Our vision
Why OBENA, and how it works
Why
We are growing apart — polarization, echo chambers, loneliness — and disunity sits at the root of our gravest risks, from democratic breakdown to war.
How
OBENA turns hard public issues into things people can actually reason through — and into conversations that build real connection and shared goals.
What changes
A world with more togetherness: sturdier democracies, and people living more connected, fulfilled lives.
The age of AI is another chance to get this right.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about what we are building. For the values that guide our work, read our principles.
Our team
Our core team formed in 2024 as an interdisciplinary collaboration in New York City. We’re a small but growing group from very different worlds — engineering, markets, journalism, marketing — united by a shared belief in the mission: that technology can bring people together rather than drive them apart, and that few things matter more right now than building it that way.
In addition to those named below, we’re deeply grateful to the many professionals around the world — from Big Tech to academia — who have contributed their time, skills, and guidance. Their generosity has shaped our progress every step of the way.
Mike Albrecht
Mike grew up in a small town, happiest when he was coding or lost in a computer game. College opened up a much bigger world, and he became fascinated with how it all works — a path that led through applied mathematics at Carnegie Mellon to Wall Street, first as a quant and then as a global macro strategist.
He spent over a decade in that role, distilling complex economic and geopolitical issues into clear, balanced viewpoints for every kind of audience — and watching, from that vantage point, as the technology he grew up loving helped drive people apart. He came to believe the problem wasn’t technology itself but the incentives behind it, and that someone should prove it could be built differently.
In late 2024 he took the leap: he left his career, retooled in AI and modern software engineering, and now builds OBENA full time.
Outside work he powerlifts, cycles, hikes, and takes photographs.
Brionna Jimerson
Brionna Jimerson is a product marketing executive with over a decade of experience using technology to enhance the human experience and bridge the gaps that separate us. Most recently her product marketing has centered on AI applications; previously she led consumer product marketing in Big Tech, the financial sector, and telecommunications, after beginning her career in journalism at NPR and PBS. Brionna’s life work lies at the intersection of storytelling and public service.
With OBENA, she lends her editorial voice and her curiosity to the team as she builds a future worth fighting for, one where connection resonates louder than confusion.
Want to join us?
We’re building OBENA.org and would love thoughtful introductions to people who can help us go further.
People we’re especially eager to meet:
- Engineers and technical builders who could be co-founder material — drawn to the mission, with enough financial flexibility to take a real swing at this.
- Grant funders, philanthropists, and mission-aligned investors interested in civic tech and healthier public discourse.
- Founders and operators who’ve built values-driven or community-first ventures and can share what worked (and what didn’t).
If our vision resonates with you — or you know someone who should hear about OBENA — we’d be glad to connect.