Personal Information
Discourse ID: @Halina.eth
Twitter: x.com
Educational Background:
I studied at the University of California, Berkeley as part of the class of 2022, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, a #2 ranked Undergraduate Business Program within the United States, as well as studying internationally at Yonsei University in South Korea for International Business Relations. After buying my first NFT in February 2021, I was consumed by the crypto & NFT world & left Berkeley to focus full-time on my conviction in driving change within web3.
Prior to my experience at Berkeley, I acted as the Chair of Finance within De Anza College’s student senate, leading an 11-member committee as well as the greater senate in a formal public deliberations & voting process to fully allocate the Senate’s $1.1 million dollar annual budget. The various program directors had submitted proposals for the funding amount they believed best, and through this intensive 4-month budget deliberations and allocations process, it was my job to lead the Finance Committee to critically review each budget proposal and compile a holistic annual budget recommendation for the greater Senate to vote on & approve. This process is a remarkable “real-world” analogy to the AIP process within ApeCoin DAO, and my role as Chair of Finance too has striking resemblances to the role of the Special Council within ApeCoin.
Awards & Leadership Roles:
- Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
- Dolores F. Cerro Scholarship, issued by Berkeley Haas School of Business
- Chair of Finance, De Anza Student Senate
- Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
- Officer of Operations, DECA Collegiate Chapter
- Vice President for Circle K International Club Association
- Senate Leader, CCCSAA Student Leadership Conference 2019
- De Anza Academic Achievement Scholarship
- Dean’s List & De Anza Honors Program certification
- Inter Club Council Representative for CKI Club
- Head Teacher’s Assistant for Political Science Department Chair
- AP Scholar with Distinction Award
- Maximum score in 7 Advanced Placement course exams, administered by the College Board
- 1510 SAT exam score, administered by the College Board (99th percentile score)
Professional Background:
Within the University of California, Berkeley, I was accepted into the SkyDeck Accelerator Fund Program as a startup founder in Batch 12. Through this experience I met with prominent Silicon Valley program mentors, and was invited to pitch to prominent investors including Sand Hill Angels.
After leaving Berkeley to focus on web3 in early 2021, I’ve become a founding member of ApeComms, an official representative of ApeCoin DAO in our inaugural sponsorship of the Ethereum Global San Francisco 2022 hackathon, the frontrunner out of four elected Stewards in the first ever cohort of Stewards within ApeCoin DAO (Working Group Zero, established through AIP-196), and acted as a driving force within the Thank Ape (AIP-124) board, eventually joining ThriveCoin (company powering Thank Ape) and connecting with DAO and Foundation members from GitCoin, Optimism, Arbitrum, Nouns PropHouse, and other constituents across the greater web3 ecosystem.
I’m also proud to be a long-time member of the Bored Ape and ApeCoin DAO communities, as a founder of the Bored California regional group representing the Bay Area Apes, co-founder of Chinese Ape Club, and proud member of the Ladies of BAYC, Pink DAO, Mutant Cartel, and PAYC (Purple Apes). I’ve attended meetups around the globe with ApeCoin community members, including in San Francisco, LA, Vegas, Miami, NYC, Seoul, Tokyo, and even as recently as with ApeFest in Hong Kong, while meeting members of related web3 communities such as BAYC/MAYC, Mocaverse, Nouns DAO, Doodles, Azuki, Moonbirds, and more. Meeting all the talented and passionate builders in our ApeCoin and broader web3 ecosystem has inspired and emboldened me through my journey in leading ApeCoin to become the DAO that inspires all as a success story in web3.
Certificates & Roles:
- Batch 12 Alumnus of Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator Fund Program
- Y Combinator Startup School Certificate, issued by Y Combinator
- One of 4 elected ApeCoin DAO Stewards in the first ever Steward cohort, WG0 (AIP-196)
- Board member, Thank Ape (AIP-124 in ApeCoin DAO)
- Early non-technical hire at ThriveCoin, the web3 startup powering Thank Ape (AIP-124 of ApeCoin DAO), as well as community empowerment and governance systems across Optimism, Arbitrum, and more
- ApeCoin DAO Sponsor Representative, Ethereum Global San Francisco 2022 conference & hackathon
- One of historically ~30 members of the ApeCoin governance Forums with the “Regular” badge
- Founding member, ApeComms (AIP-348 in ApeCoin DAO)
- Founder, Bored California (regional group representing Bay Area Apes)
- Co-Founder, Chinese Ape Club (group of 500+ Chinese-speaking Apes around the world)
- Club Representative, Bored Club Association
- Ladies of BAYC member
- Pink DAO member
- Mutant Cartel member, OG Cartelian
- PAYC (Purple Ape Yacht Club) member
Nomination Statement
Concise statement on why you are running for the Special Council
I believe that ApeCoin DAO can not just survive the current market, but thrive and emerge from this crypto winter as a trailblazer and leader for all of web3 within the DAO space.
