Julia Kaplan started Recess during a year that shook her world—personally and professionally. A year into the pandemic, she could feel that meaningful human connection—the key to great teams—was slipping away, and at the same time, was grieving the sudden loss of her brother, which left her feeling totally disconnected from purpose at work.

Sitting through meetings with coworkers she’d never met in real life, she started reflecting on what had made her feel happy and engaged during her first decade in the workforce. The answer was simple: workplace friendships. So in 2021, Julia Kaplan started planning company retreats, and found the work to be fun, productive, deeply affirming, just like the best days of camp, college, and work all tied into one. That experience sparked a bigger idea—what if more teams had access to this kind of connection?

Since 2022, Julia has been building a collective of facilitators, venue partners, experience designers, and culture builders who share these values (many from Uber, Warby Parker, Disney, WashU, Schodack, and Mamaroneck High School).

Today, Recess matches teams with the right facilitators, venues, and experiences from our curated network. We work with mission-, values-, and vibes-aligned teams who want more RECESS AT WORK!