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Ben Rattray

b. 1980

American businessperson

Businessperson Change.org
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About Ben Rattray

Born 1980. Ben Rattray is an American businessperson and change.org.

Ben Rattray (born )

Rattray was named to the 2012 Time 100 list of influential people and Fortunes 2012 40 Under 40 list. In 2014, he received the Commonwealth Club of California's 21st Century Visionary Award.

Early life and education

Rattray was born in Santa Barbara, California, and attended Dos Pueblos High School, where he participated in athletics and was named homecoming king.

He attended Stanford University, where he studied political science and economics. Rattray initially planned to pursue a career in investment banking, but later became interested in social and political organizing. He has said that a conversation with one of his brothers about the challenges faced by gay people influenced his decision to focus on collective action.

Change.org

Rattray founded Change.org in 2007. The website initially operated as a social network focused on social activism. It was later reorganized as a platform for cause-related blogs before shifting its focus to online petitions in 2011.

Rattray has described the company's goal as changing "the balance of power between individuals and large organizations".

Change.org expanded rapidly during the early 2010s. In February 2012, Rattray said that more than 10,000 petitions were being created on the site each month and that the company's staff had grown from 20 to 100 employees during 2011.

In May 2013, Change.org announced a $15 million investment round led by Omidyar Network. At the time, the company reported more than 35 million users and 170 employees in 18 countries.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Stanford University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Dos Pueblos High School, London School of Economics
Awards
Commonwealth Club of California; Fortune (magazine); Time 100

People in Ben Rattray's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ben Rattray's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Ben Rattray?

American businessperson

When was Ben Rattray born?

Ben Rattray was born on 16 June 1980 in Santa Barbara.

What is Ben Rattray's occupation?

Ben Rattray is a businessperson and change.org.

What nationality is Ben Rattray?

Ben Rattray is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ben Rattray

· Wikidata: Q4886330

· DBpedia: Ben Rattray

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ben Rattray. https://biography.guide/ben-rattray/

MLA: "Ben Rattray." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ben-rattray/.

Chicago: "Ben Rattray." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ben-rattray/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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