The UpSurge team has been growing and transforming in a short few months, and this fall won’t be any different! UpSurge is bringing on 3 new talents to our team: Jorge Jimenez, Alison Huete, and Gillian Krug. They’ll be tackling everything from data analytics, marketing, and operations. We’re super excited to continue our collaboration with Maryland Service Year, who’ve connected us with some of this region’s finest new ecosystem builders.
Isaiah Pittman, here! This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to Gillian Krug, UpSurge Baltimore’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator! She’s shared a few words with us about who she is, what she does and how she’s making her mark in Baltimore:
I moved to Baltimore in August 2023 shortly after graduating from Virginia Tech to work with a sports tech startup, Athlytic, as their Community Marketing Manager. Coming into a brand new community made me eager and anxious of what to expect. As a 2023 Venture for America fellow, I had an established community to welcome me when I moved, making my transition from Virginia to Maryland even easier (shoutout NoVa). Fellows like Chris Bunner urged me to come out to Equitech Tuesdays to connect with more entrepreneurs and become more acclimated in the Baltimore community.
Not going to lie, it was nerve racking at first – I was still fairly new to the whole “entrepreneur” thing all together, there were a ton of new faces, and I feared for what to talk about with founders, investors, and community supporters. After attending a few more Equitech Tuesdays sporadically, I started to recognize other continuous attendees. Eventually, I started to become more comfortable in beginning conversations with new people.
Equitech Tuesdays impressed me with how generous, welcoming, and supportive Baltimore’s ecosystem is. No matter who I would talk to, the individual would always offer to connect me with more of their network, give advice on how to approach situations, and continue to stay connected.
And how it has come full circle – I recently started a part-time position with UpSurge as their Marketing and Communications Coordinator! In addition, I’ll be working part-time as a program coordinator with Novella Center for Entrepreneurship! I’m super excited for this next chapter because I’ll become more integrated in the entrepreneur ecosystem here in Baltimore, learning more of the in’s and out’s of ventures, and meeting more of you all!
I think UpSurge is crucial in community development, something that I value highly. I believe in the power of interconnected communities, equal accessibility to resources, and social programming for the good it does for individuals and as a whole. As a leader in building up Baltimore’s community, I am very proud of UpSurge’s work and I am grateful to play a role in further developing their vision.
Next is Jorge Jimenez, UpSurge’s Program Coordinator!
I was born in DC but raised in Maryland for the beginning of my life. I stayed around the Silver Spring area for a lot of my childhood but I then moved to DC when I was around 7. There, I spent the better part of 9 years in school, Northwest DC being where I grew up for my adolescent years. When I turned 16 I moved back into Maryland where I have stayed ever since.
I graduated from Northwood High School in June 2024. From courses in school to watching Youtube videos, I soon learned tech was my choice for a career. I was surrounded by technology and computers my whole life, and as a child I could only imagine what more you could do with computers. During school, I questioned how I could get into the field of computer science. A degree? A certification? Learning on my own? I was stumped, and didn’t know which option was right for me. That’s when I discovered the Maryland Service Year Option. By applying to the program, I was able to receive an apprenticeship from UpSurge, and now my imaginations were becoming a reality.
At UpSurge, we serve our community here in Baltimore by helping startup companies get their name out in the world and in the Tech community. We want to better serve our community with what we do best, with technology. People have given me all they have to help me grow, and with this new chapter in my life, I am ready to give back.
Next is Allison Huete, UpSurge’s Program Coordinator for Data!
As a Latina raised in Puerto Rico who moved to Maryland four years ago, I’ve heard all sorts of things about Baltimore; some good, but mostly bad. There’s a strong stigma around the area, one which I was led to believe almost resembled Arkham City. After so many years fearing it, I decided to finally engage with Baltimore.
I have to say, I was blown away. The stigmas are created from heavy discrimination and stereotypes towards non-whites, which is what the vast majority of Baltimore is made out of. Since then, I’ve decided I wanted to take as much part as I can in changing how things are right now.
That starts with UpSurge, as their Program Coordinator for Data through the Maryland Service Year Option. I want to have as much information as possible on the statistics for the population of Baltimore and use that for the advantage of the people, slowly lessening the hardships put forward by the people of the past that went out of their way to hurt others and the generations after them. I believe this is the purpose of the Maryland Service Year and UpSurge.
I hope to learn more about Baltimore as I go, especially with Equitech Tuesdays, as I can’t think of any better way to do so. Everything has been amazing, from the culture to the people, and I can’t wait to integrate with everyone!
We cannot wait to see what amazing things Gillian, Jorge and Allison bring to the UpSurge organization and what this means for our ecosystem!
This Tuesday, we’re bringing back the classics – Equitech Tuesday at Guilford Hall Brewery! Come meet the new additions to our team and network with the new and familiar faces in our tech community, 6-8pm, outside in the Whiskey Garden!
We’ll see you there!
Market Research Intern, UpSurge Baltimore