Welcome to The Impact, our blog series that spotlights thought leaders pioneering the software for social good ecosystem. At Benetech, we know that the social sector must embrace the power of software and data to realize positive, lasting impact at scale.
For the last five years, I’ve traveled around the world training human rights defenders to use technology to more securely collect, store, and share sensitive data. The individuals and groups I work with face serious and complex digital threats that are difficult to detect. Some are aware of such threats and have taken precautions, while others are just gaining awareness and starting their search for solutions. To get a sense of where a specific audience fits on this spectrum, I often introduce the digital threat conversation by asking the room: “Show of hands: who here has a sticker covering their webcam?”
Betsy Beaumon is a 2017 honoree of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Women of Influence award program that shines the spotlight on local businesswomen, community leaders, and philanthropists who are a force in the region.
Benetech’s Human Rights Program is focused on providing solutions to some of the world’s biggest and most complex challenges. An integral part to developing and implementing those solutions—and what has made us successful to date—is working hand-in-hand with a global community of human rights organizations and experts with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Benetech, the leading nonprofit empowering communities in need by creating scalable technology solutions, today announced the appointment of Kevin Lo and Jennifer McFarlane to its Board of Directors. Lo and McFarlane join amid rapid expansion of Benetech’s Global Literacy and Human Rights Programs in addition to increased investments in Benetech Labs to identify and scale the next big social impact technology.
