SEP alumni only◷ October 1, 2026⌖ SEP Silicon Valley

SEP Reunion Silicon Valley

Thursday October 1, 2026 | Stanford GSB Eve

Reconnect. Unlock. Evolve.

The annual gathering of SEP alumni, held on the eve of the GSB reunion. One day to understand what is changing and exchange knowledge that moves each other forward.

What to expect

The experience is designed before you arrive. Through matched one-on-ones, intimate masterminds, curated tables, and dinner, every interaction is designed to help you reconnect with the SEP community, unlock new possibilities, and evolve what comes next.

Meet the Committee
Stanford Memorial Church and the Main Quad at dusk
Photo by John Gomes, SEP ’22 | Partner at Bain & Co.

The experience

People, business, world.

Three interleaved dimensions keep the day useful, intimate, and alive.

01 · RECONNECT

People

Matched one-on-ones, curated tables, and dinner. Connection is the point, not the byproduct.

02 · UNLOCK

Business

Masterminds and Asks & Offers turn the room into a working network.

03 · EVOLVE

World

A fireside chat followed by the question: what does this mean for what I’m building?

Meet the speakers

Jonathan Levav

Fireside chat · 15:00

Jonathan Levav

The King Philanthropies Professor of Marketing
Stanford Graduate School of Business

When any competitor can ship the same feature in weeks, what still makes someone choose you?

In conversation with Dariusz Paczuski, SEP 2016, followed by questions from the room.

About Jonathan and Dariusz

Jonathan Levav is a professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. His research is aimed at understanding consumers’ judgments and choices by using tools from experimental psychology and behavioral economics. Stanford faculty profile ↗

Dariusz Paczuski, SEP 2016, is a five-time global CMO and founder and managing partner of CLG Partners. His next move: The Crossing, a Silicon Valley AI Growth Summit coming to Oslo in March 2027. LinkedIn ↗

Sarah Soule

Joining us at Taverna

Sarah Soule

Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean
Stanford Graduate School of Business

Sarah A. Soule is the Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Morgridge Professor of Organizational Behavior. Her major areas of interest are organizational theory, social movements, and political sociology. Stanford faculty profile ↗

Who's coming

  • Guest

The guest list is still being assembled.

Thursday October 1, hour by hour

The program

One day, then the official GSB reunion begins Friday on campus.

  1. Arrival coffee

    An easy, unhurried start.

    Gather
  2. Opening + matched 1:1s

    Short welcome, then the pre-paired one-on-ones — matched on your personal profile.

    People
  3. Mastermind

    One member puts a real, current problem on the table; the other six or seven act as their board of advisors — questions first, then experience.

    Business
  4. Asks & Offers

    Everyone registered an ask and an offer, and the matching turned them into appointments. You arrive at this block with a personal agenda: the first half you spend collecting help on your ask, the second half giving it on someone else’s. Whatever the matching missed stays on the board all day.

    Business
  5. Lunch

    Curated tables, mixing people who don’t yet know each other.

    People
  6. Alumni talks

    Lightning talks of twelve minutes, back to back. Topics proposed at registration and curated in advance.

    World
  7. Break
    Gather
  8. Fireside chat

    When any competitor can ship the same feature in weeks, what still makes someone choose you?

    Stanford Professor Jonathan Levav in conversation with alum Dariusz Paczuski, followed by questions from the room.

    Jonathan Levav is a professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. His research is aimed at understanding consumers’ judgments and choices by using tools from experimental psychology and behavioral economics.

    Dariusz Paczuski, SEP 2016, is a five-time global CMO and founder and managing partner of CLG Partners. His next move: The Crossing, a Silicon Valley AI Growth Summit coming to Oslo in March 2027.

    World
  9. Small-group discussion

    In the same circles as the mastermind, discuss the fireside chat through one bridge question: what does this mean for what I’m building? One line of takeaway each.

    World
  10. Alumni spotlight: AI Economy

    What is happening, what are we observing, the evolution path from today to the future, and what should businesses do about it?

    Tim Frank, SEP 2022, CVP Monetization, Commerce, & the AI Economy at Microsoft

    World
  11. Happy hour at Taverna

    Our connection continues over happy hour and dinner in downtown Palo Alto.

    People
  12. Dinner at Taverna

    Seating mixed on purpose. Old friends and new, sharing Greek food served family style.

    People

Executive committee

Organized by SEPers, for SEPers

SEP alumni volunteering their time to bring the community together and shape the program, connections, and experience.

André Pina

SEP 2024 · San Diego, CA

André Pina

Co-founder & CEO, Uruk Capital

Builds and scales credit businesses — from operation design and funding structures to institutional capital. Previously Chief Business Officer at Liqi Digital Assets; advisory board member at Trackmob, a social-impact scale-up.

LinkedIn
Ivana Pignatelli

SEP 2022 · San Francisco Bay Area

Ivana Pignatelli

Founding team, Country Club
CEO, Plus One Learning

On the founding team of Country Club, the in-person social network for people shaping technology and culture, and co-founder of an AI-native layer for evidence-based instruction. Spent a decade as Chief Digital Officer at Social Thinking.

LinkedIn
Ricardo Janini

SEP 2018 · Miami, FL

Ricardo Janini

Senior Private Banker, Santander

Advises Brazilian families and entrepreneurs on cross-border wealth. Nearly three decades across private banking, consumer finance and fintech — senior roles at GE Capital, Banco BMG and Safra — plus founding Access Loans, later integrated into Safra’s platform.

LinkedIn
Dharmendra Kumar

SEP 2018 · San Francisco Bay Area

Dharmendra Kumar

President & CEO
Paygasus and Karma Payments

A five-time founder building unattended payment infrastructure for EV charging, autonomous retail and transit, and payment tools for nonprofits. Sits on the executive board of the SEP Alumni Scholarship Foundation.

LinkedIn

The setting

Fremont Hills
Country Club

Daytime program

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

12889 Viscaino Place
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Sunlit tables and garden views at Fremont Hills Country ClubGreen grounds surrounding a pond and fountainDraft beer being poured at Fremont Hills Country Club
Fremont Hills Country Club · Los Altos Hills

Taverna

Happy hour & dinner

6 p.m. happy hour
7 p.m. dinner

800 Emerson Street
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Our connection continues over happy hour and dinner in downtown Palo Alto.

Taverna’s tree-lined corner and outdoor tables in Palo AltoA long table set for dining at TavernaWine glasses, folded napkins and a citrus centerpiece at Taverna
Taverna · Downtown Palo Alto

Registration

One registration. The full experience.

Your registration covers the complete Thursday gathering, from the morning program through dinner. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the SEP Scholarship.

Registration price

Shown when you register.

One registration includes the complete day and dinner.

Register →

Registration is not open yet — check back soon.

This gathering is full.

Full-day program

All sessions, matched conversations, lunch, refreshments, and happy hour.

Dinner

The closing dinner near Stanford campus is included.

SEP Scholarship

A portion of proceeds will be donated to support the SEP Scholarship.

Register →