Who We Are | GoodGesture

Meet the GoodGesture Team

GoodGesture is built by people who believe showing up for each other should be easier.

We’re a small team building GoodGesture from the ground up. Every decision is shaped by a simple idea: it shouldn’t be this hard to ask for what you need, or to help someone nearby. We’re here to make that easier.

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Founder & Product Designer

Parker Reneau

Hi there, I'm Parker! In addition to being the founder of GoodGesture, I am a few things, including a soon-to-be UX (User Experience) M.S graduate, a runner, cat dad, nature enthusiast, major creative at heart, animal fanatic, and proud Portlander.

In 2021 my long-term partner and I packed up all our things, left everything we'd ever known in our hometown, and moved to Portland. I absolutely fell in love with the city. There was a lot to admire here that I was drawn to almost immediately (outside of just the wonderful food scene and experiencing the changing of seasons for the very first time). I loved how community-centric everything was and how Portlanders are so passionate about uplifting their fellow neighbor. This ties in directly with my personal values, core being, and who I strive to be as an individual in everyday life. I am someone who cares deeply about other humans and how the societal factors in the world we live in affect the folks around me.

More than anything, I have always been especially passionate about how technology has such strong potential to bring people together in creative ways.

Contact: parker@goodgestureapp.com

Technical Co-Founder

Joseph Erlinger

I earned my B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Oregon, graduating in 2025. I served as a Resident Assistant for Barnhart and Riley halls from 2023 to 2025. In January 2026, I introduced myself on the Code PDX Discord and was surprised to find a message from Parker about a project called ‘GoodGesture.’ Since then, I have engineered GoodGesture’s backend, created YouTube tutorials for the team, and shared lessons learned from technical networking events I attend around Portland.

Outside of my professional pursuits, I enjoy journaling, drawing, and listening to music. Journaling helps me reflect on my purpose and my relationships with others. I also started drawing self-portraits a few months ago – but I don’t plan on publishing my work any time soon, respectfully. And music? You’ll rarely catch me without something playing.

Full-Stack Developer

Divya Adem

Hi, I’m Divya! I’m a recent Computer Science graduate from Columbia University. I’m Bay Area girl born and raised, and in my free time you can catch me watching 2000's cartoons, adventuring outdoors with friends, or snuggling up with a book. Giving back to local communities has always been a important part of my personal and professional journey, from providing free tutoring for underresourced youth to running summer camps for kids. In our increasingly digital world, it’s easy for many people and communities to feel isolated form one another.

Products like GoodGesture that foster human connection and community support are more important than ever. I’m really excited to have joined the team!

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Full-Stack Developer

Daniel Parks

Hey, I’m Daniel! I first knew I wanted to program computers when my family got a Macintosh SE/30 in 1989. I was 5. It started as a pure desire to create, but over the years it became about what the computer could do for people — how it could enable their ambitions, make their lives easier, or just entertain them. In my own life computers have helped me learn American Sign Language, backpack the Pacific Crest Trail with my mom, and earn a living. One place computers have not played a big role was in my mutual aid work — mostly supporting unhoused neighbors. Helping build the Good Gesture app feels like the missing piece that finally connects two important pieces of my life.

The Story Behind GoodGesture

Hi! I'm Parker, the founder of GoodGesture.

GoodGesture started as part of a project during my UX master’s program, but it quickly became something much more personal.

I kept noticing the same pattern in everyday life, people want to help, and people need help, but there isn’t a clear or reliable way to connect the two. Outside of close friends or family, support often depends on chance, timing, or being in the right place at the right time. And for a lot of people, asking for help isn’t easy in the first place.

That gap stuck with me. It didn’t feel like a lack of compassion, it felt like a lack of structure. There isn’t really a dedicated space built specifically for everyday, neighbor-to-neighbor support that’s simple, trustworthy, and actually designed for follow-through.

GoodGesture is my attempt to solve that. Using design, I wanted to create something that makes giving and receiving help feel more accessible, more visible, and more actionable, without the noise or friction of traditional platforms.

This genuinely isn’t just a project for me, it’s something I believe in deeply. It’s about turning small acts of kindness into something that can spread and make a real difference. I believe that we can all be the change we want to see in the world, sometimes it just takes the right tools to start.

I'd love to hear from you, whether it is interest in involvement, ideas, or just to say hello.

goodgestureapp@gmail.com