Our Board

Susan continues to work with survivors, their families, and schools since I Have The Right To’s founding. She also focuses on empowering other advocates and envisions a unified approach to supporting survivors to make lasting cultural change in our society. She envisions a future where one day people will say, “I can’t believe people were sexually assaulted and told to be quiet about it.” Susan is a member of the Vital Voices Washington, DC Council, and RAINN’s Campaign Council. She is passionate about codifying consent in our law and supports the Consent Awareness Network’s work. 

A global asset management leader and financial executive for over 30 years, Alex became a sexual assault survivor advocate after his second daughter was sexually assaulted as a freshman at his alma mater, St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. He is also a DEI champion and is passionate about involving the financial industry in this work. Alex is Chair of the Men’s Solidarity Council at Vital Voices Global Partnership headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Solidarity Council brings together men who are allies in the fight to raise global awareness on behalf of women and girls.  

Kelli Polon is the Chief Financial Officer at The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE). As CFO, Kelli oversees NCEE’s treasury and accounting operations. She reports to the Board of Trustees and senior management on all aspects of the financial health of the organization. Prior to joining NCEE, Kelli worked as Senior Director of Finance at Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington, DC based conservation organization. She began her career in the audit and assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she focused on higher education and nonprofit audits. Kelli earned a Master of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the College of Charleston.      

Mary Ellen is fiercely committed to protecting victims of sexual violence, promoting their recovery and well-being, and advancing programs that are aimed at stopping future assaults through early and effective education and accountability.  She previously worked as a family law paralegal and has lived around the world in diverse cultures where she raised her three daughters as the trailing spouse of an expat. 

Debbie is passionate about the safety and respect of all students so that they can receive an education free from sexual assault. As Youth Advisor, Deacon, yoga instructor, and former high school and youth coach, Debbie has worked with students and fostered safe learning within competitive environments. Serving on the board of her town’s youth lacrosse league, she promoted the agenda of the Positive Coaching Alliance and lessons from sports beyond winning and losing.  

Nancy is an advocate and supporter of survivors of sexual assault. Her active support includes attending trials on behalf of the survivors supported by I Have The Right To. Nancy also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pet Project Foundation (PPF), the volunteer arm of the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter in California.     

As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Steve talks openly and frankly about the life-long impact of the aftermath of what was done to him so that others don’t struggle in isolation. After not telling anyone for a decade and another two decades of public secrecy, Steve knows firsthand the destructive nature of the shame and blame that are so commonly experienced by childhood sexual assault survivors. With the help of his family, close friends, a significant investment in mental health therapy and a chance encounter with the founders of I Have The Right To, Steve has discovered a healthier, loving path forward – one that passes that shame and blame from the abused to the abusers, where it rightly belongs.  Steve has worked in the financial services industry in the Boston area for the past 30 years and is currently the Head of Workplace Provider and Product Strategy at Edelman Financial Engines, America’s largest independent investment advisor.

Eric is Founder and CEO of Strax Networks, Inc., makers of StraxAR™ Enterprise. Eric became involved in advocating for and supporting survivors when someone close to him was affected by psychological abuse and physical violence at a religious boarding school. 

Sophie is Associate Producer for Anderson Cooper 360°. Passionate about connecting people through the power of storytelling, Sophie is a 2x Emmy Award-nominated journalist for CNN based in New York.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fordham University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication Studies. Sophie also serves as the Communications Chair of the American Cancer Society’s Endurance Series.