Our Team

Home • Our Team
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Andrea Childs

CEO

Andrea Childs

Andrea is the founding CEO of Fortitude Mining and has been active in the bitcoin mining industry since 2018.

Before Fortitude Mining’s spin-off, Andrea joined Foundry in January 2020 as its second employee. There, she played a pivotal role in developing the mining, operations, and marketing functions. Over the past six years, Andrea has cultivated deep expertise in the mining sector and established strong connections with key industry players.

Before entering the digital asset space, Andrea began her career as a chemist and spent a significant part of her career at a scientific distribution company in product development, product and category management, and brand manager roles. She holds a master’s degree in chemistry and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky.

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Maya Sethi

VP, Head of Legal

Maya Sethi

Maya is an experienced attorney who has spent almost twenty years developing her legal expertise and assisting organizations to solve complex problems.  She has served in both private practice and in a general counsel role and worked in a number of heavily regulated industries. She began her legal career as a litigator for two different Boston area law firms, primarily defending clients in commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense matters. 

Following her law firm experience, she spent three years as Litigation Counsel (in-house) with Hospital Corporation of America, the country’s largest for-profit health care management system, before joining Rocketship Education, a national nonprofit network of charter schools.  After starting as Assistant General Counsel, she became General Counsel and served at Rocketship for more than seven years.  While at Rocketship, Maya successfully navigated many local, state and federal regulatory challenges and operational issues. 

Her most recent experience has been back in private practice, where Maya assisted both non-profit and for-profit clients with various needs, including corporate and non-profit incorporation formation, corporate governance challeneges and complicated employee matters.  

Maya’s diverse background is a tremendous resource for Fortitude, offering the perspective of a seasoned litigator, business executive, and nonprofit leader.   In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family (husband, two children and their two dogs), exercising, and investing in crypto.

She holds a JD from Boston University School of Law and a BA from Wellesley College. 

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Kevin Russell

Director of Operations

Kevin Russell

Kevin oversees Mining Operations for Fortitude Mining and is responsible for maintaining uptime of the miner fleet. Through analysis of performance metrics, electrical capacity maximization, process development, and implementation of miner management software, we strive for peak efficiency. Previous technical roles in the renewable energy industry provide a solid foundation for his work in the crypto space.
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Ryan Walpole

Finance & Accounting Manager

Ryan Walpole

Ryan joins Fortitude Mining as a Senior Accounting Analyst following his 2.5 year tenure with Foundry. He is responsible for the accounting and financial analysis to ensure the success of the mining operation. Ryan obtained his bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Miami’s Herbert Business School in 2021.  It was during his studies that discovered his interest in cryptocurrency and his desire to help transform the future of the financial industry.  In his free time, Ryan enjoys golfing, traveling, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.
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Jackie Wambach

Senior Accounting Manager

Jackie Wambach

Jackie oversees daily financial activity – cash flow, banking, and custody of assets. Jackie got her start in crypto at Foundry, a digital asset infrastructure company and home to the world’s #1 Bitcoin mining pool, where she closely supported the CFO and other key internal and external stakeholders. Previously, Jackie held versatile finance and banking roles, supporting the motor racing, health care, scientific research, and commercial real estate industries. She began her career as an Accountant at the University of Rochester. Jackie is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester.
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Joel Shoemaker

Fleet Agent

Joel Shoemaker

Joel is an experienced Mining Technician, having worked in the space since 2017. He is responsible for the maintenance and performance of mining equipment on a day-to-day basis. Prior to his work with Fortitude, Joel worked for four years at SavageIO, a small miner hosting facility in Rochester, New York, where he assisted with the build-out and management of three separate mining facilities.
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Tong Vang

Fleet Agent

Tong Wong

Tong has worked in cryptocurrency for 3+ years, focusing on maximizing miners’ uptime and ensuring smooth fleet logistics. Tong is critical to the team’s overall success, optimizing operations, and staying attuned to the dynamic and evolving cryptocurrency landscape. Tong’s goals include continuously improving operational efficiency and staying ahead of technological advancements.
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Rebecca Smith

Accounting Analyst

Rebecca Smith

Rebecca joined Foundry as an Accounting Analyst in May 2024, and is excited about bringing this valuable experience with her to the Fortitude Mining team. She graduated from SUNY Brockport in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has gained considerable experience working in the field since then. In 2017, Rebecca first discovered cryptocurrency and became excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growing industry. Rebecca is dedicated to providing accurate and timely financial solutions that support business success. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, and listening to music.
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Lindsay Ciccoricco

Executive Business Partner

Lindsay Ciccoricco

Lindsay joined Fortitude in February 2025 as an Executive Business Partner. She began her career in education, but over the past 11 years has found her passion in roles that encompass finance, administrative, and operations for growing companies. Her most recent experience working at a software development company as a Finance and Administrative Manager. Lindsay’s diverse skill set, and adaptability is a great resource for Fortitude. In her spare time, you’ll find Lindsay trying out new restaurants, watching the newest movie release, or hiking, that’s if she’s not curled up with a good book.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Simon Koster

Fortitude Board Member

Simon Koster

Simon Koster is the Chief Strategy Officer at DCG, the most active investor and incubator in blockchain, digital assets, and other decentralized technologies. As CSO, Simon leads the investment team, managing the portfolio comprised of digital assets, wholly owned subsidiaries (Grayscale, Foundry, and Luno), and more than 250+ companies early stage companies in over 35 nations across the world. Prior to his current role, Simon was the CEO of Real Estate at DCG, spearheading both internal and external real estate ventures. Previously, he served as CEO of The Collective and brings a decade of real estate experience from JDS Development Group, where he was instrumental in the acquisition and development of top-tier residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in New York City and Miami. He is a graduate of Rutgers University (B.S.) and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan.
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Andrea Childs

CEO, Board Member

Andrea Childs

Andrea is the founding CEO of Fortitude Mining and has been active in the bitcoin mining industry since 2018.

Before Fortitude Mining’s spin-off, Andrea joined Foundry in January 2020 as its second employee. There, she played a pivotal role in developing the mining, operations, and marketing functions. Over the past six years, Andrea has cultivated deep expertise in the mining sector and established strong connections with key industry players.

Before entering the digital asset space, Andrea began her career as a chemist and spent a significant part of her career at a scientific distribution company in product development, product and category management, and brand manager roles. She holds a master’s degree in chemistry and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky.

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