About RPG (Role-Playing Game) Research
We are a 100% volunteer-run non-profit 501(c)3 charitable research and human services organization based in Spokane, Washington, USA. Our roots begin with our founder, Hawke Robinson, our co-founders John Welker and Danielle Whitworth, and our wonderful highly trained volunteer staff, who have been directly involved with providing tabletop role-playing game (RPG) community programs since the 1970s.
After decades of informal and semi-formal operations as the RPG Research Project, we incorporated as RPG Research as a Washington State non-profit public charity in September 2017 and received our IRS 501(c)3 tax-exempt status verification letter January 16th, 2018 which is retroactively in effect since 2017.
Our non-profit Tax ID Employer Identification Number (EIN): 82-3521274.
IRS Public Charity Status: 170 (b) (1) (A) (vi) * with an effective date of September 26th, 2017.
Donors may deduct contributions they make to us.
We are also eligible to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522.
This means your donations to RPG Research may be tax deductible!
Our new headquarters are are located at the new RPG Center:
RPG Research
101 North Stone Street
Spokane, WA 99202, USA
Company History
1974
World's first role-playing game is officially published.
1977
RPG Research founders and staff begin role-playing game community programs.
1979
RPG Research founders and staff begin researching optimizing the RPG experience, including tabletop RPGs, electronic role-playing game development, live-action role-play, hybrid RPGS, online remote text-based and over the phone remote tabletop and electronic RPGs.
1982
RPG Research founders and staff begin receiving payment as paid, professional, game master, providing commercial RPG game services.
1983
RPG Research's founder writes first 8 page research paper on the effects of role-playing games.
1985
RPG Research founder and staff begin providing role-playing games as a daily class, 5 days a week during classroom time.
1989
RPG Research founder and staff begin using role-playing games with high-risk and incarcerated populations.
1996
RPG Research founder and staff providing web live-streaming and video-conference-based tabletop RPG sessions via CuSeeMe, java applets, and other methods.
2004
RPG Research founder and staff move research repository archives from multiple locations to single free and public resource at the rpgresearch.com website.
2017
RPG Research incorporates as C-Corp non-profit charity and 501(c)3 status.
2022
RPG Research acquires real estate and opens the RPG Center, Role-Playing Game Community Center
2023
RPG Research opens RPG Museum providing historical interactive experiential learning role-plying game museum for all RPG formats and games leading up to the creation of RPGs, as far back as ~3,500 BCE.
RPG Research's Volunteer Staff
RPG Research's Volunteer Staff. This section includes RPG Research volunteers past and present.
Hawke Robinson
Founder, CEO, an Chair. Washington State Department of Health Registered Recreational Therapist with a background in neuroscience, computer science, research psychology, music, play therapy, habilitation therapy, nursing, and more. Involved with role-playing games since 1977. GM Instructor, Level 19 GM.
John Welker
Co-founder, Vice President. Washington State Department of Health Registered Recreational Therapist. US Army 21 year veteran, Retired LPN. Involved with RPGs since 1979. GM Trainee Level 5
Danielle Whitworth
Co-founder, Corporate Staff Secretary. Washington State Department of Health Registered Recreational Therapist with an additional background in Sports Medicine. GM Trainee Level 4
Brooke Lively
Vice-chair, Board of Directors
Emily Messina, PhD., CTRS
RPG Research Board of Directors. Director, Therapeutic Recreation Department, Eastern Washington University.
Kate Hyatt
Treasurer
Niklas Anderson
IT Director, Board of Directors.
Aaron Birdwell
GM Trainee
Alexis Rounsville
Role-Playing Game Master level 1 Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Aaron Stoyack
Archivist
Adam Kantz
TRPG Player 1 & Show Performer
Adina Rubin-Budick
Researcher
Ahmed Khalaf
Transcriptionist
Aislynn Kenney
GM Trainee
Alex Belovich
Grant Writer
Alia Chenikov
Researcher
Alliah Spottedblanket
GM Trainee
Allison Coon
Community Center Receptionist
Allison Dawson
Archivist
Alyssa Marylee Heflin
Archivist
Amber DeWitt
GM Trainee Level 1, Archivist
Anna Ryburn
GM Trainee
Andrew Messersmith
TRPG Player 1 & Show Performer
Angela Kraker
Researcher
Anthony Hinyub
Researcher
Anthony Hirt
Game Software Developer
Anthony Ruffin
Webmaster
Anushka Joshi
Grant Writer
Aubry Birkland
GM Trainee
Autumn Asay
GM Trainee
Bakhtawar Daud
Game Software Developer
Bill Rounsville
GM Trainee Level 1
Blake Rose
GM Trainee
Brad Kane
EMT
Brandon Allen
Game Software Developer
Brandon Roan
RPG Advocate 1
Brennan Robinson
Software Developer
Brian Connolly
GM Trainee
Brian Huseland
GM Trainee Level 1, Tolkien specialist
Brittany Eide
Community Outreach Development, Marketing, & Fundraising [Volunteer]
Brittany Stallworth
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Caitlin Merikallio
Museum and Research Archives Archivist I [Volunteer]
Carl Michael McDonald
Grant Writer Volunteer
Charles (Charlie) Loyd
GM Trainee Level 1
Chelsea Swigert-Lenarz
Researcher
Chris Hare
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Cody Evans
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Dakota Brown
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Damean Galloway
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Daniel Ivey
GM Trainee Level 3
Daniela Steierer
Researcher
Daniel Zanatta de Aguiar
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Brazil)
Dario Gerussi
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Dauda Kareem
Volunteer Coordinator Assistant Team Member and/or Manage/Director, Volunteer Services [Volunteer] (Germany)
David Griffith
GM Trainee Level 2
David Jeffs
Researcher
David Perlman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Dawit Belai
Webmaster
Dennis Grankin
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Derick DeCamp
RPG Museum and Research Archives Archivist I [Volunteer]
Dillon King
TRPG Actual Play Streaming Show Player
Doug McCord
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Drake Robinson
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Dinah Lankerovich
Visual Artist
Ed Hammerbeck
.
