|
Wednesday, March 04, 2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WELCOME TO CENTRL STATION |
|
|
|
Welcome to C/O Digest!
This month, we're excited to highlight Oana Olteanu, Managing Director & Founder of Motive Force, who is based right here at CENTRL North Waterfront. You'll also find local events happening around town and a thought-provoking read from The Guardian on the hidden workplace labor that often falls to women and what it means for burnout, equity, and culture.
We also want to recognize that March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the women who have shaped industries, strengthened communities, and changed the way we work. At CENTRL, we're proud to support a workspace where women leaders, founders, and changemakers have the resources and community they need to grow.
From our workspace to yours,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OUR APPRECIATION |
|
|
|
From the ideas they champion to the communities they help build, the women of CENTRL bring a creativity and care that makes this company better every day. We're proud to work alongside each of you, and grateful for everything you bring to this work and to each other. |
 |
 |
|
From left to right, top row to bottom row:
Ashley Petersen, CFO
Jelina Cortero, General Manager @ Sacramento
Carly Smith, General Manager @ Lake Oswego
Katherine Nevitt, General Manager @ Portland Pearl
Jolene Padgett, General Manager @ LA Marina Del Rey
Jazzmine Hall, General Manager @ SF North Waterfront
Carmen Leung, Area Sales Manager @ DTLA
Kaitee Quinn, General Manager @ Seattle Capitol Hill
Jemimah Burke, General Manager @ Portland West End
Danielle Cipriano, Director of Sales @ LA South Bay I & II
Prita Gopiram, General Manager @ DTLA
Tami Wood, Director of Operations
Tricia Knox, Community Associate @ Portland Metro
Annalie Dern, Community Associate @ Seattle Capitol Hill
Kim Brewer, Senior Accountant
Courtney Janes, General Manager @ LA South Bay II
Caitlyn Klein, Project Manager
Madison Stribling, Community Associate @ LA South Bay |
|
|
|
|
HAPPENINGS @ CENTRL |
|
|
|
Here's a look at what’s on the calendar this month at CENTRL. |
|
|
|
San Francisco - North Waterfront |
-
Mon Mar 2: Green Eggs & Morning Bites Breakfast Bar @10am
-
Mon Mar 9: Spring Forward Coffee & Energy Bar @10am
-
Tues Mar 17: Lucky to Work Here: St. Patrick's Treat Bar @2pm
-
Fri Mar 20: Spring Refresh Breakfast Social @10am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS IN SAN FRANCISCO |
|
|
 |
|
Here are some links to events happening around town this month, including Women History Month events, that we think are worth your time. |
|
|
|
|
|
This March, the Exploratorium celebrates WHM by highlighting the vital contributions of women to the field of mathematics—from the pioneering work of Ada Lovelace to the groundbreaking achievements of Maryam Mirzakhani, the first female Fields Medalist. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This juried exhibition at the San Francisco Women Artists gallery showcases artwork by local women creators, featuring a range of 2D and 3D pieces that celebrate creative expression and women’s voices in art, with a public reception highlighting selected works. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Come out for the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. The grand parade takes place on March 7, followed by a community street fair in Chinatown all weekend featuring lion dancers, traditional art, and (yes) food. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a high-level networking event at the Moscone Center designed for professionals and investors looking for strategic partnerships. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grab your green gear and join the city’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day party, hopping between bars, enjoying drink specials, DJs, and all the Irish‑inspired fun you can handle. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a major festival celebrating contemporary German and European cinema with screenings, premieres, and cultural programming across venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Connect with the women driving innovation in San Francisco’s tech scene! Whether you are a founder, an engineer, or an aspiring entrepreneur, come out to Upcider for an evening of high-impact networking and community building. |
|
|
|
|
|
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT |
|
|
 |
|
Oana Olteanu is the Managing Director and Founder of Motive Force, a pre-seed and seed investment firm backing founders with the internal drive to sustain momentum through uncertainty. Based here at our North Waterfront location, Oana brings a rare blend of technical fluency and investor instincts to the work of finding and supporting exceptional builders.
When she's not meeting with founders, she keeps an open door for engineers and entrepreneurs who want to talk design, beautiful software, and, notably, tanks.
What's Motive Force all about?
Motive Force is a pre-seed and seed investment firm dedicated to founders with high "motive force," the internal drive that sustains motion through uncertainty. We invest in "beautiful software," where code architecture mirrors user intent so cleanly that complexity disappears.
What's the mission?
Our mission is to replace social signaling with craft, investing in software designed to amplify human agency in unprecedented ways.
How did you get into venture capital?
Truthfully, I got into VC to secure my Green Card. But my time at a top-tier firm revealed a beautiful marriage between my technical roots in Computer Science and the humbling work of being in service of entrepreneurs.
What works for you about CENTRL?
The location is ideal for walks with founders. There's a lot of greenery on Telegraph Hill, and Butter & Crumble, the best bakery, is five minutes away. I love the interior design; people pay attention to detail. The people are great, and bonus points for the cuddly office dog.
Any books or media that have inspired your work?
The Art of Atari by Tim Lapetino.
Follow Oana Online
Website: motiveforce.ai
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/olteanuoana
X: @oanaolt |
|
|
|
|
WORKING BETTER |
|
|
 |
|
In Do You Have a Competence Hangover?, Emma Beddington examines the often invisible labor women take on in the workplace, from emotional management to extra administrative tasks, and how consistently being the “competent one” can quietly lead to burnout.
We think it's a sharp, relatable look at how expectations still fall unevenly at work, and why meaningful cultural change starts with recognizing and redistributing that hidden labor.
Read more → |
|
|
|
|
REFER A FRIEND |
|
|
|
Love CENTRL? Tell your friends! Refer a friend and they'll get a free week trial of our FLEX Plus membership and you'll get a referral credit for your introduction!
Please send any questions or referrals to work@centrloffice.com.
|
|
|
|
|
THAT'S A WRAP! |
|
|
 |
|
You made it!
Spring is here, and so is the community we're building together. If you've got thoughts or feedback, hit "Reply" anytime. We always want to hear from you.
See you around the space! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're here for you! Send us a note about anything and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. |
|
|
| ASK A QUESTION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
