JONATHAN M. ALEXANDRE, ESQ. serves as Legislative Counsel for the Maryland Family Institute. In this capacity, he is the primary voice for the Maryland Family Institute in Annapolis, testifying before committees, meeting with legislators and working with coalition allies. He is also an attorney and Senior Counsel for Governmental Affairs at Liberty Counsel, a DC-based religious liberty litigation firm. Jonathan was a presidential appointee serving on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Agency for Global Media for the Trump Administration. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Liberty University. He is married to his wife, Renee, and they are blessed with two beautiful daughters. marylandfamily.org

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CHRIS ANDERSON is the chairman of the Maryland Black Republican Council. He represents the city of Baltimore on the Maryland Right to Life Board of Directors. mdbrc.org

 

ANDREW BAIR serves as Director of Administration for Maryland Right to Life. With more than 15 years of professional experience in the pro-life movement, he brings extensive organizational, political, and strategic expertise to his work. Prior to joining Maryland Right to Life, Andrew held several roles at National Right to Life, including Assistant Political Director and Field Coordinator. He worked closely with state affiliate groups and grassroots leaders on national and state advocacy efforts, political campaigns, and events. Andrew started his professional career at the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville and is a frequent contributor to LifeNews and National Right to Life News. mdrtl.org

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LAURA BOGLEY, J.D. is a seasoned policy expert with over thirty years of experience in government and the corporate sector. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Maryland Right to Life and acts as the organization’s chief lobbyist at the Maryland General Assembly. Previously, she held senior roles at Verizon and worked at multiple levels of government, including congressional and state legislative offices. Laura has also been deeply involved in grassroots advocacy and political campaigns, beginning with work for her father, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Samuel W. Bogley, III. She is a graduate of Catholic University of America and earned her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Laura represents the state of Maryland on the National Right to Life Committee Board of Directors. mdrtl.org

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DEBORAH BROCATO, R.N. is a retired intensive care unit nurse who utilizes the knowledge she gained in the medical field to serve the community in many other capacities. She volunteered at a pregnancy help center for over 8 years and has been a dedicated advocate for children and their families for over 30 years. At the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis, Deborah is a registered lobbyist who has lobbied as an individual and on behalf of Maryland Right to Life on pro-life and healthcare issues. Her expert testimony is often requested by pro-life legislators. In the 2024 election cycle, Deborah organized a ballot issue committee called "Health Not Harm MD" for the purpose of defeating Question 1, the so-called “Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment." As the chair of Health Not Harm, she was able to mobilize thousands of Marylanders in opposition to the pro-abortion amendment. In 2025, Deborah joined the Maryland Right to Life Board of Directors, representing Harford County, where she currently serves as the chapter president. Deborah is a lifelong resident of Maryland. She and her husband, also a Maryland native, have raised 4 daughters.

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MARY CARDOZA is the Executive Director of Centro Tepeyac Women's Center, a fully bilingual pregnancy help center located in Silver Spring which provides free, confidential crisis options consulting and support services to women from across DC and Maryland. centrotepeyac.org

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KRISTEN DAY is the Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America and oversees all operations of the Washington, DC office. Kristen began her interest in politics at Michigan State University where she was elected to serve as a Precinct Delegate during her sophomore year. She worked for State Representative Rick Sitz and went on to work for the Government Affairs Office at Michigan State University. After graduation, Kristen followed her lifelong dream to work on Capitol Hill where she eventually rose to serve in the highest position as the Chief of Staff for Congressman Jim Barcia. One of her passions was working to pass pro-life and pro-family legislation and also advocated for Democrats who oppose abortion. Working for the Democratic Co-Chair of the bipartisan House Pro-Life Caucus, Kristen set up a whip operation to alert pro-life Democrats when critical pro-life votes were going to come on the Floor or in Committee. Also, in this capacity, she helped Democrats For Life connect with other pro-life Democratic elected officials and private citizens who were interested in helping the organization grow. Additionally, she worked with pro-life groups to remind them that pro-life Democrats are not only needed but essential for pro-life legislation to pass the House and Senate. She has been a guest on radio talk shows like NPR's Talk of the Nation and has appeared on FOX News, MSNBC, EWTN and other major news outlets. She has been quoted in USA Today, The Washington Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle and other publications. democratsforlife.org

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MABEL DE LA LLANA was born in Nicaragua. She has been married for 16 years to her husband Armando, and together they have two children: Juan Diego and Mariana. The family lived for ten years in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where their son Juan Diego was diagnosed at the age of four with a rare metabolic condition (DLD deficiency) that led to cerebral palsy. This life-changing experience deeply shaped Mabel’s journey and awakened in her a strong calling to serve others, especially in the defense of life and supporting individuals with disabilities. Mabel works as a client advocate at Centro Tepeyac Women's Center in Silver Spring, caring for vulnerable women. Her pro-life convictions and advocacy for children with disabilities are rooted in both her personal experience and her faith. centrotepeyac.org

