Ethics and Education
Peter Wang | Senior Solutions Architect

In 2021, Peter Wang, a senior solutions architect, saw a recruitment notice for ethics teachers in his daughter’s school’s newsletter. As an active parent volunteer, he saw the ethics teacher role as a chance to make a deeper impact.

Primary Ethics, a volunteer-driven program in New South Wales public schools, is designed to help children learn ethical reasoning. The classes are led by trained volunteers and taught with Department of Education-approved materials to create a space for students to explore questions and what they might do in different life situations.

“These classes are not about teaching “right” or “wrong” answers; instead, they equip children with the skills to reason critically, support their opinions with evidence, and engage in respectful discussions,” Peter said.

Peter began teaching ethics classes in 2022 and teaches 2 hours a week during the school year. Teaching not only allows him to make an impact on students and foster development, but it also helps him hone his leadership and organization skills, he said.

Primary Ethics relies on volunteer support to run and has brought ethics education to over 500 schools in New South Wales. Volunteering is the most effective way to get involved, as well as spreading the word about the program to build awareness.

“Witnessing students gain confidence in public speaking and debating as a result of these classes is incredibly rewarding,” Peter said. “It’s exciting to see how these skills, cultivated in ethics class, prepare them for future challenges and thoughtful citizenship.”

Tackling Cancer with the Power of Karaoke
Dave Signori | VP of DDI Product Management

Last year, Dave Signori, VP of DDI Product Management, sang karaoke at a Tech Tackles Cancer event in Boston to raise money for cancer research. This year, he was back at it and dressed up as Elvis to perform a karaoke rendition of “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol.

Tech Tackles Cancer was founded by Chris Lynch, and it is an event where tech executives do a live song on stage with a professional band behind them. The organization raises funds for groups focused on pediatric cancer treatment and research, and it has raised over $3.5 million since 2012. Dave Signori got involved last year thanks to Dan Pearl, VP of Field Operations.

“He knew I played in a band, he was looking for Infoblox people who would/could get on stage and sing, he recruited me for the Boston event last year as well as Gabe Luis for last year’s London event and he arranged corporate sponsorship,” Dave said.

Dave’s younger brother passed away of cancer in 2021, and Dave’s wife is a cancer survivor as well, so he said he is all in on accelerating research on cancer. Getting involved with Tech Tackles Cancer was an opportunity for him to tie his music to the tech world, especially since he has played in rock bands for years and currently is a drummer and singer for a classic rock band in Northern Virginia.

“It helps me get my head out of the box,” Dave said.

To donate to Dave’s Tech Tackles Cancer fundraiser, go here. Plus, check out the video of his performance!

SF to LA and the Fight to End AIDS
Brandon Berg | Strategic Programs Director, Business Strategy

Every year, Brandon Berg participates in a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, CA.

The annual event, AIDS/LifeCycle, is a seven-day bike ride that takes place in June and benefits the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The ride has raised over $300 million in total to benefit these organizations, and the 2025 AIDS/LifeCycle will be the last ride due to increasing production costs post-COVID.

Brandon, a strategic programs director in the BizOps org, made the 545-mile trek for the first time in 2019. He said he was inspired by his friend Keith, who did the AIDs/LifeCycle ride in 2014 and joined Brandon in 2019 as well.

“I did not own a bike at the time and purchased one at REI and began cycling again for the first time since I was a kid,” Brandon said. “Due to the wet weather in the Seattle area, I also found myself taking spin classes to help train.”

The ride represents hope for a future without HIV/AIDS, as well as a memorial to the legacy of those who have been lost, Brandon said. He said riders as young as 18 to over 70 come from around the world to participate in AIDS/LifeCycle.

For him, the collective fundraising efforts to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center is the most rewarding part. “Since I’ve joined the ride, I have experienced the most inspiring sense of belonging to an incredibly vibrant and diverse community,” Brandon said.

Bloxers can donate to Brandon’s fundraiser for the 2025 AIDS/LifeCycle ride here. You can also reach out to Brandon or visit www.aidslifecycle.org if you are interested in being part of the ride.

“Go do the thing you don’t think you could ever possibly do,” Brandon said. “You’re more powerful than you ever thought possible.”