From all of us at Take This, we offer our deepest thanks and a fond farewell to Kelli for her leadership and lasting impact, while warmly welcoming Tara as she steps in to guide us into our next chapter.
Below is a heartfelt letter from Kelli Dunlap, PsyD, announcing her departure as Executive Director of Take This. In her message, Kelli reflects on her journey with the organization, the meaningful impact of its work, and all that has been accomplished during her tenure. She also shares the bittersweet nature of her departure and offers her warmest wishes to incoming Executive Director Tara Brannigan as she steps into this new role.
Following Kelli’s message is a letter from game industry veteran and incoming Executive Director Tara Brannigan. In her note, Tara shares her deep gratitude, excitement, and sense of honor as she steps into this role, carrying the mission of Take This forward into 2026 and beyond. She offers a thoughtful vision for the organization’s future and warmly invites the community to join her in shaping this next chapter together.
Letter from Kelli, exiting Take This executive director
Holy cow, what a journey I have had with Take This! I joined in November 2019 as a 5-hour-a-week program manager for the Streaming Ambassadors. This tiny job was a dream come true — paid opportunities for psychologists with game design degrees are not exactly common. From there, I grew into a community management and development role and helped spin up community-facing programs like the Take This Discord and our weekly streams Take This Plays and Work and Chill. I collaborated with team members on research projects, from the mental well-being of game developers to the impact of toxicity in games. I worked in the AFK Quiet rooms and helped people regain their calm when the convention space was overwhelming. I worked with the team to launch Accelerate, a mentorship program for early career professionals interested in the intersection of games and mental health. I lived the dream of younger Kelli by doing games consultation to improve psychological accessibility and ethical design.
And then in Fall of 2024 I took on my biggest challenge, that of Take This’ executive director. For the last 18 months, I have had the privilege of steering the ship. I have worked with the most amazing, brilliant, and passionate group of humans and I am 100% confident that any success I have had as ED has been because of them. I have learned SO MUCH on this journey and I am absolutely a better person for it.
The decision to step down as executive director is both heartbreaking and without a doubt the right call. On one hand, I can’t imagine waking up on Monday and not seeing the team in our weekly meeting, or navigating tough calls like, “Do we go with the word ‘thirsty’ or ‘feral’ on our badge flags at PAX?” On the other hand, everyone who makes Take This what it is — the staff, volunteers, fellows, board members, partners, donors, and supporters — deserves to have someone at the helm who can give it their all. Over the past 18 months, I have. But now, with my family embarking on an exciting new adventure, what I have the capacity to give has changed.
That said, I am BEYOND psyched about what’s next. Or rather, who’s next! I could not be any more delighted to be passing the Take This torch to Tara Brannigan. Tara is the absolute perfect fit for this role and this mission. Tara has over a decade of experience within the game industry and is a strong advocate for mental health. She’s also a fantastic all-around human and someone I trust with Take This’ well-being and success without reservation.
Take This and everyone who supports the organization is in the absolute best hands possible.
With my deepest gratitudes,
Kelli
Letter from Tara, incoming Take This executive director
Hello wonderful Take This community!
First and foremost, I want to recognize all of the phenomenal work that has brought Take This to where it is today. Kelli has been an outstanding Executive Director, and I’m humbled to follow in her footsteps. Her leadership in recalibrating the organization has created a strong foundation for growth in 2026 and beyond. I’m deeply grateful for her contributions and inspired by the brilliant, passionate team I now have the opportunity to join.
I’m honored to step into the role of Executive Director at Take This. It’s a privilege to be part of an organization doing such great work in supporting mental health within the gaming community. I’ve had an incredible adventure over the past two decades working in the video game industry, and I’m excited to bring that experience to a mission that matters so deeply. Having spent much of my career focused on community, I’ve seen firsthand how games can bring people together and create meaningful, positive experiences, even in the most difficult of times.
I won’t sugar-coat it; It’s a hard time in the industry right now, with one in four developers reporting being laid off in the previous two years. Add to that the larger instability and turmoil in the world and it’s a difficult time for so many people. The need for accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free mental health support has never been greater. As someone who lives with chronic anxiety and trauma, I’m eternally grateful for the role mental health support has played in my own life. I believe strongly in our industry’s potential to better support both those who make games and those who play them, and I’m excited to work alongside this community to help drive that change.
As I begin this role, my focus is on listening, learning, and building on the momentum created by our staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters. I’m excited to get to know y’all in the coming months and work together to shape the next chapter of Take This.
Thank you for your trust and support as we begin this new adventure together. I’m truly thrilled to be part of this community and to move this important work forward together.
Eternally grateful,
Tara J Brannigan