lark™ | Team
The Team
Julia Hu
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Having been too often sleep deprived and dropping off exercise and diet regimens, Julia's goal is to make people happier and healthier as the CEO of lark technologies. Named Top 10 Most Innovative CE Companies in the World by Fast Company, lark is a mobile and wireless technology company that uses behavior change to personally coach people to feel great.
A serial entrepreneur, she has focused on growing early-stage startups in the consumer products and cleantech space. Prior to lark, she ran global startup incubator Clean Tech Open, her own green buildings startup, and worked in China to build consumer electronics with D.light Design.
She received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees at Stanford University and half a MBA from the MIT Sloan (a dropout, but they were kind enough to make lark a casestudy). She was an entrepreneur in residence at Stanford’s StartX incubator, and named Top Woman Entrepreneur Under 40 by Marie Claire Magazine.
Jeff Zira
Product Director
Jeff manages all aspects of the product including design, development and operation. Prior to joining lark in June 2011, Jeff co-founded a social networking startup in Japan and was a product manager at Yahoo! Homepage. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. When possible, Jeff spends at least one whole day each weekend meditating.
Alvin Lacson
Vice President of Hardware and Co-Founder
Alvin is responsible for design and development of the electronics for lark products. Before co-founding lark in 2010, Alvin was deeply involved in the solar manufacturing industry working to develop affordable, thin-film solar energy technology. A graduate of California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo in electrical engineering, Alvin has a quarter stake in the "Wednesday Night Wedding Band” and is lark’s unofficial prince of parties. Alvin was an entrepreneur in residence at Stanford’s StartX incubator.
Lily Cheng
Creative Director
Lily is the lead designer of lark’s products. Before joining the lark team in September 2010, Lily served as a behavior design evangelist at Stanford University’s Persuasive Technology Lab. She graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in Earth systems and also holds a master’s degree from Stanford in technology and design for behavior change. She serves as a lecturer in Stanford’s Product Design Program and has a rescued greyhound at home named Kiku.
Jack Mulvaney
Business Development and Sales Manager
Jack manages lark’s partnerships and sales channels. As an intern with lark during the summer of 2011, Jack established lark’s customer service apparatus. A graduate of Bates College, Jack was a member of the college crew team.
Sangeetha Methukupally
Senior QA Engineer
Sangeetha brings with her technical expertise in Software Quality Assurance of Web applications, Mobile Platforms and CE devices. Prior to joining Lark in March 2013, Sangeetha worked as a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer for Netflix and helped streamline the device certification process. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from P.E.S.I.T, Bangalore and a Master's in Software Engineering from San Jose State University. In her spare time, she loves to read novels and listen to music.
Yong Lin
iOS Software Engineer
Yong brings to Lark his skills in iOS development and design, along with direct, hands-on startup experience. While earning his Master's in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, Yong served as the co-founder and CTO of Muse Me Inc., a picture-based social voting app where users can create polls of items and invite friends to vote on their polls. He also studied at Stanford's D-School where he honed his skills in need-finding, user-testing, fast prototyping and iteration. He enjoys playing tennis, trying new technologies, watching Japanese animes and traveling.
Dave Fiore
Chief Financial Officer
Dave is responsible for lark's finance and operations. For the past fifteen years Dave (a partner of the Brenner Group for 5 Years) has been providing financial advisory services to emerging high tech companies. During this period he has worked with more than 50 companies. His clients include Vudu (acquired by Walmart), Phone.com (now OpenWave), iCompression (acquired by Globespan), Virtio (acquired by Synopsys), Certess (acquired by Springsoft), and Peanut Labs (acquired by E-Rewards). Dave holds a bachelors degree in finance, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in London and the South African Institute of Production Engineers.
Jean-Marc Parmentier
Software Engineering Director
Jean-Marc brings more than 20 years of experience in the field of software development and management. Prior to joining lark, Jean-Marc was Manager of Solutions Engineering at Active Video Networks, the leading provider of interactive TV solutions for cable operators and the developer of CloudTV™. As a Senior Software Engineer, he was also instrumental in the success of Cloudmark, the award winning provider of messaging infrastructure and security solutions for e-mail. Prior to Cloudmark, Jean-Marc served as Architect and Software Engineering Manager at Intuit, where he leads the development and launch of "Quicken Online" for European banks. Jean-Marc holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Control Data Institute in Paris and an associate’s degree in Mathematics from Lycee Janson de Sailly, also in Paris.
