Stanford Rosenthal

My career has centered around addressing gaps in society.

I grew up in New Orleans. In high school, I co-founded Levees.Org and brought the satirical Levee newspaper online. I was recognized for my philanthropic work by WDSU Newschannel 6, St. Charles Avenue Magazine, Operation REACH, and Association of Fundraising Professionals.

While working with churches and shelters in San Francisco helping people access the Internet, I learned first-hand the recursive toll that restrictive housing policies and incarceration has in even our nation’s most prosperous and innovative city. And the deeper I looked into criminal justice reform, the more I saw money bail as the economic pillar of mass incarceration, possibly more so than private prisons.

As is my nature, I took an entrepreneurial approach to solving the bail problem and started devising a way to be “The Affirm® of Bail” or “Vouch® for the Incarcerated.” However, the deeper I dove into the world of money bail—down to taking practice licensing exams—the more I realized this system cannot be disrupted from within. There’s no room for “a good bail company” when bail itself is unjustifiable.

To work towards a more humane system, I’ve helped the Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition, Voice of the Experienced, and the New Orleans Safety & Freedom Fund on their online presences and digital toolkits.

Recognizing that those most impacted by mass incarceration are systemically excluded from the tech industry, I helped design and launch introductory technology courses at Kenzie Academy. In early 2021, Kenzie was acquired by Southern New Hampshire University and I stepped down from my role as Associate Vice President of Product to resume work on local social justice issues.