Ben Rattray

Ben Rattray
David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	Ben Rattray
Birth date	1976
Birth place	San Diego, California, United States
Education	University of Southern California (B.S.)
Occupation	Entrepreneur, activist, founder
Known for	Founder and former CEO of Change.org

Ben Rattray is an American entrepreneur and activist best known as the founder and former chief executive officer of Change.org. He established the platform to provide an online venue for civic engagement, petitioning, and grassroots organizing, growing it into a global site used by individuals, nonprofits, and public figures. Rattray's work intersects with prominent actors across technology, philanthropy, media, and politics, and he has been associated with debates about digital activism, platform governance, and nonprofit management.

Early life and education

Rattray was born in San Diego, California and raised in a period influenced by the rise of the internet and Silicon Valley culture centered in Palo Alto, California and Menlo Park, California. He attended secondary school in the San Diego County area before enrolling at the University of Southern California, where he studied and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. During his time as a student he encountered contemporary movements and organizations such as MoveOn.org, AARP, Planned Parenthood, and American Civil Liberties Union which shaped his early interest in civic technology, nonprofit organizing, and the intersection of media and social change. Influences from figures and institutions like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Arianna Huffington, and The New York Times informed his understanding of communication, entrepreneurship, and public engagement.

Career and founding of Change.org

Before founding his signature platform, Rattray worked in roles that connected technology, policy, and social causes, engaging with organizations such as Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Netscape, and campaign groups modeled on ActBlue and MoveOn.org Political Action Committee. In 2007 he founded the site originally conceived as a community for social entrepreneurs and activists, modeled in conversation with digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, and civic tools used by Barack Obama's 2008 campaign. Under his leadership, the site evolved into a petitioning platform that bridged individual activists, nonprofits such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and ACLU, and institutions including United Nations agencies. The platform's development reflected trends in startup financing seen at firms like Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Kleiner Perkins while navigating regulatory and public debates involving entities like Federal Trade Commission and media outlets such as The Washington Post.

Advocacy impact and notable campaigns

Change.org, while Rattray was CEO, hosted campaigns that drew attention from prominent public figures and institutions including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Pope Francis, and celebrities like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and George Clooney. High-profile petitions generated policy and corporate responses from organizations such as Walmart, Google, Facebook, and Uber and influenced decisions at municipal and national levels involving authorities in London, New York City, and Washington, D.C.. Campaigns on the platform intersected with movements led by groups like Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Fridays for Future, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and catalyzed media coverage by CNN, BBC, The Guardian, and The New Yorker. The platform also facilitated petitions related to legal cases in jurisdictions under courts such as the Supreme Court of the United States and governance debates in legislatures like the United States Congress and the European Parliament.

Business leadership and funding

As CEO, Rattray guided Change.org through periods of venture funding, revenue experimentation, and international expansion, engaging with investors and partners similar to those involved with startups such as Airbnb, Uber, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Funding and advisory relationships reflected connections to philanthropic networks like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and individual philanthropists in technology and media spheres including Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk in public discourse about tech funding. The organization pursued monetization strategies while maintaining ties to nonprofit actors such as The Rockefeller Foundation and corporate partners including Amazon and Microsoft. Rattray navigated organizational governance and board structures akin to those at hybrid entities seen in Mozilla Foundation and other mission-driven businesses, and faced scrutiny typical of high-profile startups over compensation, transparency, and impact metrics reported in outlets like Forbes and The Wall Street Journal.

Awards, recognition, and public profile

Rattray received recognition from business and civic institutions, appearing in lists and awards from organizations such as Time (magazine), Forbes, Financial Times, and Fast Company. He was invited to speak at conferences and forums including TED, SXSW, Web Summit, and panels hosted by academic institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and University of Oxford. Media profiles and interviews in publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Wired (magazine) chronicled his role in shaping digital activism. His public profile placed him in discussion alongside other tech founders and civic leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, and Jeff Bezos.

Personal life and philanthropy

Rattray has participated in philanthropic and civic initiatives collaborating with organizations including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and arts and education groups associated with institutions like Los Angeles Philharmonic and Smithsonian Institution. He has been involved in mentorship and advisory roles for startups and nonprofits connected to incubators and accelerators such as Y Combinator, Techstars, and university entrepreneurship centers at USC and Stanford. Rattray's personal interests and civic commitments placed him in networks of contemporary philanthropists and civic technologists including Jacqueline Novogratz, Van Jones, and Sheryl Sandberg.

Category:American entrepreneurs Category:People from San Diego, California