Social Impact Tech: Austin Worrell of KINO On How Their Technology Will Make An Important Positive Impact
…Understand the Core Problem. Before you pick a platform or write a single line of code, clarify what you’re solving. For us at Afterall, it wasn’t just about building a tool but about creating a safe space for people to have life’s toughest conversation. Only when you know the heart of the problem can you design technology that makes a difference…
In recent years, Big Tech has gotten a bad rep. But of course many tech companies are doing important work making monumental positive changes to society, health, and the environment. To highlight these, we started a new interview series about “Technology Making An Important Positive Social Impact”. We are interviewing leaders of tech companies who are creating or have created a tech product that is helping to make a positive change in people’s lives or the environment. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lee Senderov.
Lee Senderov is Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at Foundation Partners Group. A digital marketing veteran, she has more than 20 years’ experience in digital marketing, sales, business development and e-commerce in both public and private equity-backed companies. As a member of Foundation Partners’ senior leadership team, Lee is responsible for driving sales growth, advancing the company’s digital strategies and developing new e-commerce solutions.
Most recently, Lee spearheaded the launch of Afterall, a digital end-of-life platform integrated with more than 250 local funeral service providers to guide people through the end-of-life experience with educational resources, simple planning tools, free obituary services, and a memorial store. Afterall is committed to breaking down barriers and guiding individuals through the end-of-life process, no matter where they are on their journey.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
“I’ve always been fascinated by how to build something entirely new — whether it’s a category, a product, or even a way of thinking. My career began in consumer-packaged goods in 2000 with Naked Juice, which was just a scrappy startup at the time. We weren’t just selling beverages but pioneering a new idea — nutrition on the go. This was long before protein shakes were mainstream, so the challenge was: How do you turn a meal into a bottle while meeting the evolving needs of consumers? That early experience taught me to think deeply about what people want today and what they might not even realize what they’ll want tomorrow.
After business school, I found myself in Silicon Valley for a decade — immersed in a world of innovation and disruption. I worked with companies focused on reimagining industries, challenging norms and bringing fresh solutions to market. That mindset of questioning ‘how things have always been done’ sparked something in me.
When I heard about the opportunity to rethink the landscape of end-of-life care at Foundation Partners Group, I was inspired. It wasn’t just about a job; it was about taking a modern, thoughtful approach to a subject that impacts everyone but is rarely discussed. I’ve been fortunate to build a career at the intersection of innovation and impact, and I’m driven by the same question I started with: How can we bring something fresh, meaningful and new to people’s lives?”
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The most interesting and unexpectedly moving experience happened recently when my professional work became personal.
I spend my days helping families navigate the toughest conversations, but it wasn’t until I walked through a cemetery with my own parents, discussing where they’d want to be laid to rest, that the reality of this work truly hit home. I’ve talked about these topics countless times with strangers, colleagues, and teams, but doing it for my family made it vividly real and deeply emotional. Despite all my experience, I was surprised by how hard it was to simply talk about it.
That day, I gained an even deeper understanding of how hard these conversations can be. It reminded me that, no matter how much expertise you have, there’s nothing quite like living through the experience yourself. It also made me more committed to helping others find comfort and ease during life’s most challenging moments, which is what we are working to accomplish through Afterall.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
It’s funny to say now, but I never thought I’d end up in business. In fact, I was convinced my career would be in the nonprofit world. During college, I studied abroad in Geneva and interned with the United Nations, working for a small NGO that set up radio stations in refugee camps. And this was before cell phones and widespread internet access.
Imagine a refugee camp with hundreds of thousands of people needing life-saving information, such as where to find clean water and access healthcare. At that time, radio was the most powerful tool for communication.
I met an incredible individual running this NGO, someone who tirelessly tried to get UN funding for his work. What he said to me changed everything, ‘You want to save the world and make a real impact? Learn how to make money first. Go learn how to run a business, and then come and give back.’
That advice was formative for me. I had planned to get an MPA and follow a path of public service, but instead, I took a complete 180 and dove into the business world. Yet, that experience shaped how I’ve approached my entire career. I’ve always believed that businesses have a responsibility beyond their bottom line — our impact extends to the communities we serve, the people we employ, and the world around us. That early lesson taught me that business and purpose don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and I’ve carried that perspective with me ever since.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of the greatest life lessons I’ve ever received came from my mentor, Richard Barnett, who has genuinely changed my life. He once told me, ‘Baseball players don’t walk up to bat expecting to strike out, but 20% of the time they do — and they still get up to bat.’ That perspective has stayed with me through every challenge, setback and hard day.
