@Rabble
Evan Henshaw-Plath
Product & Engineering
Innovation to change the world.
I'm Rabble, Evan Henshaw-Plath, an activist and technologist passionate about building commons-based social media apps that prioritize equity and sustainability. With experience in developing platforms like Twitter, I've explored innovative digital spaces through projects like Planetary on Scuttlebutt and nos.social on Nostr.
Here, you'll find insights into my work and thoughts on creating digital public spaces that foster genuine community engagement, innovation, and sustainability. Join me in redefining the digital landscape and cultivating the utopian energy of new communities.
I'm building a social media future created, run, and sustained by the communities of users through my work at Verse Communications, a public benefit corporation.
About Me
I'm a proven innovator who can take projects from a need through discovery, validation, design, development, and release.
From startups and open source social justice projects through work with the biggest companies, my experience shows me how to build digital products that work and meet the needs of users.
Innovation work is messy and it takes somebody who is comfortable with that while creating a path forward for a team.
Learn MoreI'm looking for meaningful projects which have an impact on the world. Let's build tools that matter, that make people's live better, that are transformative in empowering people to change their communities and the world.
The idea of what to create is the easy part. What I do is figure out what should be created and then make it happen. I take a project from the initial evaluation of the space through users and running code.
Learn More
Testimonials
“Evan is a capable manager well versed both in the technical side of software development and in the logistic "kung fu" involved in setting up a new branch in a developing nation on another continent.”
“Rabble is a giant among hackers. His was the final word at Odeo in terms of any technical issue or solution. I'd be honored to work with him again.”
"Working with Rabble was a daily lesson in open source technology and hacking. He would constantly amaze me with his innovative ideas and commitment to creating social software that unites people and allows them to express themselves. It would be an honor to work with Rabble again."
"I knew Evan back at the beginning of his career. As a leader in a venture development company working closely with start-ups it was clear even then that I should do my best to keep hold of his coat tails. He clearly had even then unusually sharp insights into the interplay between humans and computers."
"A un grandulón un poco friki que recorre los jardines de su universidad, con mil proyectos en la cabeza y todo el futuro por delante."
Experience
2018 - Present
Verse Public Benefit Corp
Co-founded, raised money, and ran Verse, a decentralized social media app to put users back in control. Verse builds apps including planetary.social and nos.social providing users with privacy and an open network as an alternative to facebook and twitter
CEO & Co-Founder
2017 - 2018
Quantstamp
At magnum periculum adiit in quo enim inter argumentum conclusionemque rationis et dolorum. Censes aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur.
VP of Engineering
2016 - 2017
Affinity.works
Affinity is an open source platform for organizing networks of grassroots volunteers. Used many grassroots groups including chapters of Sister District & Indivisible.
CTO & Co-Founder
2015 - 2016
MIT Media Lab
Researcher in the Center for Civic Media, with a focus on product innovation and sustainable healthy social media ecosystems. Co-taught
CMS.362 / CMS.862 a collaborative design studio with a focus on platform coops.
Research Affiliate
2012 - 2015
Digital Garage - Neo
Founded and ran engineering for Digital Garage's lean and agile product innovation professional services company.
Managed 7 offices in 4 countries with over 100 developers and designers. Grew revenue from zero to $15M annual. Clients included Fidelity, ICANN, GE, Govt of Singapore, etc...
Neo was acquired by Pivotal in 2016.
CTO
2008 - 2012
Cubox
Founded and ran a professional services business for nearshore agile software development company based in Montevideo, Uruguay. Work included running Uruguay's first coworking space, CoworkingMVD and Ruby Conf Uruguay. Grew team from zero to 17 developers, clients included Marqueta, Sprintly, and Public Library of Science.
CTO
2008 - 2012
Yahoo! Brickhouse
Architect and technical lead at Yahoo's new product innovation lab founded by Catarina Fake and Bradley Horowitz. Lead Yahoo's adoption of oAuth, built yahoo's support for Ruby development, and was architect on the
Fire Eagle privacy preserving location sharing product.
Software Architect
2004 - 2006
Odeo / Twitter
Lead engineering and architecture for Odeo. Hired and lead the engineering team from November 2004 through the pivot from podcasting to the creation and launch of Twitter in 2006. In collaboration with researchers at MIT created the TXTmob prototypes used as a model for twitter and hired Jack Dorsey.
Lead Engineer / 1st Employee
1999 - 2004
Indymedia
Co-founded the technology group, coordinated network governance, and developed software of the open source media activist network. Indymedia grew from Seattle in 1999 to over 180 local chapters around the world providing tools and organization for social movements to tell their own stories. Provided on the ground work to setup new chapters, build out computer labs, and create open media labs in a dozen countries. Nominated for the Webby for best news site.
Instigator & Technologist
2000 - 2000
Palm / Anyday.com
Lead public calendar software development efforts for anyday.com. Transitioned metaevents product to offshore develoment team in easter europe.
Senior Software Developer
1998 - 2000
MetaEvents
Built, fundraised for, and managed metaevents, a public events calendar and scheduling tool used by universities and nightlife venues. Sold in 2000 to Anyday.com
Founder & CTO
Let's build the future together!
Software is the build environment of our society. We are architects of the future human environment. It's a tremendous power and responsibility.
