Shari Steele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shari Steele
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Known for | Digital rights activism |
Spouse(s) | Bill Vass |
Shari Steele is an expert in technology, a lawyer, and an activist who works to protect digital freedom. This means she helps make sure people have rights and privacy online. She used to be the legal director and then the executive director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She also served as the executive director for The Tor Project.
Protecting Digital Rights
Shari Steele has spent many years working to protect people's rights in the digital world. She believes that everyone should have privacy and freedom online. Her work has helped shape how we think about technology and our rights.
Her Time at EFF
In 1992, Shari Steele started working at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) as a staff attorney. The EFF is an organization that defends digital rights. She later became the legal director, a job she held for eight years. In 2000, she became the executive director of the EFF.
Under her leadership, the EFF grew a lot. It became a much bigger group known for its important legal cases. These cases often involved digital rights. For example, the EFF challenged how the National Security Agency (NSA) collected information. They also questioned the government's use of National Security Letters, which are special requests for data.
Leading The Tor Project
After leaving the EFF, Shari Steele planned to retire. However, she decided to take on a new challenge. In 2015, she became the executive director of The Tor Project. She worked there until the end of 2019. The Tor Project creates tools that help people browse the internet privately and securely.
Her Education and Life
Shari Steele has a strong educational background. She earned her law degree from Widener University School of Law. Later, she received an advanced law degree, called an LL.M., from Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown, she also worked as a teaching fellow, helping other students learn.
She also has a master's degree in Instructional Media. She earned this degree from West Chester University. This background helped her understand how people learn and use different types of media.
Shari Steele is married to Bill Vass. He is the vice president of engineering at Amazon Web Services.