Everyone Deserves Access to a Fresh Start

Jonathan Petts is the CEO and co-founder of Upsolve, a platform helping low-income Americans overcome debt and rebuild their credit. A graduate of Penn Law with over a decade of bankruptcy expertise, his career spans clerkships with federal judges, roles at two international law firms, and consulting on bankruptcy systems for the IMF and World Bank. Driven by a passion for financial justice, Jonathan co-founded Upsolve to make debt relief simple and accessible for everyone. In 2023, he was recognized by Money as one of 50 innovators shaping America’s finances. Outside of work, he enjoys long-distance running and spending time with his family.

Ben Jackson co-founded Upsolve after his own experience navigating $60,000 of crippling debt and finding freedom through bankruptcy. That journey opened his eyes to how inaccessible and confusing the bankruptcy process was for millions of Americans who needed a fresh start. Motivated by the belief that everyone deserves a second chance, Ben set out to build a tool that simplifies bankruptcy, making it easier for individuals to escape debt and rebuild their financial lives. His personal story of overcoming financial hardship drives his mission to empower others to achieve the same freedom.

Max Morlocke is a seasoned startup builder with deep experience leading product and engineering teams from zero to trusted solution. At Upsolve, Max works on building smart, user-friendly tools that make a real difference for people facing financial challenges. Passionate about turning big ideas into products that scale, Max loves rolling up sleeves, solving tough problems, and helping teams do their best work.

Claire Robinson is Upsolve's Product Director, where she leads efforts to design and scale solutions that make debt relief more accessible and equitable. Before joining Upsolve, Claire led go-to-market at a fast-growing Y Combinator startup, driving a 4x revenue increase during her tenure. Earlier in her career, she worked in direct legal services, focusing on domestic violence advocacy, public defense, and plaintiff-side litigation. Claire graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in her self-designed major, "Community, Identity, and Access to Justice," where she explored the intersections between marginalized identity, systemic change, and the legal system. Her passion for social impact stems from her personal experiences as a gay woman and a health crisis that left her financially struggling for two years, inspiring her commitment to fighting poverty. When Claire is not working to empower underserved communities, she can be found diving into philosophy, reading advice columns, or 50 feet in the air at the climbing gym.

Juliana is Head of Philanthropy at Upsolve, where she leads the team's development operations. Prior to joining Upsolve, Juliana served as Philanthropy Manager at Mission Asset Fund, where she fundraised around financial justice initiatives for low-income and immigrant communities. Juliana holds a Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, and is driven by the understanding that financial stability is a critical social determinant of health. Outside of work, she enjoys camping and spending time outdoors with her children.

Zev Izenberg is a painter and a software engineer on the Upsolve team. They make clean code and messy art. They are passionate about creating simple, accessible, and good-looking systems that make accessing your rights easy.

Nick Gelinas builds software that works for people, while increasing their autonomy and privacy. On his spare time, he makes a lot of noise in various musical ensembles, enjoys time with his family and builds things with his hands.

Jean Tobar is Director of Outreach at Upsolve, where he leads efforts to enhance Upsolve’s visibility by building partnerships with organizations in the legal aid and debt management sectors. Jean graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Anthropology, where his senior thesis examined the experiences of low-income New Yorkers using a local shopping mall as a lens to explore economic and racial inequality. While at Yale, Jean co-led an organization dedicated to organizing events and providing mentorship for first-generation, low-income students, and volunteered at legal clinics supporting immigrants navigating the U.S. legal system. A heritage Spanish speaker, he is currently learning Portuguese. Outside of work, Jean enjoys coffee, long runs, and dancing salsa.

Mae Koppes (she/her) is the Content Director at Upsolve, where she focuses on producing accessible and actionable content that helps empower people to overcome financial hardships. Mae previously worked as a copy editor and reporter for an award-winning Alaska weekly. She holds a B.S. in Sociology from Missouri State University and has certificates in editing from UCSD and POYNTER/ACES. Outside of work, Mae can be found reading or exploring the natural beauty of Idaho with her pup.

Nick Brown is Director of Innovation at Upsolve, where he develops data insights to increase impact. Nick joined Upsolve in 2019 as its Director of Outreach and later became the organization's product manager. In that role, he helped Upsolve earn recognition as one of Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2020. Nick holds an A.B. in Social Studies from Harvard University, where he wrote his thesis on the American access to justice crisis. During a one-year break from Upsolve, Nick conducted macroeconomic research on world-renowned investor Ray Dalio's personal research team at Bridgewater Associates. Outside of work, Nick enjoys cooking with friends and family.

Melissa Ingersoll is a Support Specialist at Upsolve, where she helps individuals navigate the bankruptcy process, reviews petitions, and ensures users have the tools and guidance they need to achieve financial stability. Before joining Upsolve, Melissa gained extensive legal experience at the U.S. Bankruptcy and District Courts for the Northern District of New York, where she managed case filings, assisted clients, and supported courtroom operations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University and is certified in Public Management from Florida State University. Melissa was drawn to Upsolve’s mission because of her dedication to simplifying complex legal systems and helping individuals gain access to life-changing solutions. Outside of work, she is active in her community through local sports organizations and enjoys spending time with her family.