About us

Open & Free Research & Community Programs

Improving Lives Through the Power of Accessible & Inclusive Role-Playing Games

Our Roots Begin in 1977

RPG Research is a 501(c)3 non-profit research and human services charitable organization, that is 100% volunteer-run, studying the effects of all role-playing game formats and their potential to improve lives around the world. This includes tabletop, live-action, electronic, and hybrid formats.

Beginning with our founder, our roots with role-playing games  go back to 1977 ,  researching  their effects of all RPG formats since 1983, using RPGs for  educational  goals since 1985, with incarcerated populations since 1989, and in  therapeutic  settings since 2004.

In 2018 we had only 10 regular RPG Research staff volunteers (not counting the thousands of other volunteers over the years when partnering with many other organizations). 

As of November 2020 we are nearing 150 volunteers!

Our  volunteers span 5 continents , and come from very diverse backgrounds and demographics.

Join our Discord Chatroom:  https://discord.gg/u8fqtVg

Our Team



  |  Donate  |  Volunteer  |  Mission  |  Vision  |  Impact  |  Events

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR PROJECTS

RPG Research is working many areas, and due to our research and community programs, this list of new projects is changing constantly.

See our latest News & Blog updates.

Here is an overview of some of our key projects you may find interesting:

  • American Sign Language (ASL) study groups and RPG groups

  • Accessibility advocacy and programs

  • Advocacy public awareness about gaming

  • Assessment tools research and development

  • Brain-Computer Interface Electronic Role-Playing Game opensource development

  • Broadcasts on Youtube, Twitch, and elsewhere (many per week)

  • Conventions and special events

  • Drop In and RPG community programs

  • Fundraising events for other organizations

  • Game tier analysis and listings

  • Professional standards research and development

  • Research repository

  • Research studies

  • Robotics accessibility programs for games

  • Role-Playing Game Museum

  • Safety standards research and development

  • TheFantasy.Network streaming media and live convention/events interactive community platform development

  • Training programs

  • Transcription programs

  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) research and programs

  • Wheelchair accessible RPG Bus and RPG Trailers USA RPG Tours


Our Team

Employee
Aaron Birdwell
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Adam Kantz
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Adina Rubin-Budick
Researcher
Employee
Ahmed Khalaf
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Aislynn Kenney
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Alexis Rounsville
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Alla Chernikov
Researcher
Employee
Alliah Spottedblanket
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Alyssa Marylee Heflin
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Andrew Messersmith
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Angela Kraker
Researcher
Employee
Anna Ryburn
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Autumn Asay
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Bill Rounsville
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Blake Rose
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Brad Kane
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Brandon Allen
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Brandon Roan
RPG Advocate 1
Employee
Brennan Robinson
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Brian Huseland
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Brooke Lively
Board of Directors: Vice-Chair
Employee
Charles (Charlie) Loyd
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Chelsea Swigert-Lenarz
Researcher
Employee
Chris Hare
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Dakota Brown
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Damean Galloway
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Daniel (Dan) Ivey
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Daniel Zanatta de Aguiar
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Daniela Steierer
Researcher
Employee
Danielle Whitworth
Executive Staff: Secretary
Employee
Dario Gerussi
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
David Griffith
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
David Jeffs
Researcher
Employee
David Perlman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Dennis Grankin
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Derick DeCamp
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Dillon King
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Dinah Lankerovich
Visual Artist
Employee
Doug McCord
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Drake Robinson
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Emily Messina
Board of Directors Member
Employee
Erik Mitchell
Research Assistant 1
Employee
Evgenia Diakonenko
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Evgenia Diakonenko
Employee
Frank Decapio
RPG Advocate 1
Employee
Greg Derrick
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Hawke Robinson
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Founder, CEO, President, Researcher, GM 19. Washington State Registered Recreational Therapist
Employee
Heather Allison
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Hunter Savoy
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Ian Hunton
Researcher
Employee
Irvin Reynolds
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Jacob (Jake) Jones
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Janine Winfree
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Jay Steven Evans
Researcher
Employee
Jennifer Ravasia
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Jennifer Siegel
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Joe Koenen
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Joey Lanza
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
John Brandon
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
John H Degler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
John Pyro
Chatroom Moderator [Volunteer]
Employee
John Welker
Vice President
Employee
Jonathan Hook
Researcher
Employee
Jonathan Mendoza
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Jordan Klomp
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Joseph Kreindler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Josh Dawes
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Karla McCallum
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Kathleen (Kate) Hyatt
Project Manager
Employee
Katy Koenen
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Kristin Ziska Strange
Researcher
Employee
Kyle Schanz
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Lelia Woods
Visual Artist
Employee
Lillian Ragudo
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Luke Gebbink
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Mark Gallicchio
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Mark Poshepny
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Mark Poshepny
Employee
Marques Carr
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Matt Kimmel
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Matthias Payne
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Michael Berquam
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Michael Shoemaker
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Mike Darga
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Minako Polat
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Mona Matsuda
Administrative Assistant [Volunteer] for Charitable Non-profit Organization
Employee
Mátyás Hartyándi (Matyas)
Researcher
Employee
Natalia Welzenbach-Marcu
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Nathan Harris
Visual Artist
Employee
Nicholas Limbaugh
Game Facilitator 1
Employee
Nicole Black
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Nicole Hudson
Researcher
Employee
Niklas Anderson
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Employee
Omar Edrees
Researcher
Employee
Phillip M Lewis
ASL GM I - Game Master: American Sign Language, Volunteer, Trainee
Employee
Rachel Brubaker
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Rafe Taylor
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Ryan Allison
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Ryan Grau
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Ryley Ourada
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Samuel Barrett
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Shane Dean
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Sudarsini Tekkam
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Tamra Koopsen
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Tashina Robinson
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Terrance MacMullan
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Tim Noye
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Timothy Chism
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Tonie Clemons
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Trent Dean
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Trevor Troxel
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Valerie Krepel
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Veronica Maria Felipe
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Victoria Jesswein
Researcher
Employee
Wesley Brown
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Wesley Brown
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Woody Harris
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Yostina Soliman
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Yostina Soliman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Zach Shallbetter
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Employee
Zak Barba
eRPG Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer 1 [Volunteer]