Getting to Know Topl: Gabi Skoff
Title: (Former) Content Developer
Location: Maastricht
Where are you from? Tell us a little bit about your journey to get here.
I am originally from a small town called Ojai, in Southern California, but I have lived in many places since moving away from home; including New York City, Buenos Aires, Sydney and now Maastricht. My background is in international relations and sociology as well as international development. These often overlapping interests have led me on a journey of interesting and diverse jobs and experiences around the world. I’ve worked across the not-for-profit sector and in academia.
Most recently, I have been working as a freelance writer on emerging technologies and social impact as well as a researcher in this area.
What do you do at Topl? Tell us a little about your role and what it entails.
I work as a researcher and writer for Topl, creating our blog content and helping to articulate Topl’s vision and mission to the world in a clear and engaging way.
How did you find Topl or how did Topl find you?
Topl and I found each other through a piece of research I was working on with the United Nations University-MERIT in Maastricht. Topl was one of several local startups I interviewed for my project, which investigated social impact, high technology startups in the Limburg region and explored how the local government might be able to better support the ecosystem here. When I spoke with Chris and Laura about Topl’s work I was instantly captivated and told them I wanted to contribute to the company in whatever way possible. Luckily, they had a need for my skills and passion and I am thankful that I can now also be a part of Topl’s journey.
What makes Topl the right fit for you?
What first struck me about Topl was that it is a company and a group of people working toward something that I have long thought to be one of the most important tasks in today’s society. Namely, Topl presents a simple and unique answer to the question of how we can make legitimate impact and sustainability marketable and profitable for companies doing great work. I believe this is fundamentally important work on the road to a more equitable and sustainable society, and I think that Topl is helping to solve a really big piece of the puzzle in the work we do.
This work resonates deeply with my own values and goals and makes me feel excited about being a part of the solution.
What is your favorite project you have worked on and why?
Today marks my first week with Topl! So, the only project I’ve worked on thus far is this very one — Getting to Know Topl. I’m looking forward to many more projects in the future, especially getting to dive down into the technological, social and environmental context of our work in order to help people understand what we do and why we are doing it.
What are you passionate about outside of work? What are your hobbies?
Outside of work, if you haven’t already guessed, I am extremely passionate about travel. In my opinion, travel is the best way to learn about the world around you and about yourself. It opens your eyes to the multitude of different ways of life that abound and pushes you to challenge yourself in so many ways.
I also love music and try to see live gigs as often as possible. Hip hop, house, and international music (I’m on a very serious Saharan music kick right now) are my favorite genres. I am also very passionate about food. Being from California, of course, Mexican is always closest to my heart but Thai, Vietnamese and Italian cuisine and up there too.
Lastly, I love vintage clothing and jewellery. If you see me in person the likelihood that I am wearing rings on all 10 of my fingers is very high. I also make jewellery myself and look forward to getting more into silversmithing when I can have my own studio someday.
Which of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are you most passionate about working towards and why?
For me, SDGs 13 and 17 are the most important for immediate action to promote sustainable change. SDG 13, Climate Action, I feel is the most critical goal that society needs to work toward right now. Without learning to manage our destructive and unsustainable habits we will soon no longer have a world to call home. This goal also encompasses a host of social challenges, such as the acknowledgment and support of indigenous populations who have long played a critical role as stewards of the land. SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals, feels to me like a path forward. I think that it is fundamental to include both public and private entities in the mission to achieve the SDGs.
The building and strengthening of global partnerships around the SDGs presents an opportunity to change the discourse and actions of businesses and economies in a way that will benefit all rather than a few.
