Rob Carpenter is a serial entrepreneur, writer, political activist, nonprofit founder and
public speaker. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and founding Friendgiftr, Inc., he served
in the White House Office of Political Affairs, where he was responsible for creating political,
economic, legal, and legislative briefs for the President, Vice President, and various members of
the U.S. Cabinet as well as helping coordinate logistical preparations for presidential events
with Oval Office Operations, Intergovernmental Affairs, Advance Operations, Public Liasion, Speech
Writing, and the U.S. Secret Service. Rob has also served as an aide to a former U.S. House Speaker,
advising on a range of issues including technology, education, and economic development, and as the
Special Assistant to the CEO of Teach For America, where he helped coordinate the political and school
leadership initiatives in more than 25 states. He has also founded multiple organizations in the
nonprofit and private sectors, including a 501(c)(3) which helped secure $40 billion in transportation
funding for a new Subway to the Sea project and other transit improvements in Southern California.
He is a regular contributor/columnist for the Los Angeles Business Journal, writing on a broad range
of issues including entrepreneurship, business, technology, politics and society, and was recently
appointed to the Los Angeles Transportation Commission, a 7 member group which oversees a $150 million
annual budget and all transportation projects in Los Angeles.
He has been awarded the Henry Kravis Prize in entrepreneurship and venture capital and sits on the boards
of The Story Project, a nonprofit connecting entertainment industry professionals like the writers of
Spiderman and Men in Black to inner city students nationwide to promote literacy and empowerment, and
is Chairman of the Inner-City Arts Young Professionals Advisory Board, a nonprofit which educates over
8,000 at-risk students annually with the help of Dreamworks Animation technology and executives and other
arts tools. Rob has received awards from the Phillips International Foundation, California State
Legislature, California Department of Education, among others. He received his B.A. in American
government, public policy, and political philosophy from Claremont McKenna College, where he helped
lead one of the largest college rallies in history, covered nationally and internationally by such
organizations as the New York Times, LA Times, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox.
