Mario is the Executive Director of The Happy Post Project, a social movement aimed at spreading happiness to create social change. Born next to an active volcano in Pasto, Colombia, Mario left his position heading anti-corruption programmes for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and with no money, no English language skills, and no friends, moved to the United States. He did however have a sympathetic cousin in Boston on whose couch he crashed. After waiting tables and working as a valet parking attendant, Mario learned enough English and entered the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in New York City from which he earned his Masters in International Affairs. A round-about path through the ups and downs working in finance and energy led Mario to create the Happy Post Project.
Christy is the Co-Founder and Director of Marketing for wanderly.com, a travel website that helps people discover new experiences around the world. The site, which has inspired millions of travelers globally, was named in 2011 as one of Entrepreneur Magazine's 100 Most Brilliant Companies and one of Time Inc.'s Top 10 Startups. A native of Massachusetts and now a Brooklyn resident, Christy earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School. A semester of study in London imbued in her a permanent love of overseas culture and travel. Prior to wanderfly.com, Christy was a Senior Brand Planner at Young & Rubicam Advertising, Strategy Director at design consultancy Pearlfisher and Co-Founder of the digital agency, Living Breathing.
Zaria’s enthusiasm for drawing began during her childhood when she and her family traveled to some of the world’s most remote landscapes, the subject of her mother’s fine art photography. A cum laude graduate in Studio Arts from Skidmore College, Zaria has exhibited extensively at galleries and venues throughout the United States and overseas. Zaria recently completed a series of drawings that will be the set design for the classic ballet "Giselle", premiering this October at the Grand Theatre of Geneva, Switzerland. In August 2012 she will lead Chasing the Light, an art expedition in Greenland, re-tracing the 1869 journey of American painter William Bradford and artistically documenting the rapidly changing landscape (www.kickstarter.com/projects/701351414/chasing-the-light). The expedition is dedicated to Zaria’s mother who was inspired by Bradford’s journey. A lovely backgrounder on Zaria and her work can be found at: https://www.artsy.net/artist/zaria-forman
Pun is a two-time Tony Award-winning Broadway Producer (Glengarry Glen Ross, Best Play Revival 2005 & Spring Awakening, Best Musical 2007). He received his MFA in Acting from the Yale School of Drama. As an Actor, Pun has appeared on Broadway, off Broadway and at regional theaters across the U.S. He has originated roles in world and regional premieres by playwrights including: Theresa Rebeck, AR Gurney, John Pielmeier and David Henry Hwang. In 2010, Pun received the Colorado Theatre Guild's Henry Award for Best Supporting Actor in a play. He has played guest star and co-starring roles on TV shows including Body of Proof, Without a Trace, White Collar, Nurse Jackie, and all Law and Orders (including Conviction). On the big screen, Pun can be seen in Michael Clayton, Burn After Reading and the upcoming Two Days in New York starring Chris Rock (August 2012).