Jonathan M. Padilla 

Jonathan M. Padilla is the CEO and CoFounder of Snickerdoodle Labs, a technology and innovation company dedicated to creating datadriven software and solutions that empower users with greater control over their digital identity and personal information. At Snickerdoodle, he leads product strategy, development, strategic partnerships, and the ethical application of scalable technologies across sectors including public health, civic engagement, and enterprise systems. His work emphasizes responsible innovation, privacyaware data use, and interdisciplinary collaboration to translate cuttingedge technical concepts into tools that address realworld challenges in data ownership and digital infrastructure. Prior to founding Snickerdoodle, Padilla was Head of Blockchain Strategy at PayPal and served as CoFounder and Deputy Director of Stanford’s Future of Digital Currency Initiative, where he contributed to regulatory research and digital currency strategy.  

Padilla holds an A.B. in Government from Harvard College, a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) from Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government, and a Master’s in Economics and Management from Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar, where he wrote a thesis on blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation. His academic foundation in public policy and economics informs his approach to innovation and leadership in technology, with a focus on how digital systems can be shaped to ensure equitable access, data sovereignty, and societal benefit for diverse communities.