Meet our panelists
Vlada Bortnik, CEO and co-founder Marco Polo
Vlada Bortnik is co-founder and CEO of Marco Polo, the popular video chat app that brings authenticity and everyday joy to your closest relationships. An immigrant from Ukraine in the former Soviet Union, Vlada’s path to Silicon Valley is one of determination and steadfast passion for building technology that brings people together. Vlada is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in computer engineering. After five years at Microsoft, where she helped design and launch the first content publishing platform for Office Online, she and her husband, Michał, co-founded Bortnik Labs, a consulting firm specializing in startup strategy, product management, and design. In 2012 they founded Joya Communications, the parent company of Marco Polo, combining their skills and experience to create a better way to help people stay close, no matter the distance. Vlada’s approach to life as a busy mom and tech CEO is grounded in mindfulness and meditation, and her philosophy of working joyfully and purposefully is built into the culture at Marco Polo. Vlada and Michał Bortnik live in Palo Alto, California with their two daughters.
Danielle Bayard Jackson, speaker, author
Danielle is a women’s relational health educator who speaks nationally about the science of women’s platonic connections. She is the director of the Women’s Relational Health Institute and is also the author of Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women’s Relationships.
As a former high school teacher and academic department chair, Danielle now leverages her background in education to study the latest research on women’s cooperation, communication, and conflict. Her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, NBC News, Psychology Today, Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, and a host of other media outlets.
As a member of the American Sociological Association, Danielle works with both individuals and organizations to share tangible, evidence-based strategies to help women create more satisfaction in their platonic same-sex relationships. Companies like TikTok, the NBA, NFL, and Etsy have all booked Danielle as a speaker to address the topic of connection psychology. She even served as the resident friendship expert and spokesperson for the global app Bumble and its new app Bumble for Friends.
Danielle shares her insight weekly on The Friend Forward Podcast, has several viral videos on social media, and has written for Insider and Harvard Business Review.
You can learn more about Danielle and her work by visiting www.betterfemalefriendships.com.
Jamie O'Neal, Founder, The Mom Walk Collective
Jamie founded TMWC on accident, when she was just three months postpartum, and had quickly realized how lonely motherhood could be.
She took to TikTok, asked any local moms to meet up for coffee and a walk, and had incredible conversations with the two moms that showed up. Shortly after, her meetups had 60 moms coming, with moms all over the country asking to do the same.
The Mom Walk Collective was officially launched with 30 cities across the US, and quickly rose to over 350 cities across the US, Canada, and beyond!
Megan Champion, Founder, Mothers Together
A former 15-year elementary educator, Megan Champion is passionate advocate for mothers of neurodivergent children, and the founder of Mothers Together — a global support community that connects struggling moms with others who truly understand. As a mother of three neurodivergent kids, Megan knows firsthand the silent challenges that so many moms face behind closed doors. Feeling alone and unseen in her own parenting journey, she launched Mothers Together to create the kind of space she desperately needed: one rooted in validation, emotional support, and deep, authentic connection.
Since its launch in 2021, Mothers Together has grown into a lifeline for thousands of mothers around the world (in over 20 countries!), offering peer support groups, meaningful conversations, and a sense of belonging that helps moms reclaim their mental health. Megan also hosts the podcast On The Hard Days, where she amplifies the voices of moms navigating neurodivergent parenting, breaking down stigma and reminding women they’re never alone. Finally, Megan brings awareness to this silent mental health crisis through her Instagram page, with 100K followers and multiple viral reels' series: "Why Moms of Neurodivergent Kids Are Struggling", and "What Moms of Neurodivergent Kids Wish They Could Say Out Loud".
She recently launched Fathers Together (with 50+ dads raising neurodivergent kids!) and is working on a book proposal.
Through her writing, speaking, and community work, Megan "champions" the mental health of moms who are often overlooked. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to make sure no mom struggling to raise a neurodivergent child feels like she’s the only one.