Have you gone online to CaringBridge to check out how a friend or loved one is dealing with an illness? CaringBridge is the pioneering global social network for users to share information about their health and coordinate support with family and friends. The nonprofit organization’s chief executive officer is Liwanag Ojala, a former lawyer and ecommerce veteran. We’ll engage Ojala in a wide-ranging discussion on the social media business, including how CaringBridge managed to create a vibrant online community. We’ll delve into the trade-offs between for-profit and nonprofit models of doing business. We’ll learn from concrete examples of how CaringBridge generates innovative solutions to the organization’s mission.
Bio Liwanag Ojala is the CEO of CaringBridge, the first and most widely used nonprofit social network dedicated to helping family and friends communicate with loved ones during a health journey.
Before joining CaringBridge, she was vice president of ecommerce at Meijer. Liwanag began her career as an attorney.
Liwanag is a recipient of the Minnesota Business magazine “(Real) Power 50 Award,” the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST “Top Emerging Women Leader” in health care award, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal “40 Under 40” award.
Liwanag attended Northwestern University before receiving her degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.