The Crew

After emigrating to the United States from Kiev, Ukraine in 1979, Ross dreamed about starting a technology business. For 13 years prior to crowdSPRING, as a successful trial attorney, Ross counseled and represented clients (from small internet startups to Fortune 100 companies) in complex disputes involving intellectual property in United States state and federal courts and before the World Intellectual Property Organization. In 2006, Ross was named an Illinois SuperLawyer® and one of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch” for intellectual property and complex commercial litigation. Passionate about technology and realizing that his former law firm would never allow shorts and sandals at work (he tried), Ross decided to pursue his dream (and to change his wardrobe). Follow Ross on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn. Ross frequently blogs about startups, social media, and technology on his personal blog. If you need to contact Ross, email: ross at crowdspring dot com

Mike is an Emmy Award® nominated Producer, and Production Manager with more than 20 years of experience as a senior manager in the film and television production industry. He has worked on dozens of feature film and television projects including "Wall Street," "Bull Durham," "Steven King's The Stand" (Miniseries), and "Men in Black II." In prime-time dramatic television, he supervised on TV series such as "New York Undercover" and "Third Watch."Mike has received numerous honors individually and as a team member, including an Emmy Award nomination, DGA awards, and a George Foster Peabody Award. Mike received his MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Follow Mike on Twitter.

John is a true nomad. He came to the US from China at the age of 16, and while working towards his college degree, he enjoyed life and culture in Michigan, California, Utah, and Illinois. He eventually settled down and earned a computer science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While in school, he conducted research in GIS studies of archeology and animal diseases. Since graduation, he contributed to the success of several technology startups with his broad skills, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit. When he's not pushing the boundaries of technology, John enjoys playing guitar and working on his secret video game project. He also enjoys many sports such as basketball and swimming. His current life-goal is to beat Pete in ping-pong. The day of Pete's fall is nigh.

Chris studied Religion, Philosophy and Anthropology before realizing that he really wanted to focus on Web Design (he first achieved the rank of Eagle Scout). Chris worked as a Web Designer at MSU Virtual University, was the Online Creative Director at The State News, a Web Designer for Jackson Community College and freelanced for some time before we persuaded him that he was making very risky career decisions and should come work instead in a stable environment of a brand new startup. Chris has a life-long passion for music, and when he's not playing with pixels at crowdSPRING he can usually be found listening, writing or recording in his spare time.

Founder of the Umit Project Open Source Organization and dedicated husband and daddy, Adriano still finds time to cook dishes suggested by John, solve jigsaw puzzles, watch movies, work as a volunteer and read (or listen to) books while he's not sleeping or working at crowdSPRING. Adriano graduated from the State University of Goias, in Brazil, where he earned a Bachelor degree, while traveling about 55,900 miles (more than earth's equatorial circumference). In his quest to travel more than Gerard Moss (the first South American to fly around the world), Adriano graduated, got married, and traveled with his wife to live in Brussels and work for Belgacom, where he learned a bit of French and to love that country.

After a long career as a Flash and ActionScript programmer, Jonas went on to work with all kinds of fancy new web technologies on a number of different startups over the past few years. Although he was taken abroad by his former jobs on more than one occasion, he is nearly always working from his home in a small town in São Paulo. He's an avid pool player or a very annoying driver on Burnout Paradise for the PS3. He also watches a new movie every day and sometimes communicates with Rage comic faces at work.

With a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from App State in hand, Kevin decided to leave his home in North Carolina and move to Chicago. After mastering public transit and winter, Kevin bounced from odd job to odd(er) job before finally settling down as the in-house copywriter for Mess Marketing. There, he worked on print, direct mail and online campaigns for Camel, Old Style, Kilo Kai and Riot Fest. Outside of work, Kevin can be found at any number of local shows, working on his comedy (?) blog, geeking out on comic books or planning his next tattoo. He's thinking something stately and timeless...Taz, perhaps?

Audree has an extensive background in art and design. With an undergraduate degree in studio art and Master’s degree in teaching, she harnessed her powers to guide countless young minds in the ways of artistic expression. (And only gave out detentions if they REALLY deserved it.) She also worked in a sign and design studio and spent 5 years as the editorial cartoonist for the Glenview Journal. Oh, and for the last 10 years, she has worked as an artist and graphic designer out of her home while raising her two awesome children. Before joining the cS crew, Audree was a successful creative (ArtbyAudree) here on crowdSPRING, and knows what it’s like to be in a creative’s shoes. She is constantly amazed by the impressive work posted by this remarkable community.

Bianca hails from Houston, Texas, but does not want to be called “Tex”. The youngest of 6 kids and a triplet (which means we never know who's working on any given day) she brings the ruckus - and a toilet bowl pendant to work nearly every day. No kidding. She received a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from DePaul University. In her free time, Bianca loves to cook up a storm, tries hard to not get hit by a car on her bike, and loves going out on the town.