Dear Katie: Survivor Stories

S7E13 Meeting Your Match on Callisto

'That's how they evade justice ... they drop out of school and that Title IX case goes away.' 

'No record is ever made.' 

Tracy DeTomasi is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked in the field of gender based violence for nearly 25 years. As the CEO of Callisto, she is bringing innovative technology as a solution to addressing sexual assault. Callisto is a national nonprofit organization leveraging cutting-edge technology to empower survivors of sexual violence. Callisto’s encrypted platform enables campus survivors to securely document their assault, discover if their perpetrator has harmed others, and explore their options, whether or not they report. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E12 Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in Mormon Country

Valarie Clark Miller seemed to live a picture-perfect life, but her flawless facade masked a haunting past. Suffering a lifetime of abuse that eventually takes her life, her fight for justice continues with a newly released book, Hometown Betrayal: A Tragic Story of Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in Mormon Country, featuring the perspectives of her family. John R. Miller shares his experience navigating the cultures that protect sexual predators and raises awareness about sexual violence and its generational impact. He gives voice to the tragedy that Valarie experienced and carries her dream of helping other women and girls share their stories and heal. 

John R. Miller is the CEO of JR Miller Enterprises, overseeing a diverse portfolio in real estate, private companies, public securities, agriculture, and aquaculture. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Nataliya, and is a devoted father and grandfather. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E11 Custody Battles in the Court of Abuse

Today, we're joined by Reneé Rodriguez, founder of Best Foot Forward Consulting and creator of The Custody Blueprint®, who empowers parents navigating custody battles with narcissistic co-parents.  Drawing from her own experience and a diverse background in education, coaching, and strategic planning, Reneé provides a proven framework for presenting evidence effectively in court.  She helps parents, often victims of psychological abuse, protect their children, build a case strategy, and secure the best possible custody arrangement.  Reneé's work, including her signature program The Custody Blueprint®, addresses the shame and helplessness many parents feel, offering them a path to victory and peace.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E10 Dancing to Techno, Tribal, and House

'My father would beat my mother, and my mother would blame me. 

Speaking about her experience growing up in a turbulent home, Sabrina Osso sheds light on the patterns of abuse and violence that encompassed her childhood. Fueled by the journey out of her early traumatic life, she dedicates herself to improving families and creating safe homes through her business, Osso Safe. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E9 From Rage to Resilience Myth: A Chat with Soraya Chemaly

Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning author and activist. As a cultural critic, she writes and speaks frequently about gender norms, politics, and technology and their relationship to violence, risk, and social justice. She is the former Executive Director of The Representation Project and Director and co-founder of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project, both dedicated to protecting and expanding women's civic and political participation. Her first book, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, was recognized as a Best Book of 2018 by the Washington Post, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and NPR and has been translated into multiple languages. Her most recent book, The Resilience Myth, has just been released.

 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer:s Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

Re:wind to Re:process Track S1E10 Expert Episode: Gordon Braxton, Author of Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture

Sit back and enjoy fantastic insights from our phenomenal guest Gordon Braxton. 

Gordon Braxton joins Katie and Claire to discuss how his work as an activist and educator has shaped his upcoming book, which focuses on violence prevention and specifically addresses black boys. Braxton talks about challenging stereotypes, changing narratives, and the hope he sees in the next generation. 

Braxton is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was a peer educator in an all-male anti-violence group at the University of Virginia and won the Black Fraternal Council's Man of the Year Award. After graduating from UVA, he traveled alongside Katie Koestner as a presenter on the topic of sexual violence prevention.

Hosts: Katie Koestner and Claire Kaplan
Guest: Gordon Braxton
Producers: Kelsey Styles and Emily Wang
Editor: Kelsey Styles
Guest Coordinator: Emily Wang

S7E8 Epstein's Date in My Day Planner

'There was something just... sitting there.'

Jess Michaels is a 3x founder, TEDx speaker, and dance industry professional with 30 years of experience as a performer, educator, and entrepreneur. She is also a 1991 survivor of sexual assault by Jeffrey Epstein who has lived with PTSD for over 30 years. Today, she's the founder, CEO, and driving force behind 3Joannes Sexual Assault First Aid. Through her work, Jess equips communities with trauma-sensitive skills, language, pre-crisis protocols, and post-assault resources that empower a united front against sexual assault while fostering heartfelt care for survivors.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E7 Military Might out of Male Survivorship

'I had been spending my entire career encouraging victims to report and I had never reported mine, I had never told anybody.'

This week, Dave Markel shares his incredible journey from advocate to survivor. Initially working tirelessly with the justice system and advocacy network to serve victims of sexual assault, his work eventually frees him to share his own survivor story. Today, Dave shares his voice with thousands, hoping to connect with and support survivors around the world. 

Dave Markel is the host and founder of Sexual Assault Survivor Stories, the SASS podcast. With over 40 years of work in the criminal justice profession, 18 of which were as a police officer and detective with the Lafayette, Colorado police department, Dave now provides training on trauma-informed interviewing, utilizing a foundation in the basics of brain responses to trauma and the impact on memory. Please do your part to help bring justice to victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault by subscribing to Sexual Assault Survivor Stories podcast, then rate and share the podcast with everyone you know!

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

S7E6 Ancestral Advocacy: From Survivorship at UC Berkely to Montana

Bringing attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, Dr. Annita Lucchesi sheds light on the populations at risk, how trafficking happens, and what we can do to help. Her personal journey mirrors the geographies of her community's struggles, resulting in her interest in mapping. Today, she researches Indigenous cartography, land-based violence, and earth sciences, merging her passion for geography with her Cheyenne roots. 

Dr. Annita Lucchesi is a Cheyenne researcher, geographer, and community advocate. She lives on her ancestral homelands in southeast Montana, a few miles off of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Anita is a survivor-leader with lived experience of trafficking, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and police violence. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, a non-profit research center and service provider addressing violence against Indigenous peoples.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

 

Re:wind to Re:process Track S6E15 Splitting the Law

Find new insights from our incredible guest, Rachael Denhollander. 

"How much is a little girl worth?"

Guided by a strong sense of justice since she was young, Rachael decided at ten that she wanted to be an attorney. However, her experience reporting abuse in her church comes with a terrible lesson: don't report unless you can prove it. Taking this to heart, when her gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sexually assaults her, she stays silent. 

16 years later, supported by investigative journalists and public outrage, she reports her abuse, becoming the first whistleblower and rallying an army of survivors to bring Larry Nassar to justice. Today, Rachael Denhollander speaks across the country to make change in institutions ranging from the government to religious organizations, pursuing survivor healing and institutional transformation. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang