# Ben Rattray

> Ben Rattray is the founder and Executive Chair of Change.org, the world's largest platform for social change. He started it in 2007 with a borrowed $1,000 after his brother's coming-out reframed how he thought about bystanders and responsibility. What began as a social network for activists became a petition engine that has grown to hundreds of millions of users worldwide, turning ordinary signatures into pressure on corporations and governments. Named to TIME's 100 Most Influential People and Fortune's 40 Under 40, Rattray has spent his career trying to shift the balance of power between individuals and large institutions.

- **Role:** Founder & Executive Chair at Change.org
- **Organizations:** Change.org
- **From:** Santa Barbara, California, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High school, Dos Pueblos High School, Political science and economics, Stanford University, Master's degree, London School of Economics (LSE)
- **Known for:** Founded Change.org, the world's largest platform for social change, Named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2012), Listed in Fortune's 40 Under 40 (2012)

## Career timeline

- **2002** — Graduated from Stanford University in political science and economics
- **2003** — Completed a master's degree at the London School of Economics
- **2005** — Inspired by the emergence of Facebook to use technology for social change
- **2007** — Founded Change.org from his home at age 26 with about $1,000 borrowed from friends and family
- **2011** — Change.org pivoted into a dedicated online petition platform
- **2012** — Named to TIME 100 and Fortune's 40 Under 40
- **2013** — Secured a $15M investment from Omidyar Network; staff grew to 170 across 18 countries
- **2014** — Received the Commonwealth Club of California's 21st Century Visionary Award
- **2026** — Continues as Founder and Executive Chair of Change.org

## Achievements

- Founded Change.org, the world's largest platform for social change
- Named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2012)
- Listed in Fortune's 40 Under 40 (2012)
- Received the Commonwealth Club of California's 21st Century Visionary Award (2014)
- Grew Change.org to hundreds of millions of users across dozens of countries

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Change.org reports a user base in the hundreds of millions as Rattray continues as Founder and Executive Chair.

## Links

- Website: https://change.org
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/benrattray
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/benrattray

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ben-rattray
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-14