About Us

Our Story

In 2014, over seventy young women in the YouTube community came forward with accounts of sexual and emotional abuse perpetrated by high-profile creators.

Many of these creators had large audiences and were deeply trusted, and the communities that surrounded these YouTubers were reeling. It was clear from the number, severity, and response to these accounts that this violence was an institutional issue that needed a long-term response.

Uplift presents the Safer Community Pledge

As traditional sexual violence frameworks provided little insight into this unique situation, YouCoalition was designed to provide resources, support, and education specifically tailored to communities fostered through the Internet.


Within its first year, YouCoalition became Uplift, with the broader goal of helping all Internet communities. Uplift expands upon the missions of traditional sexual violence movements, addressing the complexities that our virtual world add to instances of sexual and emotional abuse, especially within highly networked online communities.


3 Uplift volunteers smile in front of the uplift sign.

Senior Staff

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Joan Miller

Executive Director

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Christine Chapman

Programs Director

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Skye Walker

Communications Director

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Caitlin LeMay

Operations Director

Volunteers

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Ariel Duncan

Research Manager

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Marigrace Angelo

Video Manager

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Sarah Stephens

Conventions Team

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April Clare

Social Media Manager

Board

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Matt Maggiacomo

Former Executive Director for the Harry Potter Alliance.

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Sahitya Raja

Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Uplift. Now Women's Health Policy Analyst at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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Jennifer Dorsey

Co-Founder and former Communications Director of Uplift.

Advisory Council

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Melissa Anelli

New York Times bestselling author and the co-executive director of Mischief Management, the company that runs BroadwayCon, LeakyCon, GeekyCon, and Con of Thrones.

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Paul Degeorge

Co-founder of the Harry Potter Alliance and member of the band Harry and the Potters.

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Hank Green

CEO of Complexly, VidCon, co-founder of DFTBA Records and Crash Course, best known for the YouTube channel Vlogbrothers.

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John Green

CEO of Complexly, #1 best-selling author, and host and co-creator of Crash Course and Vlogbrothers.

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Kristina Horner

Community Manager for HoloLens and Mixed Reality at Microsoft and long-time YouTube content creator.

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Dr. Bridget Reigstad

Licensed Psychologist and Psychology Instructor.

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Rosianna Halse Rojas

YouTuber and Executive Assistant and VP of Development to John Green.