Joan Blades

Joan Blades is a co-founder of LivingRoomconversations.org, an open source effort to rebuild respectful civil discourse across ideological, cultural and party lines while embracing our core-shared values. As a co-founder of MoveOn.org Joan has had a prolonged look at the dysfunction of partisan behaviors and believes we must and can do better. Through MoveOn she has also seen the good will, intelligence and power of citizens. Living Room Conversations’ intimate structured conversation format does not require a facilitator so that there is not barrier to massive use. The intent is to offer citizens a powerful tool to rebuild respectful relationships and identify common ground. Mother’s Day 2006 Joan co-founded MomsRising.org with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner to tap the power of online grassroots organizing for mothers and families in the U.S.A. Joan and Kristin co-wrote The Motherhood Manifesto which won the Ernesta Drinker Ballard Book Prize in 2007. Because work practices that are good for mothers are in fact good for the whole work force Joan and Nanette Fondas co-wrote The Custom-Fit Workplace winner of a Nautilus book award in 2011.

Last century Joan was a software entrepreneur, a co-founder of Berkeley Systems - best known for the flying toaster and game You Don’t Know Jack. A mediator (attorney) by training and inclination, she is a nature lover, artist and true believer in the power of citizens and our need to rebuild respectful civil discourse while embracing our core shared values.