Our Team

Susan works with survivors and their families, schools, and communities to support survivors of sexual assault in middle and high schools. Susan also advocates for a transformed justice system that conforms to ethical standards that do not involve blaming and shaming the victim, promotes understanding of the biology of the brain in traumatic situations, and ensures sexual assault victims’ rights are equivalent to the rights of other crime victims.

As the Executive Director of I Have The Right To, Katie plays a pivotal role in supporting survivors, fostering collaboration with K-12 schools nationwide, and continuing to raise awareness. In this capacity, she is committed to delivering impactful education on consent and sexual assault prevention, contributing significantly to creating safer environments for all students. A licensed attorney in both Pennsylvania and New York, Katie brings over a decade of legal experience representing survivors of sexual abuse. This commitment showcases her deep empathy and advocacy for those who have experienced trauma, contributing to a more just and supportive community for survivors.

Patricia Adams is a Program Coordinator with I Have The Right To. Patricia first interned with I Have The Right To during the spring of 2024 as a part of the University of Georgia’s Washington Semester Program. Patricia graduated from the University of Georgia in May of 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Family and Consumer Sciences. Patricia is a survivor passionate about healthy relationships, empathy, and the continued safety of students.

JeVon is a servant leader and the fundraising manager for I Have The Right To. He is a former school administrator and has lead Operations Departments across sectors. JeVon studied History, Race, and Gender at Allegheny College, has worked with sexual assault survivors of all ages, and advocates for compassionate action against social injustices.

Karen is a Facilitator and Program Development Coordinator with I Have The Right To. She has her Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology and is a Certified School Counselor and Consent Educator.

As the mother of a survivor of teen sexual assault, Karen has first-hand knowledge of the impact the teen dating violence epidemic has on teens, families and schools. Karen has spent the past several years presenting sexual assault prevention and healthy teen relationship programs to schools, community groups, and advocates. Karen believes that teen sexual assault statistics can be reduced through education and awareness.

Melanie Barton is a survivor of Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault but above all else is a survivor more than her story with passion to bring light into the darkness through her experiences. Melanie has worked for over 10 years in the Victim Services Field as a trained advocate, forensic interviewer, and subject matter expert and has been sought as a dynamic nationally recognized speaker across the Country at many large trainings and events. 

Melanie was awarded the One with Courage Award in 2020 by the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance and the Honor of Dedication and Devotion to Children Plaque from the Children’s Listening Place Child Advocacy Center in West Virginia in 2022. 

Melanie has her certificate of Forensic Interviewing from CornerHouse and is trained on The Project FIND Adapted Training – Forensic Interviewing Individuals Who Do Not Speak from Modell Consulting Group LLC. 

Melanie Shares her story and advocacy to inspire others and to bring Hope. As a woman with Strong Faith, and a passionate/compassionate voice, she is honored to work with survivors in all capacities, and has a strong passion to educate, and shine light on difficult topics and empower those she is able to through sharing her story and experiences both personally and professionally. 

Josephine A. Lauren, MTS (she/they) is an internationally recognized, queer, disabled author, activist, and anti-incest liberation agent. They have been published in outlets like Ms. Magazine, Yes!, America, Spirituality & Health, and Elite Daily. As the founder of Incest AWARE, Jo. serves an alliance of individuals and organizations seeking to improve methods of incest prevention, intervention, recovery, and justice. Say hello to Jo. on their website or subscribe to their Substack at josephineanne.com.

Corinne joined I Have the Right To to help educate about Title IX rights from a survivor perspective. Corinne’s interest in activism developed at the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied cultural anthropology and studio arts. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, Corinne underwent a Title IX case, an experience that greatly influences her passions and drive to this day. In Pittsburgh, Corinne works as the Volunteer Coordinator & Organizer at Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, working to promote access to reproductive freedom in the region. She has previous experience coordinating youth programs at the YMCA and as a Resident Assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, both of which inform her delivery of complex advocacy topics to younger audiences. In the future, Corinne hopes to further her artistic career as a painter and attend graduate school to obtain a Master’s of Social Work (MSW).

Yvette Mitchell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with almost 20 years of experience within the mental health field. She is the owner of a psychotherapy private practice in the DC metro area, where she provides mental health support to adolescents, adults, and parents who are having difficulty managing issues such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship issues, and work/life stress. Yvette is also an experienced trainer and has a passion for providing support and psychoeducation to young people and parents, specifically as it relates to challenging societal norms and dismantling harmful attitudes surrounding sexual assault. She is committed to working with allies and advocates to create a culture of consent, awareness, respect, and accountability in our communities.

Finley Muratova joined I Have The Right To, desiring to turn their trauma into action. They’re a 24-year-old living in New York with their spouse and 1-year-old puppy. Finley went into facilitating as the result of sexual violence they survived. They realized a large portion of it happened due to the lack of consent and body safety education their peers and they themselves received. 

Finley dedicates their professional life to preventing abuse through the delivery of comprehensive sex. ed. to all school-aged groups. They specialize in teaching consent, boundaries, healthy relationship skills, and LGBTQ+ safety.

Michael has led academic departments and designed programs and curricula in philosophy and ethics throughout his thirty-year career in independent secondary boarding schools and institutions of higher learning.

Committed to the values of civil discourse and critical inquiry, Michael is an expert at rendering complex ideas accessible through a pedagogy rooted in and yet transcendent of disciplinary boundaries to foster growth and deepen students’ collective capacity to imagine and implement change.

Sonja leverages her decades’ long career living, learning, teaching, coaching, and advocating from within secondary and post-secondary residential academic communities and institutions to enlarge and complexify critical conversations, consult, design, and implement curricula in literature, language, and ethics germane to I Have The Right To’s vision of a future where every student receives an education free from sexual assault.

She is a creative thinker and passionate discussion facilitator who positions herself an equal partner in the work toward helping adolescents locate healing and meaning in life.

Chessy is a subject matter expert and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To. Her memoir, I Have The Right To; A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope, documents institutional complicity in sexual assault and provides hope to survivors and parents. Chessy is a writer, filmmaker, advocate, and internationally recognized public speaker. She is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University.    

Lucy is an advisor to I Have The Right To. As a first-year Ph.D. student at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, Lucy’s research interests are driven by goals of addressing equity and access in reimagining responses to intimate partner violence beyond the criminal-legal system. Previously, Lucy facilitated restorative justice circles in Colorado through the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Boulder County Probation Department, and Boulder County Sheriff’s Department, and advocated for victim-survivors as a Victim-Centered Restorative Justice intern.

She is also working to create a restorative, community-based program for those directly impacted by intimate partner violence. Lucy received her MA in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Gender Based Violence from the University of Colorado Denver and her BA in Justice and Peace Studies with a Women and Gender Studies minor from Georgetown University.

Elizabeth advises the I Have The Right To team on strategy, school engagement, and fundraising. She brings to the organization a three-decade-long career in nonprofit management and fundraising. Elizabeth is a strategic thinker, a respected thought leader, and leading voice globally on high-impact giving, especially among women.

Creative Original, Inc. is a web design and development team based in Asheville, NC. Founded and managed by digital marketing strategist and educator Sarah D. Benoit and supported by Dan Cropper, an extremely talented graphic design, videography, and web development expert. The Creative Original team has over 40 years of combined web design and digital marketing experience and has a passion for working with non-profit organizations and small businesses that are creating real positive impact in the world.