I’ve never been someone who takes the easy path — my family loves to remind me of that. I’ve spent my career building new things, innovating in spaces that aren’t yet defined, and driving change where it’s hard to move the needle. Whether I’m working on innovation for an organization, creating value for a community, or driving change in the world around me, that simple truth keeps me grounded: You’re not always going to hit it out of the park, but you’ll never get the chance to if you stop showing up.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Throughout my career, I’ve leaned on three pillars that have allowed me to drive change and make a lasting impact: humility, curiosity and adaptability.
Humility. I’ve worked across various industries — some I knew very little about when I first entered the role. Whether it was consumer packaged goods, Silicon Valley startups, or end-of-life care, I’ve always approached each role as the ‘new person’ with more to learn than to teach. I’ve found that actual change begins with listening. For example, when I first step into a leadership role in an entirely new industry, I spend months meeting with team members, immersing myself in the business, and simply learning. That willingness to say, ‘I don’t know yet, but I’m here to learn,’ allows me to build trust and make more thoughtful, impactful decisions.
Curiosity. Growing up, my parents gave me a love of curiosity, which has served me every day of my career. If you’re trying to disrupt an industry, solve a problem, or create something entirely new, you must start by asking, ‘Why?’ Why hasn’t it been done? What’s worked? What hasn’t? What could it be?
I recall a project where my team challenged an outdated process by questioning why it existed. Instead of accepting the status quo, we reimagined a better, more impactful solution, turning stagnation into an opportunity for growth.
Adaptability. One of my former bosses once told me, ‘You know what I like about you? Your mind can be changed.’ In leadership, adaptability is essential — especially when building something new. The reality is that none of us have all the answers. You may be convinced you’re on the right path, but then a new piece of data or a perspective from your team completely shifts your thinking. And that’s a good thing.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about the tech tools that you are helping to create that can make a positive social impact on our society. To begin, what problems are you aiming to solve?
End-of-life planning is something people often shy away from. There’s a superstition and visceral discomfort — even my mother once asked, ‘Do you really want this job? It’s so morbid.’ But the truth is, death is the only guarantee in life — more certain than taxes — yet it remains one of the hardest subjects to talk about.
At Afterall, we’re working to change that stigma. We’re creating tools that make it easier for people to talk about end-of-life planning and act on it in a way that feels right for them and their families. For some, it’s about simply starting the conversation. For others, it’s making a plan, sharing it, or even imagining an end-of-life celebration.
How do you think your technology can address this?
What sets Afterall apart is the digital accessibility we provide. It may sound simple but giving people the ability to explore this topic in the comfort and privacy of their homes — on their own terms — makes all the difference. We’ve heard from families who tell us they’ve used our resources late at night, when grief keeps them awake, or when they’re quietly reflecting on a loved one. Modern, intuitive tools that allow people to learn, share and connect when ready create an opening for a conversation most of us struggle to have.
Ultimately, Afterall is solving for the discomfort and uncertainty surrounding the end-of-life subject. By using technology to make the process more approachable, we’re helping people take a step that is not only practical but deeply meaningful for themselves and the people they care about.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
When I first heard about this opportunity, I didn’t fully understand what ‘death care’ was. But as I started to unpack it, I realized something profound: life is the journey we’re all on, and at some point, it comes to an end, which can be incredibly difficult for families.
What struck me was that people avoid talking about it and how much harder it makes things when they don’t. I became passionate about this work because I saw an opportunity to help make the worst day of someone’s life easier. Through encouraging conversations earlier, providing tools to help families plan, or simply offering support when needed most, I realized that we could make a real difference.
That passion grew the more I learned. I joined the local hospital board and became part of the palliative care committee to better understand where these conversations start — and where they often don’t. In the U.S., we experience aging and end-of-life differently than other cultures. In many parts of the world, it’s normal for parents to move back in with their children, creating natural opportunities to talk about aging and what comes next. But those conversations are often avoided here, making end-of-life feel distant and removed.
The more I understood, the more determined I became to make an impact: to make these conversations more manageable, to provide tools that bring clarity, and ultimately, to offer a bit of comfort in life’s most challenging moments.
How do you think this might change the world?
