About MyOwn

My Own Image is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent technology-facilitated sexual violence and inform public understanding and societal responses to these crimes. The damage caused by these crimes is profound, with devastating effects on victims' mental health, careers, and relationships, leaving a lasting impact that forever changes their lives.

Despite growing awareness of these abuses, systemic challenges persist, including gaps in legal frameworks and societal norms that often dismiss or trivialize online violence. Addressing this pervasive and rapidly growing problem demands a holistic approach that centers the voices and experiences of all stakeholders (including those who have done harm), while simultaneously holding digital platforms, policymakers, and society as a whole accountable for fostering safer and more inclusive online spaces.

MyOwn Image is working to address these problems through: community outreach and public education campaigns which include resources for the media, robust survivor support programs, and working with policymakers to develop and enact comprehensive state legislation.

Susanna Gibson is a Nurse Practitioner and the 2023 Democratic nominee for the 57th district in the Virginia House of Delegates, who endured a devastating ordeal towards the end of her campaign that began with learning from legacy media reporters that her private moments with her husband had been illegally recorded and circulated on dark web pornography sites without her knowledge or consent. Political adversaries found these illegal recordings and then distributed them to multiple news outlets aiming to coerce her withdrawal from the race. Despite months of relentless online abuse and threats of violence both in person and online, Susanna refused to be silenced by these tactics and crimes and emerged from her ordeal determined to prevent others from similar abuse. She founded MyOwn, an organization committed to combating technology-faciliated violence and abuse, image-based sexual abuse, and disinformation, in direct response to her experience.

Susanna's compelling story garnered global attention, with widespread media coverage of her experience with misinformation and image-based sexual abuse. She has shared her story and insights through numerous appearances on podcasts, television interviews, and newspaper features, serving as a beacon of resilience and empowerment. Recognized as an expert voice in the fight against Image-Based Sexual Abuse, Susanna has been sought after for commentary and quotes by esteemed publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Associated Press.

Nina Jankowicz, the co-founder and CEO of The American Sunlight Project, is an internationally-recognized expert on disinformation and democratization, one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, and the author of two books: How to Lose the Information War (2020), which The New Yorker called “a persuasive new book on disinformation as a geopolitical strategy,” and How to Be A Woman Online (2022), an examination of online abuse and disinformation and tips for fighting back, which Publishers Weekly named “essential.” Jankowicz has advised governments, international organizations, and tech companies, and testified before the US Congress, UK Parliament, and European Parliament.

In 2022, Jankowicz was appointed to lead the Disinformation Governance Board, an intra-agency best practices and coordination entity at the Department of Homeland Security; she resigned the position after a sustained disinformation campaign caused the Biden Administration to abandon the project. From 2017-2022, Jankowicz has held fellowships at the Wilson Center, where she led accessible, actionable research about the effects of disinformation on women and freedom of expression around the world. She advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on strategic communications under the auspices of a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship in 2016-17. Early in her career, she managed democracy assistance programs to Russia and Belarus at the National Democratic Institute.

Charles Meire is the Deputy Policy Director for JULIAN Legal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering civil and human rights. Before joining JULIAN, Charles spent several years advocating for criminal justice and carceral reform in Virginia. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for Social Action Linking Together (SALT), a social welfare organization based in Virginia.

Charles has served for six years as an officer in the Virginia and Massachusetts Army National Guards. He participated in the National Capital Region's response to the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. In addition, he has contributed to the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate by managing aviation security research and development projects.

He holds a BA in International Studies from the Virginia Military Institute and an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he was a Black Family Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership.

Norma Buster is the Chief of Staff at C.A. Goldberg, PLLC, a victims rights law firm in Brooklyn. In her years at the firm, Norma has listened to, processed, and translated the stories of thousands of victims of sexual, domestic, and tech-facilitated abuse. Norma’s career stemmed from a personal experience—at 19, she became the victim of stalking and image-based sexual abuse by her ex-boyfriend. Outside of her role at the firm that advocated for her as a victim, Norma is the creator and host of the Oral Arguments podcast, where she and other activists, experts, and survivors engage in cutting-edge discussions about sexuality, technology, and victims' rights.

Norma publicly shares her story and personal and professional perspective on all-things-victims-rights on a regular basis, whether through writing, speaking engagements or moderating panels, and interviews. As an online content creator, she believes victims rights must be sex-positive in order to open the door for all survivors to seek help, and she believes that the onus to prevent and stop online abuse lies primarily with the tech companies who profit from it.

