About Rootwork and Ivan Boothe

Rootwork powers grassroots networks from the bottom up. We help you build a vibrant online social movement grounded in real-world change and grassroots empowerment. More about Rootwork’s services.

Rootwork's creative director is Ivan Boothe, who has experience in three interlocking areas:

• A developer and leader in using technology for social change.
• An activist with experience in social justice movements.
  
• An artist and designer with an eye toward effective presentation.

Ivan is a respected leader on using technology for social change.

Ivan is the co-organizer of NetSquared Philadelphia, part of a national NetSquared organization focusing on the intersection of nonprofits and social technology. Ivan's proposals for the Genocide Intervention Network were featured projects, nominated for awards at the 2007 and 2008 NetSquared Conferences. Ivan was a change.org Featured Changemaker in August 2008.

A web developer for 15 years, Ivan is continually exploring the possibilities of online organizing and social networking for social change. He has been a featured speaker at the New Organizing Institute, the Internet Advocacy Roundtable, NetSquared Philadelphia, NetSquared Washington D.C., Democracy in Action and the Web Executive Seminar. He was recently interviewed for the Case Foundation's study of social entrepreneurship, "Social Citizens."

Ivan authored a chapter in the textbook Online Social Networking, and his writing on technology and social change has been published at Idealware. His technical skills include semantic, standards-compliant and accessible XHTML and CSS, as well as extensive work with the WordPress and Drupal content-management systems — including membership in the Drupal Association — and the Democracy in Action and CiviCRM platforms.

Ivan has experience working in social change movements.

Ivan graduated with highest honors in peace and conflict studies from Swarthmore College, and wrote a thesis and collaborated on an article about third-party nonviolent intervention. He was one of the founding members of the Genocide Intervention Network, a client of Rootwork.

Ivan is an experienced social change organizer, and has been trained in a series of intensive workshops led by Training for Change in the fields of experiential education, nonviolent social action, social change strategy and anti-oppression work.

A member of the Peace and Justice Studies Association, he presented a paper on radical nonviolent responses to genocide at the 2008 PJSA conference. Ivan also worked with a group in college that began a nationwide campaign of electronic civil disobedience against the electronic voting machine manufacturer Diebold. Other social change organizations Ivan has participated in include Soulforce, Philadelphia Students for a Democratic Society, Pendle Hill Peace Network and Unite for Peace.

Ivan is an artist with a background in journalism and communications.

In addition to his technical skills, Ivan is an experienced artist and graphic designer. At the Genocide Intervention Network, he served as the director of communications for the first year and a half of the organization's existence, writing press releases and pursuing earned media for the anti-genocide movement. Following this, he served for more than a year as the Internet strategy coordinator, optimizing the website for maximum effectiveness and exposure. Internships at The Atlantic Monthly and the Philadelphia Weekly and four years of news editing at his college newspaper instilled a love of clear, concise, correct language and a practical knowledge of AP style.

Ivan's personal blog, poetry and artwork can be found at QuixoticLife.net.