Holly Kearl

About Holly Kearl

I have spent 20 years addressing issues that impact marginalized persons around the world, especially women and girls, and elevating their voices.I\'ve worked for entities like UN Women, the National Women’s History Museum, AAUW, and The Op-Ed Project on programming that promotes equity and safety for women and girls and/or showcases their stories and experiences.Recently, in my role for over 10 years as community manager for the Aspen Institute’s AGI department, I mentored development experts in Asia, Africa and Latin America and helped them share their expertise and stories with the world, including through over 1,200 op-eds and personal essays.Currently, I\'m working as a communications consultant for a PhD program in public health at GMU and is looking for additional work, especially after the role ends in spring 2026.I am most known for her work on ending gender-based violence, particularly street harassment. I am the author of three books and four national studies on street harassment and/or sexual harassment. I\'ve written 100 op-eds, given over 350 media interviews and over 150 talks on these issues. I am the founder of the nonprofit organization Stop Street Harassment and of International Anti-Street Harassment Week. I have extensive experience as an advisor and consultant, including for UN Women’s Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces programme, USAID, Lyft, Google, Runner’s World and WMATA. In 2018, Ms. Magazine included me on a list of 100 of the “most pathbreaking, important and widely read feminist scholars and activists.” Since becoming a mother to a child born with rare diseases in 2018, I have scaled back my street harassment activism but have written several pieces on rare disease parenting, served on advisory groups and volunteered with organizations working to address my child’s health conditions.

Experience

1. Founder

   Stop Street Harassment

   May 2008 — Present

   Stop Street Harassment (SSH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending gender-based street harassment worldwide.International and National Resource:o Since SSH launched as a website in 2008, it’s had nearly 2 million visitors. It is the go-to site for information and resources on street harassment. I have managed the site since its inception. National Research: o SSH worked with the national surveying firm GfK to conduct a national study on street harassment. The report about the study, which I designed and authored, was released in June 2014. It’s received hundreds of media hits and is used by government entities, academics, and more. o In 2018, SSH worked again with GfK to conduct a national study on sexual harassment in light of the #MeToo Movement, in partnership with Raliance and UC San Diego. It is the first survey of its kind to track all types of sexual harassment nationally, in all locations. I designed and oversaw the survey process and authored the report that was released in February 2018. It has been covered by outlets ranging from New York Times to USA Today.o Currently, I am leading an effort with UCSD, Raliance/CALCASA and Promundo-US on an update to the 2018 national sexual harassment survey. The instrument went into the field in mid-February 2019. DC-Area Transit Efforts: o Since 2012, SSH has collaborated with the Washington, D.C. transportation authority WMATA to address sexual harassment. This entails PSAs on the system, annual outreach days, system-wide surveys and more.National Hotline: o In 2016, SSH began partnering with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to launch the first-ever national street harassment helpline in the USA. It serves an average of 30 to 50 persons per month. Global Organizing: o I mobilize thousands of groups and individuals in up to 40 countries annually as they speak out against street harassment during International Anti-Street Harassment Week (which I founded in 2011).

Education

• Santa Clara University

  BA, History and Women/Gender Studies

  2001 — 2005

• The George Washington University

  MA, Public Policy/Women's Studies

  2005 — 2007

Skills

• Social Networking
• New Media
• Strategic Communications
• Volunteer Management
• Training
• Politics
• Social Media
• Program Management
• Event Planning
• Nonprofits
• Leadership
• Policy Analysis
• Community Organizing
• Program Development
• Grassroots Organizing
• Research
• Newsletters
• Event Management
• Creative Writing
• Community Outreach
• Community Development
• Non-Profits
• Media Relations
• Marketing Communications
• Facebook
• Blogging
• Editing
• Wordpress
• Public Policy
• Public Speaking