An interesting feature of Web3 is that it allows software developers to build in public. Building in public in the context of Web3 refers to creating and sharing the development process and progress of a project online, being transparent about the ideas, challenges, and milestones of the project, as well as engaging with the community for feedback and collaboration.
In simpler terms, it’s like showing your work to others as you create something, like a piece of art or a recipe. By sharing your progress and ideas publicly, you can get feedback, suggestions, and support from others who are interested in your project. This can help improve your project and build a community around it.
I was listening to a live cast yesterday featuring the founders of new Web3 platforms and products. One of them talked about the criticism he’s received on his built-in-public work. Although some commentary has been encouraging and helpful, much of it has been harsh and unkind. When asked why he remained willing to put make himself vulnerable as a creator he responded, “I don’t mind being seen trying.” That line resonated with me.
I’ve been asked why I’m willing to put my journey with mental health out in public, to struggle and recover transparently. Before, I didn’t have the words to articulate it. Now, I do.
I don’t mind being seen trying. I hope that others will feel inspired to try too.
From history major, with side quests in Medieval Studies and chemical engineering, to nonprofit finance leader, Big 4 tax partner, technologist, researcher, and now co-founder of Divine, nothing about my career has been linear. The throughline has always been systems: financial systems, organizational systems, technological systems, and human systems. I have an MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management and a PhD in Organizational Leadership Psychology, and I’ve spent my career trying to understand how complex systems shape people’s choices, opportunities, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. Today, my work sits at the intersection of psychology, technology, human-centered design, and digital trust. I am co-founder of Divine, an open-source, decentralized social video app built to put creativity back in human hands and replace doomscrolling with joyscrolling. Divine is part of a bigger question I care deeply about: how do we create online spaces that support safety, creativity, identity, and belonging without defaulting to surveillance, extraction, or control? At Divine, I wear a lot of hats across engineering, finance, operations, and strategy, while helping shape the app’s trust, safety, and values work. I focus especially on teen online safety, human-generated content, participatory design, and healthier relationships with technology. I am a postdoctoral alum of Vanderbilt University’s Department of Computer Science, where I worked with Dr. Pam Wisniewski’s Socio-Technical Interaction Research Lab. I continue to write, speak, and research at the intersection of online safety, digital trust, decentralized technology, and youth wellbeing. I was named a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Data Integrity in 2023. In 2025, I had the honor of serving as President of Division 13 of the American Psychological Association, the Society of Consulting Psychology. I also live with major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In 2020, I took a leave from PwC to focus on my mental wellness, and I now speak and write openly about mental health, especially in the workplace and in relation to digital wellbeing. This blog, Seriously Jerk Brain, chronicles much of that journey.
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Seriously, Jerk Brain?! 