Biography
Ellen Pao is an American tech executive and investor who joined Reddit in 2013 and became interim CEO in November 2014 after Yishan Wong's departure. Her tenure included the introduction of anti-harassment policies and the banning of several abusive subreddits, which drew criticism from parts of the community. In July 2015 the abrupt dismissal of Victoria Taylor, the popular employee who coordinated Reddit's 'Ask Me Anything' interviews, sparked a user revolt sometimes called 'AMAgeddon' in which hundreds of subreddits went private in protest. Pao resigned days later, on July 10, 2015, and Steve Huffman returned as CEO; she has said she was made a scapegoat amid harassment (co-founder Alexis Ohanian was later identified as having made the Taylor call), and she went on to co-found the diversity nonprofit Project Include.