Founders
Sandbox is the concept of two self-employed professionals - Roman Gelfer and Sasha Vasilyuk, who after working from home and on the road, decided to build a workspace for other independent professionals like them.
Roman was born in Russia near the Black Sea. His parents moved to the United States when he was twelve and settled in the Bay Area, where he spent his teen years. His entrepreneurial streak was evident even back then, when he was buying low and selling high at the local car auctions. After graduating from Burlingame High School with honors, he went to Cornell University, where he majored in Applied Economics and Management. After graduating, he spent the next seven years working for two boutique investment firms. Starting out as an equity trader, he quickly worked his way up to managing director of his own branch back home in San Francisco. Being passionate about building things from scratch and wanted to get back to his entrepreneurial roots, in 2007 he unwound his commitments in trading, and with his then fiancé started Sandbox Suites. He still follows the market's tribulations, but running Sandbox keeps him busy.
Sasha was also born in Russia (no, that's not where they met), but grew up in San Francisco where she went to Lowell High. She then skipped around the world to attend four universities in five years studying literature, languages and art history. Her most prestigious degree is the hard-earned MA in Journalism from New York University. Sasha worked as a full-time reporter for two Bay Area newspapers, but now is a full-time freelance writer. At Sandbox, she's a community organizer as well as a PR Director. But then she also waters the flowers on occasion.
Roman was born in Russia near the Black Sea. His parents moved to the United States when he was twelve and settled in the Bay Area, where he spent his teen years. His entrepreneurial streak was evident even back then, when he was buying low and selling high at the local car auctions. After graduating from Burlingame High School with honors, he went to Cornell University, where he majored in Applied Economics and Management. After graduating, he spent the next seven years working for two boutique investment firms. Starting out as an equity trader, he quickly worked his way up to managing director of his own branch back home in San Francisco. Being passionate about building things from scratch and wanted to get back to his entrepreneurial roots, in 2007 he unwound his commitments in trading, and with his then fiancé started Sandbox Suites. He still follows the market's tribulations, but running Sandbox keeps him busy.
Sasha was also born in Russia (no, that's not where they met), but grew up in San Francisco where she went to Lowell High. She then skipped around the world to attend four universities in five years studying literature, languages and art history. Her most prestigious degree is the hard-earned MA in Journalism from New York University. Sasha worked as a full-time reporter for two Bay Area newspapers, but now is a full-time freelance writer. At Sandbox, she's a community organizer as well as a PR Director. But then she also waters the flowers on occasion.