Joan Blades is the co-founder of MoveOn.org, a political action web site dedicated to promoting broad public participation in political discourse. During its anti-impeachment campaign, MoveOn.org garnered 500,000 online supporters, 8000 active volunteers, and generated more than 2 million communications to Congress. Going beyond "virtual" action, MoveOn.org organized hundreds of local events across the nation and a get-out-the-vote drive that reached 4 million people on the day before the 1998 election. Through MoveOn.org, citizens contributed more than $2 million to year 2000 congressional candidates. Following the election has helped members be heard on the issues of campaign finance reform, environmental protection and tax reform.

Ms. Blades is a software industry veteran, having co-founded a leading entertainment software company, Berkeley Systems. Berkeley Systems is best known for Flying Toaster screen savers, and You Don't Know Jack, an online game show.

Prior to her work in consumer software, Ms. Blades taught mediation at Golden Gate Law School, wrote a book on Divorce Mediation published by Prentice Hall, and practiced mediation.

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