part of something genuine and meaningful. This is Koolooks, and I am humbled and grateful to have this opportunity to work with such an amazing team to gently impact the world, one encouraging comment, one kind gesture, one person at a time.
WOLF RUZICKA
Angel , Co-founder
My name is Wolf, born in Germany, but lived all over the world. Home is now in Washington DC. For more than a quarter of a century, I have been heavily involved with hard technology, from tiny start-ups to huge companies. I am quite sure that anybody reading this has experienced software that I have been able to influence or help create. I am an entrepreneur, technology advocate and start-up mentor, serving on numerous industry boards and groups, including the Board of Halcyon House, Investment Board of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, Microsoft’s Customer Advisory Board for Microsoft Azure, the Board of Directors of Tivian, as well as various advisory boards. These are the “hard” factors of my daily life. What Barb, her team and Koolooks in general have taught me are the “soft” factors how great software can be used to positively, really positively impact lives all around the world, and how these bits and bytes can help forge real and really personal connections all around the world in order to form a tight community.
VICTOR SHILO
CTO
My name is Victor, and I lead large and sometimes small Technology teams across multiple geographies and organizations. My passion is to innovate and explore how new technologies and technical approaches can help tackle real world problems and challenges. My entire life, I have been a builder, both physically and digitally. Digitally, I have overseen the launch of four cutting-edge companies: APIphany (acquired by Microsoft in 2013), Kublr.com, Sympli.io, and – most recently – Koolooks. In addition, I advise multiple other technology startup companies.
ALEKSANDRA KRAVCHENKO
Project Manager
My name is Aleksandra Kravchenko, I was born in Novosibirsk, Russia and moved to Moscow four years ago. My husband and I are raising our precious daughter Val, who is three, and oh, that love! I graduated from Novosibirsk State University, majored in linguistics, translation and interpretation. Besides Russian, I speak English, German, French and Chinese. Right now I work as Project Manager for Koolooks.
My hobby is pastry: j‘adore macarons, chocolate truffles and cakes. I also used to do ballroom dancing, I love latin rhythms and tango. I believe that a kind smile can take you a long way. So I often tell strangers that they are beautiful - it is such a joy to watch them blossom with a little encouragement and appreciation.
JESSICA KNOP
Community Manager
My name is Jessica Knop and I am the Community Manager for Koolooks. I was born in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland where I was raised by my mother, one of the most independent, hard working women I know. My mother taught us never to judge anyone by the color of their skin and to always choose kindness. Even though my sister and I struggled from the effects of a broken home, we turned out to be loving, accepting, and genuine humans beings, and I owe that to my mom.
While working at Nordstrom in my late teens, a very special woman discovered me and changed my life. That woman was Barb Chan, who at the time was a model agent and would later become the founder of Koolooks. We traveled to NYC where I signed with one of the top modeling agencies. I traveled the world working print and runway jobs in markets such as, Miami, Milan, Greece, and Germany. After years working as an international model, I felt extreme homesickness, so I took a break from modeling to finish my bachelor’s degree in political science.
In my twenties, I was blessed with a son, and became a full-time mom. When my son was older, Barb offered the position of Koolooks’ Community Manager to me. She was passionate about creating a safe and beautiful space for women on social media, so Koolooks was born. I finally felt safe enough to share in a space where I was accepted for my true authentic self. Before Koolooks, I had lost my identity as a stay at home mom, always giving, and never thinking about my own needs, wants, and passions. Koolooks helped me to find myself again.
Koolooks has inspired me to be a better person and has connected me to some of the most beautiful hearted women in the world. These women I now call my sisters. Koolooks has given us a platform to spread kindness, inclusion, diversity, and culture. I tell myself everyday how blessed I am to be working with Barb as we nurture and grow this beautiful community. I cannot wait to see our platform customized for every company and community. I’ve grown so much from this experience and cannot wait to see more jobs created for women globally. 💜
ORIANNA
Community Engagement
Hello! My name is Orianna Serrano, I was born in Venezuela but I consider myself a citizen of the world. Most of my favorites memories as a child and a teenager were on a beach, so naturally that’s my favorite place on earth. I believe we can achieve anything, if we believe in ourselves and work hard enough for what we want in life. That’s how I graduated from the university as an architect, and how I moved to my dream city alongside the love of my life.
The road is never easy, it takes compromise, responsibility and discipline. It’s not a straight line either, there are ups and downs. The most important thing is to never ever give up, and above all, to enjoy the journey. I’ve found in Koolooks my safe place, a kind community and loving sisters. I feel empowered and supported because of Koolooks, and that’s what I want to replicate in other girls and women all around the world because kindness is limitless.
