Meet The Team
We’re PowerUp+, and we’re on a mission to empower children and families with creative, clinically-validated tools that transform fear into resilience during medical procedures.
The Founders
Creative Professionals Driven by purpose
Stephen Weisz
(Technical Founder – Fractional CEO)
Stephen Weisz is a technology entrepreneur, product strategist, and social impact leader with over 15 years of experience building mission-driven digital platforms. He co-founded PowerUp+ to help transform pediatric medical anxiety into resilience and confidence through human-centered design and tech.
Stephen previously co-founded Inticketing.com, one of the first self-service online ticketing platforms empowering promoters to own patron data and control fees, which was acquired by Vendini. His work spans event tech, consumer platforms, and healthcare innovation, and he has collaborated with organizations of all sizes to improve user experience, operational efficiency, and meaningful impact.
JC Lacek
(Co-Founder – Narrative Director)
As a child, JC’s first terrifying encounter with an MRI machine left him with a lifetime of crippling medical trauma that he carries to this day, which is why his mission with PowerUp+ is deeply personal.
JC combines over 15 years of experience as a creative storyteller with a background in copy and UX writing for tech companies like STRV and Productboard. As the author of graphic novels such as The Polish Ambassador to Space, Jazz Legend, and Kaiju, JC now dedicates his unique skillset to creating digital tools that empower children to face medical challenges with confidence.
Justin Tuân Smith
(Co-Founder – Creative Director)
The son of public school teachers, Justin Tuân Smith channels a lifelong passion for art, storytelling, and education into his mission as co-founder of PowerUp+.
With over 20 years of experience as a creative executive in art, design, and film, his work has been featured in prestigious institutions, including a retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco and a recent exhibition at SFMOMA. As the owner of TigerBunny Studio and an executive producer on the feature documentary Y Vân – The Lost Sounds of Saigon, Justin brings a wealth of creative leadership to developing engaging experiences that empower children.
Advisors
Sarah Pomerantz
Vice President, Health
Communications Program Director, CommunicateHealth
Kathleen A Garrison
PhD Neuroscientist, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine
Stephen Jackson
Chief of Staff, Strategy & Communications, TechSoup – Former Special Education Department Chair, Galileo Academy of Science & Technology