MEET OUR BOARD
Nicollette Zupo
As the founder of https://aretheyabusive.org Nicollette Zupo is committed to working closely with our judicial system and communities.
Nicollette's personal experiences involving domestic violence has helped her to understand what needs to be changed so our communities and families no longer need to suffer from abuse.
Nicollette's main focus is in creating a public registry that mimics Megan's Law, yet is solely focused on domestic violence abusers/ stalkers- basically anyone that has had to be restrained by the court system due to any type of abuse that was found to be fact.
Nicollette is also hoping to change the way the family court system views abuse in respect to parental custody. Statistics show that abusive parents create abusive children, and by changing the way the Courts handle custody with abusive parents, we can collectively stop the cycle of abuse from reoccurring. Nicollette can be contacted directly through the website.
Anabel Velasquez
Anabel has spent the last 14 years partnering up with law enforcement and sexual assault survivors advocating for battered women, abused children and youth. She has made it her life-long mission to not only support and advocate for children, but also for anyone else who is currently going through, or has experienced similar and traumatic situations.
Anabel is a mentor, spokesperson, and serves as a Board Member for the National Center for Child Safety and Awareness, a nonprofit organization that provides families and communities with the resources to teach their children ways to avoid becoming a victim; is a member of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, California’s recognized domestic violence coalition which represents survivors, advocates, organizations, and allied individuals throughout the State.
Anabel has been featured on several magazines and on a TV show called The Rundown and is a co-host of the radio show version, in Sacramento, CA but has an international audience.
She is an ambassador, alumni mentor, and national spokesperson, and has been a member of the speakers’ bureau for her alma mater, American Intercontinental University; amongst many other roles of noteworthy status; and as of 2020, was successful in terminating the parental rights of her ex-husband who is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence as a convicted sex offender.
Anabel has high hopes in shifting the lens and views in which sexual abuse/violence is not categorized as domestic violence -- SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. She would love to pass laws that will help mitigate violent sexual offenders from re-offending in society. She wants to help build a society where it is okay to talk freely about the hurt, pain, and anguish that sexual violence has caused them. Anabel wants to remove the stigma and put the shame and blame back on the perpetrators of the violence who caused it -- where it belongs.
Anabel’s goals and partnering up with the organizations she works with, are to meet survivors and their families where they are. When the family is whole, the healing can really take shape and form their future into something wonderful- despite the circumstances. Anabel provides event planning, recruitment, training, support, technical assistance, and outreach for program volunteers and the rest of her experiences can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1anabelvelasquez/
Sarah Kerlow
Ms. Kerlow holds a masters in human rights education, and is currently finishing her doctorate of education at University of San Francisco.
She is involved in both local and international research and advocacy efforts; specifically with California Protective Parenting Association, Are They Abusive, Mama Bear Collective, and Backbone Collective.
She terms herself a “single mother-DV survivor-activist-scholar.” She has been, and continues to be, inspired and humbled by those ordinarily extraordinary women in her life; namely survivor warrior mamas who work tirelessly to protect, honor, and nurture their children.
As a survivor of domestic violence she is never the less continuously subjected to her abuser through the court ordered and court sanctioned violence against her children, as her abuser still retains 50-50 custody.
Her deep belief is that in order to address the myriad human rights violations taking place against women and children in the family court and greater society, we must create, support, and embrace survivor-led initiatives, organizations, and legislation. Her greatest joy and accomplishment is mothering her five incredible children.
Caitlin Lievre
Caitlin is amazing and wonderful! Her full bio will be up soon, but that is all you need to know for now! <3