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REBECCA DOWNS is a correspondent for The Daily Signal, an independent multimedia news organization, where she covers pro-life politics and current events. Before taking on this role, she was also a frequent guest on The Daily Signal podcast, “The Tony Kinnett Cast.” She previously worked for Townhall as a web editor, covering pro-life politics at the national level. She has been involved in pro-life journalism for over a decade and has written for Live Action News, LifeNews, Faithwire, Red Alert Politics, Students for Life of America, and other outlets and organizations. Her work is regularly featured on RealClearPolitics and has been shared by President Donald Trump, members of Congress, and congressional committees. Rebecca graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in history and Regent University’s Robertson School of Government with a master’s degree in American government. She and her husband, Adam, have four daughters, including one with special needs. dailysignal.com

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LAURA ECHEVARRIA is the Director of Communications and Press Secretary for National Right to Life (NRLC). She previously served on the NRLC communications staff from 1994-2004 and as director of the organization’s media outreach from 1997 to 2004. Laura has appeared on all the major networks as well as on international television programs and newscasts. She has been quoted in various newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and many other national and international publications. Laura has presented the pro-life case on a wide variety of local and national radio programs and talk shows. She has written pro-life opinion columns for several local and national publications, including USA Today, National Review, and Human Life Review. Laura lives with her husband and three children, two of whom have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. nrlc.org

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DENA ESPENSCHEID is the Senior Director of Coalitions and Director of Pro-Life Programs at the Leadership Institute. Dena has over 20 years of professional experience in politics and policy. She started as a glorified assistant for the public policy division of a pregnancy care center and an abstinence-until-marriage ministry. She has been a state lobbyist and a paid political campaigner. During her last paid campaign, she was Field Director for Donald J. Trump for President in Virginia, West Virginia, DC, and Maryland in 2015 and 2016. Since joining the Leadership Institute in 2016, she has taught more than 28,000 conservatives how to win in state legislatures and at the ballot box. In 2022, she initiated the Pro-Life Programs Division, which works with pro-life organizations to bring specialized political campaign trainings to their activists and volunteers. Since then, more than 8,000 pro-life activists have been taught how to be more effective in the political arena. leadershipinstitute.org

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CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER, M.A., J.D.  is the President and CEO of First Rights Global- Cateici LLC. She previously served as the executive director of a Maryland pregnancy help center and as President and CEO of Americans United for Life. She has also worked for Alliance Defending Freedom and sits on the board of directors for several prominent pro-life organizations . Catherine earned her J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center, an M.A. in French from the University of South Florida, and a B.A. in History and French from Berry College. She has authored and testified on numerous domestic and international initiatives and pieces of legislation, appearing before the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and other federal and state governmental bodies, including the Maryland General Assembly. Catherine resides with her children in Montgomery County, Maryland. catherineglennfoster.com
 

SETH JOHNSON has worked in communications and marketing for more than a decade, helping nonprofits, corporations, and tech companies tell their stories and connect with key audiences. He loves a good debate and has been active in politics for as long as he can remember, even attending pro-life marches as a child. Seth was adopted at birth and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He recently reconnected with biological family members and has appreciated learning about parts of his story that were once unknown, all while remaining firmly rooted in the identity given to him by his adoptive family. Seth is a graduate of American University in Washington, DC. He lives near Philadelphia with his wife, Angela, and their daughter, Maria.

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LORI KEHOE works for New York State Right to Life with a special focus on youth education. She coordinates Camp Esther, a pro-life training program for young people held each summer. She is the former senior congressional liaison for the department of medical ethics at National Right to Life. She has lobbied Congress on abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, healthcare rationing, cloning, and other pro-life issues. She has appeared on CNN, C-SPAN, and Fox News television programs and been quoted in the New York Times, Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications nationwide. Lori is a graduate of the State University of New York at Geneseo. She and her husband, Marty, have a daughter named Rowan Blessing and two precious children in heaven. nysrighttolife.org

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LIZ MOONEY is a dedicated pro-life youth activist. She is the president of an award-winning Students for Life group and a member of the Frederick County Right to Life Youth Advisory Board. This past year, she joined Students for Life's National Leaders Collective to further her knowledge of how to effectively work to end abortion. She has spoken at multiple events, including the Maryland March for Life Youth Rally and a press conference with Live Action on Capitol Hill. In Frederick County, she assists local pregnancy centers with fundraising to help mothers in need. In November 2025, Liz received Maryland Right to Life's "Rising Star" Award in recognition of her pro-life work. frederickcountyrighttolife.org

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AIMEE MURPHY is the founder of Rehumanize International, a non-partisan, secular organization dedicated to bringing an end to all aggressive violence against human beings through education, discourse, and action. For this world-changing work, Murphy has been featured in news media outlets such as MSNBC, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, The New York Times, The Washington Post, VICE News, and many more. She is also the author of the book  Rehumanize: A Vision for Securing Human Rights for All, published July 2022 by New City Press; and the forthcoming children's books Marvelous You: A Story of Embryo Adoption for Snowflake Babies Everywhere, and its companion book Family for a Snowflake: A Book for Loved Ones of Embryo Adoptees. She currently resides in Pittsburgh with her husband Kyle, their first snowflake baby pilgrim Edmund, and their dog Domino. rehumanizeintl.org