EDEM ALICE
Assistant Community Manager
“I am Alice from Ghana, and founder of several organizations: ‘Sunset Ladies’ that empowers women in West Africa to achieve personal and professional stability, and Mademoisellena Fashion that creates African inspired clothing and accessories. Our clothes represents joy and love. www.mdemoisellena.com . I also plan picnics, @Un_picnic, which gives women and entrepreneurs a chance to collaborate together and be compensated for it.
I dream of traveling the world someday, while running my businesses.
Because of my passion for helping people, especially women, I discovered Koolooks, which has changed my life. It has opened my heart to help others more, and to understand how much we can accomplish by appreciating each other for our individual gifts. Everything that I have achieved today is all thanks to Koolooks. I send you love from Ghana! 🇬🇭 “
SADIA SHARON
Assistant Community Manager
”I am Sadia Ahmed from Bangladesh. I have a degree in marketing and currently studying in Sweden to pursue a masters in business. Leaving my family behind in Bangladesh to find better quality of life was painful, but I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my goals.
Coming from an Asian country, I have seen so much racism and unequal behavior on every level. In the job sectors, gender inequality is significant. I would love to see equality and inclusion in every aspect, and would love to work towards this in my future. I want to fight racism and injustices in our world, and I believe Koolooks is a start. The future is women.”
MAURYS RAPOSO
Koolooks Editor
“Hello, I am Maurys Raposo, a girl from Venezuela. I am a working architect, and have an intense love of fashion. One of my greatest wishes in life is to create a foundation to help children with cancer. The situation in my country for children with cancer is difficult, and I want them to have a chance at life.
I have always felt passionate about education, and I am a believer that there is nothing that cannot be achieved if we set a goal and strive for it. I hope one day I can continue with my studies and have my own architecture studio.
I think that women are incredibly strong, and history shows it! However, we have not always had the best opportunities, because we have been objectified and judged for our race and origin. I want to work for a fairer world, where we are seen as equals and contributors. I love Koolooks, because we are a community that supports and uplifts women.”
DANA ELLA
Designer
American born + Venezuelan raised + Lebanese blood = ME, Dana Ella Noueihed El Fataire. I enjoy the little things in life, like trying to find surprises in my daily routine, walking the same path with new playlists. Everything is a new adventure. Becoming an architect helped me gain new perspectives and develop a deep passion for design, graphic design, packaging, all aspects of design.
When I discovered Koolooks, I loved that I was able to express my innermost feelings, and my deepest passions with a genuine welcoming community of strangers that eventually became my virtual family. We support each other and let each other be without judging, and that is very rare in this era. 💗
RITA BRAINER
Designer, Illustrator
Hello! I'm Rita Brainer from Porto, Portugal. I have spent all of my life drawing and creating art. It is my soul path in life. I studied arts in high school and took a bachelors in arts and multimedia. I worked for a tourism company for three years doing design, 3D and illustration, alongside my personal projects. It is a dream of mine to own my own business where I can express myself and reach others through my art!
I found Koolooks five years ago, I was only searching for an app for feedback on my appearance and art work, and I ended up finding a family. The warmth of how I was received made me stay and become part of the Koolooks team. I was struggling with my mental health, and it was always difficult for me to accept who I was.In this community, I have met amazing people, who I identify with, and who also struggled with bullying like I did and finding a place to belong. We help each other, and we grow together. I'm happy and I found peace in a place that i can be myself and others are completely supportive of me, accept me and love me as much as I love them.
NEELAB
Afghan Women’s Outreach Director
”My name is Neelab, I am from Kabul, Afghanistan and I am a Civil Engineer. I was completing my Master’s degree in Turkey when the government collapsed, and my family could no longer help me. I felt my dreams and goals disappear, as I panicked and felt devastation for my mother and sister, who still reside in Kabul.
Thankfully, I was able to come to the United States to continue my studies. I will not give up on my hopes and dreams of becoming an independent woman. I will continue to fight for myself, and for all women who have felt the pain of inequality, racism, and have had their freedom taken away. I am grateful for the chance to be a part of this loving community, and to live in a country where I feel safe to achieve my dreams.”
SERVICES
Everything You Need to Build a Diverse, Inclusive Community
Koolooks is committed to providing creative and scalable solutions for every customer. We know that each customer is different, which is why all of our services can be easily customized. Learn more about what we offer below and give us a call if you have any questions, or if you’d like to meet with one of our team members.
HOW WE CREATE DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
We want all of our customers to experience the impressive level of professionalism and creativity when working with Koolooks. All of our software services exist to make your culture more welcoming and inclusive. We provide the foundation that becomes a touchstone, a safe place for your employees to feel connected, overcome unconscious biases, and love being a part of their work family. You can trust our close-knit team to provide you with the most elegant, user friendly features, as well as the highest quality customer service. Please get in touch with us to learn more.
Interested in how our services can help you? Give us a call!