The People Behind the Movement

Our Community

Teen (Co)Lab is a youth-led movement founded and run by teen girls, supported by mentors, ambassadors, and community sponsors, this is what that looks like.

01 · The Founders

The Founders

Valentina La Placa

Co-Founder Marin Catholic · Class of 2027

Hi! My name is Valentina and I am a senior at Marin Catholic and a founder of Teen (Co)Lab. As the eldest daughter, I always felt the responsibility to set a positive example for my younger sisters. Over the years, I've noticed how many girls struggle with confidence, self-image, and embracing who they truly are. Inspired by my mom's work, I decided to create Teen (Co)Lab with my sister Gigi, to create opportunities for young girls to grow in confidence, create meaningful connections, and cultivate a sense of opportunity for them and girls like them. Through Teen (Co)Lab, I hope to empower girls to find the confidence to express their true voice, believe in their potential, and strive for their dreams! I'm so excited to bring girls together in this amazing community where they can inspire one another.

— Valentina

Gigi La Placa

Co-Founder Marin Catholic · Class of 2029

Hello! My name is Gigi La Placa and I am a student at Marin Catholic and a founder of Teen (Co)Lab! Teen (Co)Lab is a powerful organization that my sister, Valentina, and I created to help girls find their inner light while striving to be the kind of role models younger girls can look up to and rely on. My goal with the Teen (Co)Lab is to help and support girls, make them feel seen and safe. Throughout my life, like most girls I have dealt with confidence issues, and insecurity, from bullying or what's right in front of us all. Social media. But from countless words of inspiration and love from my mom and dad I have grown in my confidence like crazy. I want Teen (Co)Lab to help be that support to other girls that my parents are to me. In teaching young girls the importance of believing and loving yourself, and how those two things can seriously benefit anyone. Teen CoLab is more than an organization. It's my way of helping girls discover their inner light, believe in themselves, and know they are never alone.

— Gigi

02 · Founding Advisor

Founding Advisor

Geno La Placa

Founding Advisor · Mentor

Former Hedge Fund CFO, speaker, executive leadership and parenting coach, and mentor. Her work is to inspire women and girls to believe in themselves. Geno's frameworks in neuroscience, psychology, and emotional intelligence quietly support everything Teen (Co)Lab builds.

Like most women, I wear many roles in my daily life, but my most important role is being a mom. After two decades in finance, I found a purpose I can now carry from home into the world: helping women and next-generation leaders trust themselves. One woman and girl at a time!

genolaplaca.com →

03 · Teen Ambassadors & (Co)Laborators

Teen Ambassadors & (Co)Laborators

The girls building this movement from the inside out.

Natalie

Teen Ambassador Marin Catholic · Class of 2027 Future Innovators Club Founder

My name is Natalie, and I'm a senior at Marin Catholic. I joined Teen (Co)Lab as an ambassador because I truly believe every girl has a unique purpose, and sometimes all it takes is the right community to help her see it. I love being surrounded by girls who lift each other up, celebrate each other's differences, and encourage one another to grow into the people we're meant to be. I also started Future Innovators at Marin Catholic, a club dedicated to empowering girls to explore STEM and entrepreneurship in a fun, supportive environment where they can build confidence and discover new passions. I'm so excited to bring these two communities together because they share the same mission of helping girls believe in themselves, step into leadership, and create a positive impact by simply being their authentic selves.

Yasmeen Aryanpour

Teen Ambassador Marin Academy · Class of 2027 Varsity Swim & Water Polo

I am Yasmeen Aryanpour, a senior at Marin Academy and a member of the varsity swim and water polo teams. I am passionate about my work with Crossroads, where I teach public speaking and debate to middle school students, creating a space where they can gain confidence and feel empowered to share their ideas. Growing up, I saw how easy it was for girls to compare themselves to others and doubt their own worth. I've learned that confidence comes from surrounding yourself with people who encourage and support you. That's why I'm excited to be part of Teen (Co)Lab. I hope every girl who joins feels seen, heard, and reminded that she is enough exactly as she is. I want to help create a community where girls lift each other up, build lasting friendships, and leave feeling more confident than when they walked in.

Want to be an ambassador?