New organizational structure to advance product delivery, strengthen policy leadership, and expand Project Liberty’s global network of partner organizations at a vital moment for the future of digital governance

NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Project Liberty, a far-reaching effort founded by civic entrepreneur Frank McCourt to build an internet where individuals have greater control over their data, today announced a series of leadership appointments and organizational updates designed to further its mission to shift power from exploitative platforms to people as agentic AI becomes a foundational layer of the digital ecosystem.

“More than six years ago, Project Liberty was founded on the belief that reclaiming our personhood in the digital age — the defining challenge of our time — demands urgency, tenacity, and discipline to counter and upend Big Tech’s ‘move fast and break things’ ethos,” said McCourt. “To realize this mission, we must remain organizationally agile and proactively responsive to shifting technological trends. As agentic AI permeates every aspect of digital life, these updates strengthen Project Liberty’s ability to innovate and rapidly deploy solutions that help individuals navigate an evolving online landscape while keeping their personal data secure.”

Joe Riley Appointed CEO of Project Liberty Labs, A Technology Development Business

Project Liberty announced the launch of Project Liberty Labs, a dedicated technological team building solutions that empower individuals to exercise greater autonomy and control over their data. Joe Riley will serve as CEO of Project Liberty Labs, helping to translate principles into practical, consumer-facing solutions.

Riley previously served as Interim CEO of Project Liberty Labs and will continue to lead its core technology efforts. He will also remain the CFO and COO of McCourt Global, the private family office that launched Project Liberty in 2019.

Leadership Appointments Across Project Liberty Labs, Institute, and Alliance

Braxton Woodham will serve as President of Project Liberty Labs. Drawing on his experience as co-creator of Frequency, a decentralized, open-source digital infrastructure layer, and the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), Woodham will lead product vision and engineering strategy, scaling the organization alongside Harry Evans, Chief Technology Officer.

Tomicah Tillemann has been appointed President of the Project Liberty Institute (PLI), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit responsible for academic partnerships, research initiatives, digital governance models, and philanthropic funding structures that advance the broader Project Liberty mission. Jeb Bell has been promoted to Executive Director of PLI, where he will oversee daily operations, programs, staff, and key academic partnerships, while continuing to steward international policy work on open-source initiatives, such as DSNP.

Lara Galinsky has been promoted to Executive Director of the Project Liberty Alliance, the organization’s global network of more than 175 values-aligned technology companies, policy organizations, impact initiatives, and educational institutions. Together with Tillemann, Galinsky will lead the Alliance’s strategy, ecosystem expansion, member engagement, and movement-building efforts.

Building on the momentum from 2025, including securing date for more than 16 million users on Frequency, the successful passage of Utah’s Digital Choice Act, and PLI’s contributions to The Digitalist Papers, Volume 2 with Stanford, Project Liberty’s expanded leadership team is positioned to drive accelerated growth. Over the coming year, the organization will advance new commercial AI products, deepen technology policy advocacy, and continue engaging experts, stakeholders, and communities worldwide on how they can contribute to the future of digital governance.

About Project Liberty

Project Liberty is a global initiative that aims to restore agency in the digital age by giving people ownership and control of their personal data. Founded in 2019 and publicly launched in 2021 by civic entrepreneur Frank McCourt, Project Liberty advances its mission through integrated efforts across technology development, policy engagement, and movement-building. Project Liberty encompasses Project Liberty Labs, the Project Liberty Institute, and the Project Liberty Alliance.

Project Liberty Labs is responsible for the development of decentralized technologies that promote self-sovereign digital identity, such as Frequency, a decentralized open-source digital infrastructure layer, and the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), an open digital public infrastructure designed to promote individual empowerment and the common good. The Project Liberty Institute is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that collaborates with leading academic institutions — including Georgetown University, Stanford University, and ETH Zurich — to advance research, policy engagement, and stewardship of open-source initiatives, including DSNP. The Project Liberty Alliance is a global network of more than 175 partner organizations committed to building an internet focused on the best interest of people, not platforms.

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