Origins & Staff
Get to Know Us
Hacker Paradise was created in 2014 by a coder and an entrepreneur. Casey and Alexey wanted to build cool tech with like-minded peeps, while living somewhere extraordinary.
From their first location in Costa Rica, they hosted beach hackathons, grew the business and built a small community. These original trips gave birth to the world’s very first remote work and travel community.
They understood that a massive shift was underway, which would see people breaking free from the traditional life path of graduate –> work your butt off –> buy a house –> retire.
They saw energy and potential in gathering people together to live differently, travel differently, work differently. These entrepreneurial, non-conformist roots ground how we form our community, our trips, and our ethos today.
The HP TEAM
Troubleshooting, rose-drinking, karaoke-singing, and all-round superheroes, our kick-ass support staff are destined to become your new BFFs.
Bryan Stewart
CEO
Bryan, the ship’s captain, hails from the US but now calls Canggu, Bali, home. After completing a post-grad in International Business, he built a career connecting companies in developing countries with investors. Bryan has pounded the pavement from Shanghai to Jakarta & advised a few NGOs in Eastern Europe & South Asia along the way.
In his personal time, Bryan has been known to foster a fair few rescue pups, and get pitted on local surf breaks.
Sara Magnabosco
COO
Sara, from Italy, joined Hacker Paradise as Community Facilitator after spending four years in rainy Belgium running one of the most active coworking space in Europe. With a background in Sociology, she loves being surrounded by people and help them to connect and create meaningful relationships.
Tea drinker by day, she never refuses a beer at night.
Michaela Murray
Head of Marketing
Michaela, a South African native, joined HP after traveling the world for two years doing operations and branding within the work-while-travel space. Prior to this, she was an active Criminologist working for the Australian government.
When she’s not hunting out the best speakeasies in a destination, Michaela is likely eating aged cheese somewhere with a good view.
Borislav Hristov
Head of Finance
Boris has a background in International Business Management. Before joining HP, he worked briefly for ASML, the largest supplier of lithography systems in the semiconductor industry and Outpost, one of the best co-working spaces in Bali.
He has lived/worked/studied on 3 continents and travelled to over 20 countries in the last 4 years.
Marketa Machalkova
Destinations Scout
And if you’re looking for a coffee, beer or hiking buddy, look no further!
Juan Poon
Community Facilitator
Juan was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina after his family moved there from Hong Kong. Before joining HP, Juan spent 10 years working in the hospitality industry, while traveling the world. He has lived in 11 countries and speaks five languages. He loves to hang with the locals of whichever destination he’s exploring, drink coffee, hike and catch sunsets.
Wanna practice your Spanish? This guy will teach you to speak the lingo with some real Argentinian flare.
Deana Hughes
Community Facilitator
Though born in the US, Deana calls where ever she lays her hat “home”. After spending 3 years in plumbing sales, she decided to go a different route. Most recently before joining HP, she spent 6 months teaching and volunteering in Thailand. She’s passionate about giving back, spreading kindness and adventure.
Have any strange quirks? She has many. Never hesitate to be your most authentically weird self around her.
Sara Vergari
Community Facilitator
Sara is Italian, born and raised. Before joining HP she worked in Barcelona and then in Sri Lanka in a coworking/coliving space. She is really ppasionate about it! You’ll find her energetic and always with a smile!
She enjoys traveling, trying new food and of course, cooking her favorite dishes.
Do you want to know how to make a good tiramisu? Ask her for the secret recipe! 😉
Samantha Stokes
Community Facilitator
Isabelle Dapprich
Community Facilitator
Casey Rosengren
Founder
Casey is one of our founders! He started Hacker Paradise in 2014 after working remotely in Costa Rica and discovering a need for more community. Before starting Hacker Paradise, he spent a number of years in the startup scenes in Philadelphia and Tokyo.
He is the founder of the Gopher Gala, Recess Labs, and always has a new project up his sleeve.
Sara Vergari
Community Facilitator
Sara is Italian, born and raised. Before joining HP she worked in Barcelona and then in Sri Lanka in a coworking/coliving space. She is really ppasionate about it! You’ll find her energetic and always with a smile!
She enjoys traveling, trying new food and of course, cooking her favorite dishes.
Do you want to know how to make a good tiramisu? Ask her for the secret recipe! 😉