Elizabeth Geller
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Erik Mitchell
Research Assistant 1
Evgenia Diakonenko
RPG Museum and Research Archives Archivist 1
Frank Decapio
RPG Advocate 1
Genesis A. Laboy Rodriguez
Researcher
Grant Murray
Researcher
Greg Derrick
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Heather Allison
TRPG Player 1 and General Volunteer
Hunter Savoy
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer
Ian Hunton
Researcher
Irvin Reynolds
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Jacob (Jake) Jones
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
.jpg)
Katy Koenen
GM Trainee Level 1
Karla McCallum
GM Trainee Level 1
Kip Austill
Director, Volunteer Coordinator Department
James Wolfe
Grant Writer Volunteer
Janine Winfree
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Jay Semmons
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Jay Steven Evans
Researcher
Jennifer Genova
Researcher
Jennifer Ravasia
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Jennifer Siegel
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Jinju Hurley
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Joe Koenen
GM Trainee Level 1
Joey Lanza
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
John Brandon
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
John H Degler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Northern California)
John Pyro
Chatroom Moderator [Volunteer]
Jonathan Hook
Researcher
Jordan Klomp
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Jonathan Mendoza
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Natalia Weizenbach-Marc
GM Trainee Level 1
Rin Ragudo
Marketing Manager
Shane Dean
GM Trainee Level 1
Syrus DeWitt
GM Trainee Level 1
Terrance MacMullan, PhD.
GM Trainee Level 1
Valerie Krepel
Development Team Manager
Joseph Kreindler
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1
Josh Dawes
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Josh Keum
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Kankeo Keopha
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Karla McCallum
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)(Greater Spokane Area)
Katy Koenen
TRPG Player 1 & General Volunteer
Keith (Kim) Alcorn
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Kimberlee Cook
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Kristin Ziska Strange
Researcher
Kyle Schanz
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Lelia Woods
Visual Artist
Luke Gebbink
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Mackenzie Renshaw
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Mark Gallicchio
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Mark Poshepny
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Marques Carr
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Maryanne Cullinan
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist [Volunteer]
Matt Kimmel
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Matthias Payne
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Max Lerner
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Megan Frey
Researcher
Michael Berquam
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Michael Shoemaker
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Mike Darga
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Minako Polat
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Mona Matsuda
Administrative Assistant [Volunteer] for Charitable Non-profit Organization
Mátyás Hartyándi (Matyas)
Researcher
Nathan Harris
Visual Artist
Nicholas Limbaugh
Game Facilitator 1
Nicole Black
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Nicole Hudson
Researcher
Njingamndap Ousmanou Mohamed
Webmaster
Noah Bacon
Ad Hoc Volunteer Advocate and More
Omar Edrees
Researcher
Patrick Laffey
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Philip Michelbook
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Phillip M Lewis
ASL GM I - Game Master: American Sign Language, Volunteer, Trainee
Polo Salonga
Technical Support Specialist 1 (remote)
Rachael DeBoer
Social Media, Marketing Staff / Manager / Director
Rachael Kerrigan
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Rachel Brubaker
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Rafe Taylor
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Ramon Guel
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Rebecca Xe
Researcher
Renee Bako
Researcher
Ryan Allison
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Ryan Grau
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Ryley Ourada
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Samone Pittman
Administrative Assistant [Volunteer] for Charitable Non-profit Organization
Samuel Barrett
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Sarah Pollock
Researcher
Sudarsini Tekkam
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Sydney Dempsey
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Talman Fortune
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Tamra Koopsen
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Tashina Robinson
TRPG Actual Player Live Streaming Player 1
Tianyu Zhu
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Tim Noye
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Timothy Chism
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Tonie Clemons
Player Archetype Specialist 1 [Volunteer]
Trent Dean
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Trevor Fogle
Systems Administrator I [Volunteer]
Trevor Troxel
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
Veenavi Warnakulasooriya Fernando
Researcher
Veronica Maria Felipe
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Victoria Jesswein
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Victoria Sherratt
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Wade Camarillo
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Wesley Brown
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]
William (Bill) Barton
Internet Broadcast Studio Crew / Webcast Streaming Production Technician
Woody Harris
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1) (Greater Spokane Area)
Yostina Soliman
Video Transcriptionist and Closed Caption Writer
Yostina Soliman
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Yu Wu
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Zacchery Hendrickson
Research Archives and RPG Museum Archivist I [Volunteer]
Zach Shallbetter
Role-Playing Game Master Level I Trainee Volunteer (GM1)
Zak Barba
Game Developer - Electronic Role-Playing Game (eRPG) Software Developer [Opensource] [Volunteer]