Over time, I’ve realized the most meaningful impact comes when you help one person in a moment that truly matters. At Afterall, we hear from families who tell us things like, ‘This made the worst day of my life just a little easier,’ or, ‘I couldn’t have imagined going through this without your help.’
One person emailed us in the middle of the night, overwhelmed with grief and grateful for the option to simply send a message because they couldn’t bring themselves to talk to anyone. Moments like these remind me why we do this work.
We may not be changing the entire world, but for each person who interacts with Afterall, whether it’s a helpful article, a compassionate funeral home partner, or a late-night resource offering comfort, I believe we’re making their world a little better. And if we can do that for one person, and then another, and another, that’s how change happens.
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
It’s important to recognize that Afterall itself isn’t a technology with inherent drawbacks, but when you look at the broader end-of-life space, it’s easy to imagine scenarios that push us into ‘Black Mirror’ territory. Technology always walks a fine line between creating meaningful connections and veering into something unintended.
For example, the rise of recording services where people share their life stories to preserve memories for future generations. I think that’s beautiful, and I wish I had something like that for my grandparents. Having the ability to hear their voices, their stories and their wisdom would be an incredible gift.
But it gets complicated when we think about where technology could go and the potential of AI to recreate a person. Would it be comforting to have a conversation with my grandmother, who’s no longer here, through an AI-generated version of her? Maybe. There’s something deeply human about wanting to hold onto connections that mean so much to us. But at the same time, there’s a line. Human connection is irreplaceable, and technology can’t fully replicate the essence of those moments.
The key is to approach these tools thoughtfully. It’s terrific if technology can help us preserve memories and extend connections in a meaningful way. But we must be careful not to let it replace the real human experiences that make those connections so special in the first place.
Based on your experience and success, can you please share “Five things you need to know to successfully create technology that can make a positive social impact”?
After spending years working with technology and human needs, I’ve found that making a meaningful social impact isn’t just about having the flashiest new tech. It’s about thinking deeply and acting thoughtfully.
Understand the Core Problem.
Before you pick a platform or write a single line of code, clarify what you’re solving. For us at Afterall, it wasn’t just about building a tool but about creating a safe space for people to have life’s toughest conversation. Only when you know the heart of the problem can you design technology that makes a difference.
Map the Journey and Find the Right Fit.
Technology isn’t a magic wand; it should fit naturally into how people live and interact. Ask yourself: How do people want to engage with this solution? Maybe it’s a simple landing page to share options with distant family members. The goal is to meet users where they are, ensuring the tech feels intuitive rather than imposed.
Apply Existing Tech in a New Way.
You don’t always need cutting-edge innovation. Sometimes, existing technologies can be applied in unexpected ways to solve entirely new problems. Think about how to reuse familiar tools, text messaging, shared web pages, or voice calls in a fresh context that meets a social need.
Combine Technology with the Human Touch.
No matter how advanced your platform is, people often crave real connection when dealing with deeply human issues, especially those filled with emotion. In our world, the most impactful ‘tech’ can be as simple as having a caring human pick up the phone. Pair technology with empathetic human support to make the best of both worlds.
Listen, Iterate, and Grow.
Don’t just build and walk away. Engage with your users as early and often as possible and listen. What’s working? What’s not? What else do they need? This feedback loop ensures your product evolves in step with the people it aims to help rather than leaving them behind.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Making a positive impact doesn’t mean saving the entire world at once. Sure, grand gestures grab headlines, but small, meaningful acts can be just as powerful. Maybe you help one family in need, protect one endangered animal’s habitat, or create a single tool that makes a problematic moment easier for one person. Those moments matter.
When you lift just one person, you can change their entire world, and that’s worth doing. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small and focusing on what’s right in front of you. Those tiny ripples of kindness and care can grow into something bigger than you ever imagined.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I’d love to sit down with Pete Stavros, Partner and co-head of Global Private Equity at KKR. He’s harnessed the immense financial success of private equity and directed it toward creating tangible, life-changing opportunities for everyday employees. Through initiatives like Ownership Works, he’s pushed the concept of employee ownership beyond top executives, helping hourly workers afford college tuition, buy a first home, or move forward in ways they never thought possible.
In a world where wealth is often concentrated at the top, Pete Stavros has shown that business can create real social impact, turning financial success into broad-based empowerment.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Please learn more at Afterall.com
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success in your important work.
Social Impact Tech: Austin Worrell of KINO On How Their Technology Will Make An Important Positive… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.