Meet The Team

Gabriella Rudnick

Gabriella Rudnick

Hayley Gigliotti

Hayley Gigliotti



Gabriella Rudnick

CO-FOUNDER | CEO

Inspired by great storytelling and creative problem-solving through innovation. Gabriella Rudnick is a versatile professional with a passion for startups and innovation. She has gained valuable experience in business development, marketing, and team management across a range of roles including at three startups. Gabriella is passionate about the power of travel and connection and is on a mission to make it more accessible for everyone.

Hayley Gigliotti

CO-FOUNDER | COO & DIRECTOR OF USER EXPERIENCE

Inspired by cultural exchange and cultural fluency. Hayley Gigliotti has worked closely with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh as an International Affairs Apprentice and World Affairs Councils Global Travel Scholar. She has studied in India, Ecuador, and Mexico. Hayley was also an Au Pair in Barcelona. Hayley guides Swipe Sonder along a pathway toward creating a sustainable global village.

Want to join the team? Contact rudnickgabriella@gmail.com

Founding Story

Founding Story

We were random roommates freshman year of college at Temple University and travel truly brought us together. We wanted to explore and become a ‘local’ in every new destination when traveling, even if it was just for a weekend. But the most memorable and special parts of every trip we took were the people met along the way. In searching for ways to meet people while traveling, dating apps became the solution used by the masses. Our matches would lead us on a star-lit tour around Chicago, access to private beaches in Puerto Rico, and a boat trip to Barcelona. However, using dating apps to search for platonic connections led to some obvious misconceptions and a few precarious situations. We realized there was a gap in the young travelers market. So we created a platform for travelers—specifically those who may be more vulnerable to violence (such as women, POC, and the LGBTQIA+ community) to create meaningful connections with locals and other travelers alike. A platform that provides advanced safety features while uniting people of different cultures and allowing travelers to explore new places in ways they never could before—re-imagining travel.