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RACHEL NESMITH is the Capital Area Regional Coordinator for Students for Life of America. Her work includes recruiting, training, and mentoring pro-life student groups in Maryland and the DC area. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in social work from Cedarville University in Ohio and is now pursuing a Master of Public Administration from Regent University with a concentration in non-profit management. Rachel has been pro-life her entire life but started getting involved during her time in undergrad. She quickly realized that she wanted to work in the pro-life movement full-time. Rachel grew up and resides today in Waldorf, Maryland. studentsforlife.org

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DR. MICHAEL NEW  is an Assistant Professor of Practice at The Catholic University of America, a Senior Associate Scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, and a Paige Comstock Cunningham Senior Fellow at Americans United for Life.  A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Dartmouth College, Dr. New received a master’s degree in statistics and a doctorate in political science from Stanford University in 2002. Dr. New researches and writes about the social science of sanctity of life issues. He gives presentations on both the positive impact of pro-laws and the long-term gains in public support for the pro-life position. He has been a guest on both EWTN News Nightly and CNN International.  He appears frequently on Catholic Radio and is a frequent blogger on National Review Online's "The Corner."

MELISSA ORTIZ is the founder and principal of Capability Consulting, an award- winning speaker, and a self-described “relentlessly resilient warrior princess (RRWP).” At Capability Consulting she advises on ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)- compliance, accessibility, and disability policy. She served as a presidential appointee and has written op-eds for USA Today, the Washington Examiner, and other publications. She has been interviewed by numerous tv and radio outlets, including the BBC, Fox News, and One America News. Prior to founding Capability Consulting, in 2011, Melissa created Able Americans, which she later sold to a DC area think tank. She has also served as a visiting fellow for the Independent Women’s Forum and, in 2005, served as Ms. Wheelchair New York. The first female board member of The Conservative Caucus, she is now the Vice President of the Board of the Spina Bifida Patients Association, a new organization supporting adults with spina bifida. Melissa resides in Maryland with her husband Tony and service dog, Annie Oakley, a chocolate brindle dachshund. Connect with Melissa through her website: capabilityconsulting.org or on Instagram and Twitter, where she communicates as @DCBelleonWheels.

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JESSICA RODGERS is the Coalitions Director for the Patients Rights Action Fund,  a national, secular, non-partisan leader defending the rights of patients, people with disabilities, our elders, and the poor from the threat of legalized assisted suicide. With personal experience as a caregiver in a state with legal assisted suicide, she has seen firsthand how these laws undermine the doctor-patient relationship. Jessica has a long history of non-profit advocacy, most recently running a program for college students with disabilities. She holds a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in gerontology. patientsrightsaction.org

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GINA RUPPERT is the Executive Director of the Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, where she leads programs providing free medical, educational, and support services to women facing pregnancy decisions in Baltimore City. Her personal and professional life has been shaped by her experience as an adoptive mother. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Frostburg State University and has a background in foster care and adoption services. Gina lives in Reisterstown, Maryland with her husband and their six children. ecfa.org

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ROBERT SOLOMON is the vice president of the National Black Pro-Life Union and serves as an at-large member on the Maryland Right to Life Board of Directors. Robert is an ordained minister and Bible teacher on the radio program "Scripture Unlimited" on WOL 1450 AM. He is a volunteer at the Anacostia Gracious Arts program and has been actively involved in the pro-life movement since 1990. He resides in Prince George's County, Maryland. nationalblackprolifeunion.com

 

KAREN CROSS STANPHILL is the former Political Director for National Right to Life, a role she held for more than 20 years until her retirement in 2023. She helped build the grassroots base in West Virginia and, as Executive Director of West Virginians for Life, was instrumental in putting George W. Bush in the White House in 2000 with his surprise win in the state. Karen became involved in the pro-life movement in 1984 as a result of her own two abortions. Her story has been featured in USA Today, on NPR, and numerous other publications and broadcasts. Karen has successfully lobbied for many of West Virginia’s pro-life laws and a pro-life constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2018. She continues to serve on the National Right to Life Board of Directors. Karen and her husband, Jerry, mentor young people through the Special Olympics. She has three children and one grandson.

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OLIVIA GANS TURNER currently serves as the president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, the first organized state pro-life group in the country, founded in 1967, and a state affiliate of National Right to Life. She is also the former director American Victims of Abortion (A.V.A.), and was a co-founder of Women Exploited by Abortion, the nation’s first post-abortion support group in the country, after her own abortion experience in 1981. She has traveled to over seventeen countries and all fifty states to speak on post-abortion syndrome and pro-life issues. She is a favorite on college campuses and is a frequent witness before legislative bodies providing testimony about the effect of abortion on women, society and abortion complications. Olivia is a regular on national news and syndicated programs. In 2015, she helped develop and appeared as the host of a popular show airing on EWTN, When They Say, You Say, which offered viewers a crash course in rebutting pro-abortion arguments. vshl.org