Shawn Weneta is a beacon of resilience and advocacy within the realm of criminal justice reform. After spending 16 years behind bars for non-violent property crimes, Shawn's unwavering determination and dedication to reform caught the attention of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, who granted him a pardon, recognizing his rehabilitation and commitment to positive change. Now, as a lobbyist for criminal justice reform and access to the ballot, Shawn utilizes his firsthand experiences to amplify the voices of those who are justice impacted. Through his advocacy efforts, on staff at The Humanization Project and later the ACLU of Virginia, Shawn has played a pivotal role in enacting policies that promote rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, incarceration, and ensure fairness and equity for all individuals involved in the justice system. His remarkable journey from incarceration to advocacy serves as a testament to the transformative power of redemption and the importance of fighting for a more just and compassionate society. As a Board member of MyOwn PAC and an advocate against image-based sexual abuse, Shawn recognizes the importance of combating gender-based violence and ensuring the dignity and autonomy of all individuals. His dedication to this cause stems from a commitment to dismantling systems of oppression and creating a society where everyone can live free from harm and exploitation.

Samantha Hart is the Senior Communications Manager at Community Change, an organization that builds the power of low-income people, especially people of color, to create a multiracial democracy and a fair economy where everyone can thrive. Before joining Community Change, Sam worked as a Communications Specialist for the ACLU of Virginia. She has also worked for Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, Senator Tim Kaine, and Albemarle County Local Government.

She holds a BA in Political Science and Communications from Virginia Tech.

Susanna Gibson is a Nurse Practitioner and advocate who lives outside of Richmond, Virginia. She has worked in healthcare for over 15 years, including several years as the Lead Advanced Practice Provider for the VCU Health Division of Geriatrics. During her tenure with the division, she served as the clinical lead for a joint medical home model venture between Medicaid, Virginia Premier Health Insurance and VCU Health, as well as participated in the CMS Demonstration Project Independence at Home. She is a passionate advocate for health equity and justice, and has a unique insight into the intersectionality of health with economic stability, education, environmental justice, gender, discrimination, social support systems, gun violence, and much more, from spending years providing home-based primary care in her community.

Susanna served as the 2023 democratic nominee for the Virginia House District 57 and understands firsthand the distinct challenges female candidates face in the political arena. In 2024 she established "MyOwn" PAC as a direct response to her unfortunate experience during her political campaign, when she realized she had been the target of nonconsensual pornography while simultaneously being subjected to Nonconsensual Distribution of Intimate Images as well as to severe and prolonged Image-Based Sexual Abuse, both online and in person. Understanding that these types of tactics and crimes disproportionately target and harm women, particularly women of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, and serve to silence diverse perspectives, Susanna decided to take her experience and use it to help our country move towards the creation of a government that truly reflects our society and allows for more equitable and inclusive policy making.

Gray Montrose is an attorney and Henrico native with a career defined by public service. She worked with the Virginia Office of the Attorney General representing state agencies and taught policy at William & Mary Law School, while also giving back through pro bono service and advocacy. Gray was named a Mental Health Champion for her work on lowering barriers to care for law students and a Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year by the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation. She currently serves as a member of the Virginia State Bar Board of Governors for the Environmental Section.

Mary Beth Gibson has over 20 years of human resources experience in state government and in the private sector. She was co-founder and Executive Director of a non-profit serving young women diagnosed with breast cancer. She was recognized for that work by the YWCA Virginia Peninsula with a Woman of Distinction Award and by the Hampton Roads Business Journal with a Women in Business Achievement Award. She currently is a business advisor to small companies and is also an active volunteer for various organizations in her community. She is married and has three sons, a dog, and a cat.

Brandon Smith is a coach, instructor, and entrepreneur with a background in Operations Management and Talent Development. With 15 years of experience in the technology and publishing industries, he has worked inside iconic global brands including Adobe, Google, and Electronic Arts, leveraging trust-based strategies that enhance team communication, increase organizational transparency, and reduce hidden operating costs. Brandon’s insights have been profiled in several prominent media outlets including San Francisco’s KTVU Fox2, Vice Magazine, and others; and he's a trusted advisor to senior Operations leaders, Program Managers, and Executive Administrators, looking for accelerated personal growth, expanded professional opportunities, and more productive and fulfilling relationships at home and at work.