About us

Open & Free Research & Community Programs

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


About RPG Research | Our Staff | Mission | Vision | Impact | Volunteer | Donate | Events | Schedule | Museum

Non-profit Listings for RPG Research: Washington State Government Lookup | Guidestar.org Rating | 


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.

We provide local in-person community and online programs that help improve functioning and quality of life for participants in our programs.

We provide the world's largest free and open research repository on role-playing games, including Drop In and RPG, the RPG Community Center programs, the RPG Museum experiential learning historical museum archives.

We research the effects of cooperative music and all role-playing game formats: tabletop, live-action, electronic, and hybrids.

Building on the research, using it to train our growing network of volunteers, our community, interactive experiential RPG Museum, and online programs directly help improve the lives of people around the world. The data from these programs cycles back to further the research body of knowledge and contribute to the archives.

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.

Our president and founder, Hawke Robinson, is introduced at professional conferences, fan conventions, and known by professional peers as "...the grandfather of therapeutic gaming. He has been tracking and involved in the therapeutic and educational application of role-playing games longer than anyone else.” –Adam Johns, Game to Grow, Executive Director, Lead Facilitator.


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 August 2021 we have more than 170 volunteers!

Our  volunteers span 6 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 PROGRAMS

RPG Research's volunteers are working in many areas, and due to our research and community programs, our actual list of live programs is changing constantly. See our Events Page and Schedule Page for more up to date information. This page represents an historical overview.

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) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Aaron Stoyack
Archivist I [Volunteer]
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) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Alex Belovich
Grant Writer Volunteer
Employee
Alexis Rounsville
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Alla Chernikov
Researcher
Employee
Alliah Spottedblanket
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Allison Dawson
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Alyssa Marylee Heflin
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Amber DeWitt
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) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Anthony Hinyub
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Anthony Hirt
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Anthony Ruffin
Webmaster (Odoo)
Employee
Anushka Joshi
Grant Writer Volunteer
Employee
Aubry Birkland
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Autumn Asay
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Bakhtawar Daud
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Bill Rounsville
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Blake Rose
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Brad Kane
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Brandon Allen
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Brandon Roan
RPG Advocate 1
Employee
Brennan Robinson
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Brian Connolly
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Brian Huseland
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Brittany Eide
Community Outreach Development, Marketing, & Fundraising [Volunteer]
Employee
Brittany Stallworth
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Brooke Lively
Board of Directors: Vice-Chair
Employee
Caitlin Merikallio
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Carl Michael McDonald
Grant Writer Volunteer
Employee
Charles (Charlie) Loyd
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Chelsea Swigert-Lenarz
Researcher
Employee
Chris Hare
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Cody Evans
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Dakota Brown
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Damean Galloway
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Daniel (Dan) Ivey
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Daniel Zanatta de Aguiar
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Daniela Steierer
Researcher
Employee
Danielle Whitworth
Executive Staff: Secretary
Employee
Dario Gerussi
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Dauda Kareem
Volunteer Coordinator Assistant Team Member and/or Manage/Director, Volunteer Services [Volunteer]
Employee
David Griffith
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
David Jeffs
Researcher
Employee
David Perlman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Dawit Belai
Webmaster (Odoo)
Employee
Dennis Grankin
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Derick DeCamp
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Dillon King
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Dinah Lankerovich
Visual Artist
Employee
Doug McCord
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Drake Robinson
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Ed Hammerbeck
REMOVED DO NOT EMAIL
Employee
Elizabeth Geller
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Emily Messina
Board of Directors Member
Employee
Erik Mitchell
Research Assistant 1
Employee
Evgenia Diakonenko
Employee
Evgenia Diakonenko
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Frank Decapio
RPG Advocate 1
Employee
Genesis A. Laboy Rodriguez
Researcher
Employee
Grant Murray
Researcher
Employee
Greg Derrick
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
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
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Ian Hunton
Researcher
Employee
Irvin Reynolds
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Jacob (Jake) Jones
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
James Wolfe
Grant Writer Volunteer
Employee
Janine Winfree
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Jay Semmons
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Jay Steven Evans
Researcher
Employee
Jennifer Genova
Researcher
Employee
Jennifer Ravasia
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Jennifer Siegel
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Jinju Hurley
Researcher
Employee
Joe Koenen
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Joey Lanza
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
John Brandon
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
John H Degler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
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) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Jordan Klomp
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Joseph Kreindler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Josh Dawes
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Josh Keum
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Kankeo Keopha
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Employee
Karla McCallum
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Kathleen (Kate) Hyatt
Project Manager
Employee
Katy Koenen
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Keith (Kim) Alcorn
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Kimberlee Cook
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Kristin Ziska Strange
Researcher
Employee
Kyle Schanz
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Lelia Woods
Visual Artist
Employee
Luke Gebbink
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Mackenzie Renshaw
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Mark Gallicchio
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Mark Poshepny
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Mark Poshepny
Employee
Marques Carr
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Maryanne Cullinan
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Matt Kimmel
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Matthias Payne
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Max Lerner
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Megan Frey
Researcher
Employee
Michael Berquam
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Michael Shoemaker
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Mike Darga
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
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) (Greater Spokane Area)
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
IT Director
Employee
Njingamndap Ousmanou Mohamed
Webmaster (Odoo)
Employee
Noah Bacon
Ad Hoc Volunteer Advocate and More
Employee
Noah Good
Researcher
Employee
Omar Edrees
Researcher
Employee
Patrick Laffey
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Employee
Philip Michelbook
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Phillip M Lewis
ASL GM I - Game Master: American Sign Language, Volunteer, Trainee
Employee
Polo Salonga
Technical Support Specialist 1 (remote)
Employee
Rachael DeBoer
Social Media, Marketing Staff / Manager / Director
Employee
Rachael Kerrigan
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Rachel Brubaker
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Rafe Taylor
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Ramon Guel
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Rebecca Xe
Researcher
Employee
Rebecca Xu
Researcher
Employee
Renee Bako
Researcher
Employee
Rin Ragudo
Social Media, Marketing Staff / Manager / Director
Employee
Ryan Allison
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Ryan Grau
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Ryley Ourada
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Samone Pittman
Administrative Assistant [Volunteer] for Charitable Non-profit Organization
Employee
Samuel Barrett
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Sarah Pollock
Researcher
Employee
Shane Dean
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Sudarsini Tekkam
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Sydney Dempsey
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Syrus DeWitt
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Talman Fortune
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Tamra Koopsen
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Tashina Robinson
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Terrance MacMullan
TRPG Player 1
Employee
Tianyu Zhu
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Employee
Tim Noye
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Timothy Chism
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Tonie Clemons
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Employee
Trent Dean
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Trevor Fogle
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Employee
Trevor Troxel
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Valerie Krepel
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Veenavi Warnakulasooriya Fernando
Researcher
Employee
Veronica Maria Felipe
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Victoria Jesswein
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Victoria Sherratt
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Wade Camarillo
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Wesley Brown
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Employee
Wesley Brown
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
William (Bill) Barton
Internet Broadcast Studio Crew / Webcast Streaming Production Technician
Employee
Woody Harris
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Yostina Soliman
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Employee
Yostina Soliman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
You Wu
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Zacchery Hendrickson
Archivist I [Volunteer]
Employee
Zach Shallbetter
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Employee
Zak Barba
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]