MAIA SCIUPAC
Website Re-Design
Thorn
Building a human, tech-forward brand for Thorn’s next chapter
Challenge
Thorn—a nonprofit cofounded by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher—builds technology to defend children from sexual exploitation online. By 2015, the organization had become a leader in the anti-trafficking tech space, but its website didn’t reflect that credibility. The experience was dark, confusing, and misaligned with Thorn’s new target audience: Digital Defenders—engineers, data scientists, and creatives who wanted to use their skills for social good. We needed to reimagine Thorn’s digital presence to inspire this community, attract top talent, and align brand, design, and communications with its growing mission.
Solution
To reposition Thorn as a modern, mission-driven tech organization, we led a complete brand and website redesign that combined UX research, storytelling strategy, and audience segmentation. Our solution focused on:
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Reframing the narrative from charity to innovation—shifting language and visuals to appeal to tech builders and donors alike.
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Defining the “Digital Defender” persona through user interviews and journey mapping to guide content, design, and calls to action.
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Simplifying navigation and architecture, creating a modular structure that improved readability and guided visitors to act—donate, apply, partner, or learn.
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Aligning brand, design, and comms, with an updated messaging framework, content strategy, and launch plan timed with the debut of Thorn’s Innovation Lab.
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Launching a PR and social activation campaign that included Ashton Kutcher’s TechCrunch interview and coordinated placements on Hacker News, CNN, and other major outlets.
My Role
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Project Lead & UX Strategist: Directed redesign and brand refresh in partnership with Thorn’s CEO and Media Cause.
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Product Marketing Lead: Defined the Digital Defender persona and messaging framework to guide design and outreach.
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Communications Strategy: Built a coordinated launch plan integrating PR, social media, and content calendars.
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UX Design Oversight: Conducted audits, user interviews, and wireframing before validating prototypes through user feedback.
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Creative Direction: Guided content tone, visual design feedback, and storytelling alignment across digital and communications channels.
Images
Impact
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Bounce rate decreased from 82% to under 60%.
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Average time on page increased from <1 minute to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
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Email list doubled, with new segmentation targeting Digital Defenders.
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42% increase in hiring growth through the Innovation Lab website funnel.
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Significant uptick in tech partnerships and media engagement post-launch.
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Established a scalable digital foundation for future Thorn campaigns and products.
Takeaway
By aligning UX, brand strategy, and communications design, I transformed Thorn’s website from a static nonprofit portal into a dynamic storytelling platform—one that inspired technologists, donors, and partners to join a global fight to protect children online.