1. Mover Triple Bottom
& Shaker Line Interest
Connector Creativity
Aficionado
Social Justice
Passion

2. TRANSLATING SOCIAL JUSTICE PASSIONS TO ACTION
Importance of Aided in rollout of 4 year
leadership & service development
socioeconomic diversity
program that leverages federal
in service & activism work study money
Exposing youth to Led 3 day social justice
tolerance, ‘Catalyst Conference’ to
inspire 100 high school
students to be change agents
Activism is built on the Launched ‘campaigns’ initiative
power of humanity that mobilizes students around
pressing social justice issues
CAMPUS Y
Strong passion for Worked on transitional
affordable housing & employment community
transitional employment urban garden
The Campus Y is the center for social justice and innovation at UNC! With a rich
legacy of over 150 years of service, the Y is now home to over 30 committees &
2,000 student members, all with strong socially minded missions!

3. I am a CONNECTOR.... MassChallenge:
• Raised $14M+ worth of in-kind
offers so startups had access to
the most needed resources
• Created and executed “office
hours” program to match VC’s,
$$$ universities, foundations, &
$$$ $$$ corporations to the startup
Campus Y:
• Launched UNC’s Social
Innovation Incubator to connect
student innovators to resources
(mentors, funding, idea-sharing,
legal advice, & curriculums)
•Created a microgrant/microloan
system to support students’
social justice initiatives

4. I am a MOVER....
My life has been a winding road that has transformed me into a
h
individual who values experience, yet yearns for risks, adventure,
a
and newness.
S
BEIJING
From working in a juice store in Beijing to an accelerator in
Massachusetts, I have come to value diversity of thought. It is through
disparate and honest opinions that future success is created. In
assembling a team, a lens of diversity must be used. I firmly believe
that diversity is one the strongest tenets of innovation.

5. ....and a SHAKER
I see opportunity where others see failure.
When I hear risk, I think potential.
Reading Peter Drucker’s “Innovation & Entrepreneurship” & Eric Ries’
“Lean Startup” has taught me to take advantage of opportunities as
soon as they are realized!
Business ideas need not be worked out to a ‘T’...Rather we must take
risks, learn from our experiences, and get our ideas out to the public.
From mobilizing to
shake things up in the
local community to
SHAKING President
Obama’s hand....

6. TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE INTEREST
I see profit maximization and social betterment ≠ mutually exclusive ideas but
rather as cohesive forces that can strike unmatched success for the planet,
profits, and people when effectively pursued.
People
Planet
POWER to the PEOPLE!
New found passion for
I see the potential in others,
biomimicry thanks to in
from my classmates to the
Profit depth academic analysis of
larger human population
As a calculus & economics InterfaceFLOR
How do we empower guru, I love balanced
all of our stakeholders equations and fiscal Aspiration for
responsibility! zero waste goal:
to ensure innovation &
How do we maximize Cradle to Cradle,
sustainability ?
profits to maximize not cradle to
social change? grave

7. CREATIVITY & ARTISTIC AFICIONADO
6 Years of working at band camp >
ability to play 7 instruments
• flute • trombone
• saxophone • tuba
• drums • trumpet
• mellophone
Marching band enthusiast!
• Lover of photography
(notably 35mm B&W)
Founded TEDxUNC
Embrace failure to increase highlight
Exploit uncanny collaborations commonalities that
connect us & expose the
Think artistically community to creative
solutions for humanity’s
Thought “collisions”
greatest problems

8. So....what will I bring to
StartingBloc?
A full head of golden locks
that inspire and encourage the
kookiest of ideas
A creatively analytical mind that
loves arts driven ideas & data
driven results
Observant eyes (that are open
thanks to many cups o’ joe) that
love to take in the environment,
finding opportunity & potential
The desire to give feedback while
constantly connecting to others
through both common and
disparate interests, ideas, and goals

9. Mackenzie Thomas
@Mackenzie_RT
linkedin.com/in/mackenziethomas
campus-y.unc.edu/mackenziethomas
"Stuff your eyes with wonder.
Live as if you’d drop dead in ten
seconds.
See the world.
It’s more fantastic than any dream
made or paid for in factories.
Ask no guarantees, ask for no security,
there never was such an animal.
And if there were, it would be related to
the great sloth which hangs upside
down in a tree all day every day,
sleeping its life away.
To hell with that. Shake the tree and
knock the great sloth down on his ass!”
-Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451"