Tatiana Cordoba
Marketing Director
Tatiana develops lark's marketing strategy and helps promote the brand and products across multiple online and retail channels. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with a Master of Business Administration in marketing, entrepreneurship and organizational management, Tatiana brings years of experience working in technology marketing, including several years on the marketing team of Coupons.com, developing the company’s affiliate channel. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in economics and has driven across the United States five times in as many years.
Stephanie Hilliard
UX Designer
Stephanie is the voice behind larklife, working closely with our experts to design persuasive coaching messages that promote user engagement and encourage behavior change. Prior to joining lark in March 2013, Stephanie was a biomechanical engineer and worked with clinicians to design cutting-edge medical devices. She graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in engineering. In her spare time, she enjoys singing and songwriting.
Rhawnie Pino
Customer Service Specialist and Executive Administrator
Rhawnie manages lark’s customer service and support helping customers get the most out of their products. Joining lark in June 2011, Rhawnie arrived with over 10 years of experience in office management, customer support and executive administration. Rhawnie spends much of her free time with a historical reenactment society where she creates costumes and original music.
Andrew Ladd
Product Manager
Andrew develops product strategy at lark. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree with distinction in Chemistry from Stanford University, where he was a Mayfield Fellow. Andrew joined the lark team in January 2013, and in his journey from biotech to consumer tech, he’s spent time at Genentech, Jawbone, and a Stanford master's program in Management Science & Engineering.
Louise McCracken
Controller
Louise brings with her over 30 years of experience in accounting and provided critical support to several companies in preparation of their initial public offerings, including Foundry Networks and Fox Hollow Technologies. Louise joined lark in 2012, and is a graduate of St. Mary's College of California. Her experiences in other industries were part of an extensive career at Calpine, San Jose State University, Penumbra and Mobius Photonics. A board member of the Silicon Valley's Chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants, Louise maintains a network of expertise ideas and concepts to create a more efficient environment at the office. Outside of business hours, Louise enjoys ultra-distance cycling and dancing.
Cenker Ozkurt
Senior iOS Engineer
Cenker brings over 25 years of experience in UI/Software development to Lark. Prior to joining the team, he worked at Chase as iOS framework developer and Integral where he created their first iOS application, respectively. He received his Bachelor’s degree from AOF University in Turkey. He is a fan of Apple and Electric Cars.
Ramya Jagarlamudi
Software Engineer
Ramya develops and maintains the features for lark’s engineering backbone. A graduate of the California Polytechnic University, Ramya worked as a java developer at Experts Exchange in San Luis Obispo where he did end-to-end web application development. He joined lark in February 2012 and spends his free time playing cricket and rooting for the San Francisco 49ers and Golden State Warriors.
Andreja Nad
Firmware Engineer
Andreja develops algorithms and writes firmware for lark’s hardware products. She joined lark in April 2012 after working as a code division multiple access apps system designer for Ericsson. She holds degrees in radiocommunications from the University of Zagreb in Croatia and electrical engineering from Stanford University. In addition, Andreja is an avid rock climber.
Alex Lerman
Research and Development Engineer
Alex manages lark’s research, development and implementation of new algorithms, design systems and algorithms to continue to improve lark’s products. A graduate of Stanford University with a degree in symbolic systems and neuroscience, Alex joined lark in 2012 as an intern in engineering joining the team full time soon after. In his free time, Alex is a drummer and composer, and he likes to experiment with music technology.
Our Experts
Baba Shiv
Energy and Neuroscience Expert
Faculty, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Dr. Baba Shiv was instrumental in helping design lark's virtual coaching and behavior change system. Dr. Shiv’s research expertise is in the area of neuroeconomics, with specific emphasis on the role of neural structures related to emotion and motivation in shaping decisions and experiences. Dr. Shiv coaches Fortune 500 executives on optimizing productivity and decision making through diet, sleep, and exercise changes. A noted author and Stanford professor, he has also focused his attention onto the neuroeconomics behind innovation and entrepreneurship leadership in companies small and large.