To do that, we must address internal challenges, such as balancing the unprecedented leadership structure within DAOs which must act with clear vision and oversight while placing an emphasis on our core web3 value of decentralization. At the same time, we must earn a reputation as a leader within the broader ecosystem, which includes extending a visible presence at industry conferences & events, collaborations with fellow prominent web3 leaders and communities, and initiating direct outreach & ongoing relationships with the industry builders who will bring the innovations that drive the next great crypto market boom.
I am best positioned to drive these goals for ApeCoin DAO. Since I left Berkeley, the #1 public university within the United States, to pursue my conviction in web3, I’ve built a reputation for cultivating relationships and enabling them to flourish. I am uniquely suited to building the relationships that will raise ApeCoin DAO to new heights- both within our own ecosystem, as well as in the broader ecosystem as a leader amongst every DAO in the world.
Additionally, throughout my consistent contributions as a core DAO contributor since September 2022, often as the only female and internationally-representative voice in the room, I never shied away from my profound convictions that the diversity within the DAO will enrich us all. Whether that takes the form of diversity of opinions, of cultural backgrounds, or of gender, as a member of the ApeCoin Special Council, I am confident I will represent the ApeCoin community in a way that one would be proud of, and open the door for more diversity within the DAO’s future elected roles, further enriching us all and allowing ApeCoin to lead at the forefront of our industry.
Motivation
Details on your motivation for becoming an ApeCoin DAO Special Council member
I’ve always envisioned the power of ApeCoin DAO to fundamentally change the world and the possibilities within web3. We are uniquely positioned in a way no other entity can match- born of the efforts of Yuga, a multibillion-dollar valued company that has blazed the trail of culture into the crypto and NFT world like no other, and set to inherit the multi-trillion metaverse empire of the future, ApeCoin DAO truly sits at the intersection of culture and technology.
We are at the beginning of an inflection point in history. As a giant amongst giants, it is our responsibility to seize the opportunity we’ve been gifted, and act powerfully and with conviction for the betterment of the entire space.
There are several “low-hanging” inflection points for change we can currently reach within the DAO- these include a stronger presence at industry events, deeper relationships with other leaders and builders driving change in the space, and concerted efforts at inclusion for builders and community members around the globe to contribute to ApeCoin DAO.
Several excellent initiatives have already made impacts on these fronts:
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AIP-96 by former Special Council member Maaria has allowed ApeCoin representatives (including myself) to represent the DAO to the wider community during the Ethereum Global San Francisco conference/hackathon of 2022, and the follow-up AIP-230 does the same for further ETHGlobal conferences around the world (including in cities such as Tokyo, Lisbon, Paris, New York, and more) until the end of 2023.
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Through Thank Ape (AIP-124), ApeCoin DAO has been able to cross-collaborate with other prominent communities such as Nouns DAO and further engage with builders from our IRL presence events such as ETHGlobal. I’ve been honored to take the lead within the Thank Ape Board in conceptualizing, orchestrating, and executing the 8+ Nouns PropHouse funding rounds & Thank Ape Seasons 1-3 grants competitions that have collectively funded 250+ projects with 100,000+ $APE back to builders and leaders within the community.
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AIP-297 by former Special Council member Yat Siu sets the stage to bring in stakeholders from our wider community through the inclusion of Mocaverse, Cool Cats, World of Women, Pudgy Penguins, and Koda NFTs in the form of an ApeCoin sister DAO. AIP-304 by community member Machi does the same with Punks and other notable NFT collections. AIP-317 is a shining example brought forth by the current Governance Stewards of an inclusive AIP, going to vote on Snapshot with links to the proposal’s full details in multiple international languages. Finally, current Special Council member Vera the Ape has notably hosted events around the world and built connections for ApeCoin community members all around the world to enjoy. As someone who’s consistently advocated for inclusive timezones, attention to detail regarding language barriers, and broadly diversity & inclusion, it’s been an honor to witness these transformations in the DAO firsthand.
