Meet Reese Gannon

We were lucky to catch up with Reese Gannon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Reese, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose found me when my family had a loved one that went missing. When we called to report the disappearance, we were told to wait 24-48 hours—advice that I later learned was completely wrong. There is no waiting period to report someone missing, yet misinformation like this delays crucial searches and costs lives. Experiencing firsthand the fear, heartbreak, and frustration of that moment allowed me to deeply empathize with families navigating the same nightmare. A month later, I founded PleaseLookForMe to ensure no family feels as lost as we did—to inform them of their rights, provide resources, and fight for visibility in a system that too often fails the missing.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am the founder of PleaseLookForMe and oversee every aspect of our operations, from guiding families through the process of reporting and advocating for a missing loved one to helping them communicate effectively with law enforcement, legal teams, and media outlets. I also create and distribute flyers, manage social media outreach, organize search efforts, and set up GoFundMe campaigns to provide financial support.

The most rewarding part of running PleaseLookForMe is the one-on-one connections I build with families. I stay in touch with many of them, which constantly reinforces the impact of our work and reminds me why our mission is so vital. No one is ever truly prepared for a loved one to go missing, and I take great pride in easing even a small part of that burden.

Looking ahead, my goal is to establish PleaseLookForMe as an official nonprofit to expand our reach and resources. In the meantime, I’m incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from organizations like the Dock Ellis Foundation, ATLScoop, and law enforcement agencies across Atlanta and surrounding cities. Every connection we make strengthens our ability to bring awareness to the missing and provide families with the support they deserve.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that were extremely impactful in my career: empathy, collaboration, and media literacy. Collaboration has been essential in expanding PleaseLookForMe’s reach and resources. Partnering with organizations like the Dock Ellis Foundation and CommunityX taught me the power of collective action—how combining efforts with others who share your mission creates greater impact than working alone. Empathy is at the heart of my work. Experiencing the fear and frustration of reporting our loved one missing helped me truly understand what families go through. Media literacy—especially recognizing media bias—has been crucial in advocating for missing persons. Missing White Woman Syndrome exposes disparities in coverage, and understanding these patterns helps push for visibility. Understanding these patterns allows me to be a stronger advocate for those who are often overlooked.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Our biggest challenge right now is getting the word out and ensuring all cases receive equal attention. Some cases gain more visibility than others due to media bias, which makes it harder to generate public support across the board. To overcome this, we are actively expanding partnerships, increasing social media engagement, and working with local news outlets to amplify awareness. We are always grateful for support from the community – but we do need more people to share flyers, spread awareness online, and recognize these faces. The more people we can involve—whether by sharing flyers, spreading awareness online- the greater the impact we can make in bringing missing loved ones home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/pleaselookforme
• Instagram: @pleaselookforme
• Facebook: @pleaselookforme
• Twitter: @pleaselookforme
• Other: pleaselookforme,com is undergoing maintenance but will be up and running in the near future! Thank you for your patience:)