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Our Mission

Everyone Deserves Access to a Fresh Start

We're leading a movement to fight for a legal & financial system we can all access, combining direct services and advocacy. Using education, technology, and community, Upsolve empowers low-income and working-class families to access their legal rights and improve their financial situation. Partnering with our large base of Upsolve users, we also fight to fundamentally change a system stacked against us.

Your Upsolve Team

Besides being lawyers, engineers, academics, and judges we are most importantly people that believe nobody should be too broke to get back on their feet.

Jonathan Petts

CEO
Jonathan Petts is the CEO and co-founder of Upsolve, which helps 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. He is a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). Outside of work, he enjoys long-distance running and spending time with his family.

Claire Robinson

Chief Product Officer
Claire Robinson is the Chief Product Officer at Upsolve, where she leads the design and operation of innovative solutions that make debt relief more accessible and equitable for low-income Americans. Before joining Upsolve, Claire led go-to-market strategy at a fast-scaling Y Combinator–backed startup. Earlier in her career, she fought to get money back into the hands of low-income Americans by taking on large corporations and institutions through plaintiff-side litigation. Claire earned her B.A. from Stanford University and chose to forgo law school to join Upsolve and pursue systemic change at scale. Her passion for expanding access to justice is deeply personal - shaped by her experience with a health crisis that left her financially struggling for two years, fueling her lifelong commitment to fighting poverty.

Max Morlocke

CTO
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.

Juliana Simmons

Head of Philanthropy
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

Software Engineer
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

Senior Software Engineer
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.

Mae Koppes

Content Manager
Mae Koppes (she/her) is a Certified Personal Finance Counselor (CPFC) and 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

Director of Innovation
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.

Lauren Brose

Director of Growth Marketing
Lauren Brose is the Director of Growth Marketing at Upsolve, where she oversees user acquisition. Before joining Upsolve, she led growth marketing at a fintech startup, where she saw firsthand the barriers that prevent many people from growing wealth through investing. Lauren was drawn to Upsolve's mission because she believes access to justice is a human right. She's passionate about using her marketing expertise to help low-income Americans achieve economic mobility through accessible legal resources. Lauren holds a B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Southern California. Outside of work, she enjoys going to concerts, cooking for friends, and playing video games at home.

Melissa Ingersoll

Senior User Advocate
Melissa Ingersoll is a Senior User Advocate at Upsolve, where she helps individuals navigate the bankruptcy process 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.

Krish Sheth

Weil Legal Innovation Fellow
Krish Harrison Sheth is a Weil Legal Innovation Fellow at Upsolve, where he works on the User Advocacy team to support every user through the bankruptcy process. Before joining Upsolve, he served as an AmeriCorps member in East Harlem, NY, and worked on a climate change project interviewing farmers in South India. He holds a B.A. in Global Public Health and Anthropology from New York University, and will be heading to the University of Chicago Law School after his fellowship year. Krish was drawn to Upsolve's mission because of his interest in using legal technology to make a positive impact, especially after working at an international incubator program for social innovation startups. Outside of work, Krish loves doing crossword puzzles and competing with his family in Scrabble.

Zamonii Gibbs

User Advocate
Zamonii Gibbs is a User Advocate at Upsolve, where she helps individuals navigate the bankruptcy process with empathy and understanding. Before joining Upsolve, she supported legal and product teams at Crunchyroll, BentoBox (Fiserv), and L Brands, building systems that made complex processes easier for users. A graduate of Western Governors University with a B.S. in Business Management, Zamonii first discovered Upsolve as a user when she filed for bankruptcy in May 2024 - a transformative experience that inspired her to help others find the same fresh start. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with family and friends (her favorite trip so far: Hobart, Tasmania) and creating fiber art.

Philanthropic & Inkind Supporters

We couldn't have made it this far without the great organizations below who believe in us. We're lucky to be supported by top firms, foundations, and institutions across the law, philanthropy, government, education, and technology.

Legal Services Corporation
Robinhood
Schmidt Futures
Black Rock
Susan Crown Exchange
Breyer Labs
Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois
Blue Ridge Labs
Fast Forward
Y-Combinator
Yale University
Princeton University
Graphic Advocacy Project
NextChapter
Segment
Contentful
New Media Ventures
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Khosla Ventures

Proud to be represented pro bono by:

Weil
The Morrison Foerster Foundation

Board of Directors

Mark Hansen

Cofounder, Upsolve

Alisa Pratt

Bronx Community Leader

Scott Kelly

President, AfterPattern
Former ACLU Lawyer

Rohan Pavuluri

Board Chair

Steve Lee

Former Robin Hood Foundation Managing Director, Income Security

Alex Mooradian

Consumer Debt Expert

Christine Zalocha

Marketing and Growth Expert

Advisory Board

Hon. Judith Fitzgerald

Bankruptcy Judge (1987-2013)

Professor Nick Sinai

U.S. Deputy CTO (2013-2014)

Professor Jim Greiner

Law Professor

Prof. Lois Lupica

University of Maine Law School

Warren Agin

Chapter 7 Trustee (retired)

Jan Baker

Retired Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

Ron Peterson

Chapter 7 Trustee (retired)

Edward J. Walters

CEO of Fastcase

Neil Devani

Early Stage Investor

Holly Allen

Senior Engineering Manager, Slack

Hon. Robert Gordon

Bankruptcy Judge (2006-2020)

Austin Smith

Partner, Smith Law Group LLP

Derison Puntier

Credit Building Leader

Ezra Berger CFP

Consumer Debt and Credit Expert

Miguel Willis

Innovator in Residence at Penn Law