You can sign up here to join CPL volunteers: https://www.acquaint.org/opportunities?tsrc=aliapr
Acquaint: A Foundation for a More Collaborative World
A report from the Founders
KATHERINE MAHON
Founder and CEO
ALEX SZEBENYI
Co-Founder & CTO
Join Acquaint’s co-founders, Katherine Mahon and Alex Szebenyi, for a powerful Essential Conversation exploring how intentional human connection can reshape our relationships, communities, and even our sense of belonging in the world.
Together, we’ll explore the story of Acquaint—a global volunteer-powered platform designed to make the practice of human connection more accessible and joyful for people of all backgrounds.
We’ll reflect on why human connection matters now more than ever, how Acquaint supports non-transactional relationships, and how AI can play a gentle role in supporting communication growth without replacing the magic of live conversation.
Through storytelling, breakout discussions, and shared reflections, we’ll consider what it means to value connection for its own sake, and how we can each play a part in creating a world that feels a little more like one big family.
Why Human Connection?
We believe that meaningful connection is more than just a skill—it’s a joyful, challenging, and rewarding art. Yet today, it’s often seen as a chore or necessity rather than something to be celebrated and practiced.
We’re losing the incidental spaces where connection once happened:
🎥 Movie theaters
🎳 Bowling alleys
🏛️ Town squares
Acquaint is here to offer something different: a digital space where anyone, anywhere, can connect with someone else for no reason other than to connect. It’s fun. It’s surprising. And it’s meaningful.
By practicing connection intentionally, we become more human—and better at being human together.
What We’ll Explore
The Genesis of Acquaint
-How a pandemic pivot and a vision of global community gave rise to Acquaint
-Intergenerational roots and inspiration from early projects like HomeAgain VR
-The journey from idea to a platform supporting thousands of global conversations
-Alex and Katherine’s journey collaborating on Acquaint as a coupleWhat is a Non-Transactional Relationship?
Are friendships transactional? What happens when we connect without expecting anything in return?Society & Strangers
Who still talks to strangers? Why does it feel risky or rare?
What are we losing as spontaneous connection disappears from daily life?The Role of Humility and Vulnerability in Conversation
How do we create symmetrical experiences in dialogue, where everyone contributes and grows?The Future of Acquaint
A global community rooted in the value of human connection
Self-guided journeys and live connection, supported by gentle AI reflection
Making human connection a habit, not a chore.
Who This Is For?
Anyone curious about:
Deepening their connection with others
Exploring non-transactional relationships
Building community across cultures and geographies
Practicing humility, curiosity, and communication in conversation
Volunteering in a way that helps everyone grow
You can sign up here: https://www.acquaint.org/opportunities?tsrc=aliapr
Intercultural Communication Training:
Our platform includes a library of interactive intercultural communication training that equips individuals with the skills to bridge cultural gaps and navigate diverse environments effectively. Volunteers can unlock new training modules by participating in the intercultural dialogue sessions. The modules cover essential topics such as cultural awareness, active listening, empathy, and conflict transformation.
Practical Application:
We believe that true learning happens through practice and application. Acquaint empowers volunteers to take their skills beyond the virtual realm and make a tangible impact in their communities. By applying their newfound collaborative skills locally and globally, our volunteers become catalysts for change, inspiring others to follow suit.
Partnerships:
Acquaint partners with corporations, educational institutions, nonprofits, and other types of organizations to offer meaningful engagement to their members. In addition to the intercultural dialogue and communication training elements, we can also provide workshops and impact data collection to our partners.
Acquaint is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
KATHERINE MAHON
Founder and CEO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-mahon1/
info@acquaint.org
Katherine is a nonprofit founder who is dedicated to bridging cultural gaps through the power of innovative technology and meaningful connections. Along with CTO Alex Szebenyi, she co-founded Acquaint, a global cultural exchange platform where worldwide volunteers connect for 1-on-1 conversations to share stories and perspectives. Katherine has overseen the recruitment of hundreds of volunteers from over 100 countries, who have spent over 15,000 hours fostering understanding and empathy through dialogue.
Katherine's artistic background has driven her to think creatively about how to bridge divides. While working as a 3D artist at Amazon and pursuing her previous dreams of working for Disney or a major video game company, she became increasingly aware of the polarization and hate that is dividing society in her home country, the US. Since founding Acquaint, addressing these issues globally has become her calling.
Her most valuable learning experiences stem from working and volunteering with people from various industries, including tech, art, and medical professionals. A notable experience was her involvement with the Atlas Corps VLI, where global social change leaders from both US and Russia came together to network and learn.
Katherine is committed to continuing her work with Acquaint, expanding its reach and impact, and invites you to join her in fostering a more connected and understanding world.
ALEX SZEBENYI
Co-Founder & CTO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-szebenyi/
info@acquaint.org
Before Acquaint was founded in 2021, its predecessor was an intergenerational program. The program focused on connecting younger and older people to address the effects of isolation, particularly during the height of the pandemic. It recruited younger “volunteers” to connect for conversations with “participants” living in care homes. However, Co-founders Katherine Mahon and Alex Szebenyi started noticing a problem with this dynamic. Dividing people into two groups created an othering effect, where the “volunteers” felt a stronger sense of purpose than the “participants” – the group we were supposedly serving. It didn’t seem right. If everyone in the program was taking time to connect and talk with each other, shouldn’t they all feel like contributors?
The solution to this dynamic was simple: Make everyone a volunteer and put the focus on human connection, rather than one group serving another. Furthermore, a lack of connection was far from just a generational problem. Wanting to create a program that bridged cultural divides as well, the founders opened Acquaint to all countries and restructured the platform for meaningful intercultural dialogue.
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