These initiatives have made such an impact- however, we can always do more! Given my specialized skills and experience with this DAO, I am confident I can continue in the work I have done through the past 14+ months in ApeCoin DAO and lead the DAO to even greater prominence and influence through a role in Special Council.
Rationale
Share relevant experience and skills that will bring value to the ApeCoin community
I’ve always been a high achiever and statistical outlier, whether that has taken the form of academic achievements, leadership roles, or ability to perform in high-stress, high-stakes settings. However, above all this I consider my true power in my ability to build, maintain, and enable relationships to flourish.
Stemming from the beginning of my time at ApeCoin DAO, I’ve built lifelong bonds of friendship with the members of ApeComms for over a year. These peers are brilliant individuals, all of whom have since created tremendous impact within the DAO, serving in positions ranging from Discourse Facilitator, to Governance Working Group Steward, to Special Council itself. Many of us spent time together serving as Working Group Zero (WG0) Stewards, and spent countless hours envisioning and architecting the seeds that would become the current Working Group structure of our DAO.
As a member of the Thank Ape Board, I’ve encouraged and empowered our ApeCoin community to expand and reach our true potential. The work of reaching out, encouraging, and answering questions from community members of all kinds of backgrounds, as well as welcoming non-ApeCoin community members to join the DAO may seem tedious at a glance. However, I’ve never felt more fulfilled than when I was sharing opportunities to talented builders and leaders, and watching them challenge themselves and flourish in the process of ideating, applying for, and campaigning for grants that mean the difference between the life or stillbirth of a cherished idea. To see all the brilliance and ecosystem-changing projects that have come to life as a result of my work and the work of my fellow Board and team, evokes a joy and passion that truly cannot be described.
Finally, in my personal capacity as a web3 citizen and community member, I’ve participated in wide-ranging communities including regional California and Chinese-speaking communities, Ladies of BAYC, Mutant Cartel, Pink DAO, Mocaverse, Azuki, Doodles, and more. I’ve heard these community members express their delight and joy in the good times, and their fear and desolation through the bad times. Yet through all of this, community sticks together. We find passion, we find meaning, and we find new ways to build and support each other that make the world a better place.
I truly believe that my love of cultivating relationships, my track record of building flourishing communities, and my confidence in letting my unique strengths shine while part of a team, all speak for themselves. It would be an honor to continue my journey of serving our community as a member of the ApeCoin Special Council.
Specifications
Further describe relevant experience, including crypto and governance participation, and/or ideas for DAO improvement
In addition to these experiences, I have been fortunate to make connections and learn from industry leaders across the space through my personal connections and time as part of the ThriveCoin team.
During my time at ThriveCoin, in addition to serving and leading in my role at the Thank Ape Board, I served on community councils and worked with leaders at top DAOs such as Optimism, ShapeShift, Aavegotchi, and Arbitrum. These brilliant leaders and collaborators have not only taught me about the dynamics of the greater web3 ecosystem, but also about the internal workings of other top DAOs and how they handle universal topics such as governance, fostering community & participation, and balancing decentralization with efficiency.
As ApeCoin DAO moves into a new stage of our existence, debating key topics such as automation, governance, and the future of ApeChain, it’s crucial for us to keep in mind that we are not alone and learn from the successes and failures of other great minds in our space. I am excited to collaborate and lead our DAO in this endeavor, and together we in turn can inspire- and become a leader for other DAOs to emulate.
Concluding Statement
Summarize your statement as to why you are the best choice for Special Council
ApeCoin DAO is strong. We’re powerful. And we’re going to prove it to the world.
This is the vision I’ve held since starting as a DAO contributor over a year ago, and it is still the vision I hold firmly today. All my experiences, from managing a $1.1 million dollar “web 2” budget and grants process, to my time as one of ApeCoin DAO’s 7 inaugural WG0 Steward cohort, to my time enabling 250+ builders to make a difference through ApeCoin with the Thank Ape Board.
I welcome everyone to reach out to me with your vision for ApeCoin DAO. My Twitter(X) messages have always been open for everyone, no matter your background, to reach out to.
Join me, and campaign together for an ApeCoin DAO that leads the world!
. Excited your run! i am so proud of you!!!
