Favorite website: pinterest

Recent read: Currently reading young adult author Tamora Pierce’s Mastiff

2012′s ultimate goal: To find my perfect city or town in the world and settle down in a unique and well-decorated home.

Twitter handle: @idealisticnomad, @girltankorg

Welcome to another hot profile.  This one will be of particular interest to those who are interested in tech with a philanthropic, global twist.  I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Tara Roberts who is the co-founder of Girltank, a female-focused social start-up that supports young women entrepreneurs all over the world. But not just any entrepreneurs – women who are making a difference the world over. Girltank, along with their partners, MTV Voices, have launched their ’10,000 Names campaign’ to find 10,000 young women game changers.  Tara’s journey and drive make for great reading and great encouragement.  Here we go!

LdC:  How were you lead to start Girltank?

TR: I traveled around the world for almost a year in 2009 and 2010 interviewing young women changemakers. My original plan was to write a book about the great work they were doing.  But after talking to so many young women, I realized that there was, perhaps, a more pressing need. No global body connected these young women changemakers to each other. And I discovered that many felt alone, unprepared and unsupported in their work. So I decided to begin building a global community of young women changemakers who could help support each other.

LdC:   Tell me all about how you found out about Start Up Chile, with which Girltank is affiliated,  and what it is like there?

TR: My partner, Sejal Hathi, heard about it, and so we decided to apply. Start-up Chile is great – full of enterprising, innovative and supportive entrepreneurs from all over the world. Santiago is a burgeoning entrepreneurial hub, so as an entrepreneur you feel like you can do anything here. It’s been an amazing and eye-opening experience.

LdC:   Explain the response to the work that you are doing?

TR: Phenomenal. We have discovered young women changemakers from over 76 countries worldwide. It’s inspiring to hear their stories and to see the creative and unexpected ways in which they connect with and support each other.