Dr. Jo Solet
Sleep Expert
Faculty, Harvard Medical School, Sleep Medicine
Dr. Jo Solet is a clinical instructor at the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine. She also helps people sleep better through her private practice. Bringing together evidence-based medicine with evidence-based design, she most recently led sleep environment disruption research that led hospitals to improve the way they're designed so patients can sleep better. With science, clinical, education and research degrees, Dr. Solet uniquely coordinates and contributes to interdisciplinary efforts, often serving in integrative and translational capacities. She has driven much of lark's product development, including lark's silent alarm technology that allows users to wake without a sound.
Cheri Mah
Co-Designer Of Lark's Sleep Sensor & Personal Sleep Coach
Cheri coaches elite athletes and teams in the NFL, NBA, and NHL to peak performance with optimal sleep. Cheri has spent nearly a decade as a sleep researcher at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory. Her research and work have been featured in the New York Times, ESPN, National Geographic Adventure, and US News & World Report. Cheri co-designed lark's Sleep Sensor and Personal Sleep Coach. Cheri uses sleep sensors in her work and collaborates with lark to bring this technology to the mobile phone for easy, everyday use. Working with our behavior change experts, Cheri brings best-in-class sleep coaching to real people.
Hyungsoo Kim
Human Body Clock Expert
Co-Designer of lark's 7-Day Sleep Assessment
Hyungsoo specializes in non-pharmaceutical ways to improve sleep. He worked as a researcher at the Biological Rhythms Lab at Rush University Medical Center and focused on how to naturally shift human biological rhythms. Hyungsoo joined the lark team to bring more and better sleep to the rest of us. He is continually building out lark's action-oriented sleep assessment and plan.
Natalie Stein
Exercise and Nutrition Expert
Assistant Professor of Public Health, Michigan State University
Natalie brings years of knowledge and expertise on the areas of fitness and exercise to the lark team. Holding degrees in food science, nutrition, nutritional sciences and public health from Michigan State University, Natalie has spent the last several years as a professor in public health and developed a leading university's graduate certificate program in public health nutrition. Beyond nutrition, Natalie is an accomplished athlete having participated in Division I college Track and Field and Cross Country and having run several marathons. Her research focuses on the interactions between fitness and nutrition.
Heather Milton
Exercise and Physical Activity Guru
Supervising Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Personal Trainer
Heather has spent her entire personal and professional life dedicated to healthy behaviors and behavior change. She began with an interest in sports conditioning after being a USAG Gymnast and Track and Field competitor. While in college at Northeastern University, she realized there is much more to physical activity and exercise than achieving peak performance and began to learn more about the powerful tool of exercise as medicine. After completion of her Master degree in Exercise Physiology, she began work in a diagnostic cardiology lab using exercise as a modality to help physicians diagnose various heart, lung and metabolism conditions. She also continues her 10-year career as a personal trainer to help individuals achieve a variety of health and fitness goals.
Advisors
Liam Casey
CEO of PCH International
Liam Casey launched the PCH Accelerator to bring hardware startups to market and chose lark as their inaugural project. Liam is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of PCH International. PCH creates, develops and delivers the world's best technology products for the world's best brands. The company is a leader in the accessories market for smartphones, eReaders and tablets, and employs 1,200 people in China, Ireland, UK, US and South Africa. Liam is widely recognized as a thought leader on international trade and business in China. He developed a unique end-to-end integrated supply chain solution, including product design through to a fulfillment business that offers customers the largest global reach with the leanest supply chain inventories.
David Schwartz
Marketing Advisor
David advises on all aspects of lark's marketing and brings 15 years experience combining marketing and technology in both the United States and Europe. Before joining lark in April 2012, he served as the Vice President of Marketing for Coupons.com where he helped grow the company to one of the top 50 websites in the United States. David holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Marketing and International Business from the NYU Stern School of Business, a Certificate in International Management from Erasmus University in the Netherlands, and a bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia University. David also collects vintage port wine with over 30 cases in storage.
Itai Vonshak
Director of Human Interface and User Experience, WebOS, HP Palm
Itai Vonshak advises lark's product design team on producing products that engage users through a strong user experience. He currently leads the Human Interface team for Hewlett-Packard's mobile WebOS platform. Itai has a long list of credentials within the world of user experience and software design going back more than a decade including serving as senior user experience engineer at eblaze mobile in his native Israel and co-founding several startups of his own. He joined HP in 2010 to design new versions of WebOS. His focus building technologies that improve users' lives through smart designs.


