Dear Katie: Survivor Stories

Making waves across the country, three activists discuss their experiences organizing Take Back the Night, sharing insights into safety, survivorship, and making a difference. 

Kori Koschalk-Newmister is a higher education professional focusing on eradicating interpersonal violence. Her 20+ years in prevention education have allowed her to educate, empower, and support thousands of individuals in her community. She is currently the Assistant Director of Interpersonal Relations at Bowling Green State University and pursuing her Masters in Popular Culture. When she's not on campus, you can find her with her wonderful partner, Mike, pups, Lily and Marvin, watching reality TV (specifically on Bravo).

Rebecca Pacheco (she/her) is the Development & Education Manager at Embrave: Agency to End Violence and the Coordinator of the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse (PCAWA). She is driven by her passion for gender equity, intersectional feminism and ending gender-based violence. She is a strong advocate for the policy and system-level change that is necessary to prevent gender-based violence and properly support survivors of violence.

Faith Fluker is a 22-year-old reproductive justice and sexual health advocate pursuing a degree at Auburn University. She started as a curvy and confused preteen, but has recently become a confident young woman who believes in sticking up for herself and those around her. Faith has worn many hats in the past, including President of her college’s Planned Parenthood chapter, where she hosted a Take Back the Night March. She is also a Spring ‘25 initiate of the Kappa Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Sydney Tiller

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

'I remember Mark being a really good friend to me.'

Coping with grief after the loss of her father, Jeannie finds support among a small gathering of friends. Feeling safe enough to drink, one of her closest high school friends assaults her when she is unconscious in his bed. Recalling her sense of betrayal, Jeannie shares her journey through denial and doubt to owning her story and healing. Pouring her truth into her writing, she is the author of multiple nonfiction works, including Things We Didn't Talk About When I Was a Girl.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

In today's throwback episode, Zahabiyah Yamasaki, founder of “Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga”, gives us a glimpse of her work with trauma survivors. Due to her college stranger rape at the University of California - Irvine, Zahabiyah has dedicated herself to helping others who have also experienced trauma explore their mind body connection, feeling safe in their body, and healing. In her work, she emphasizes the importance of community through survivorship, where resilience and tenderness shine through.

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer: Emily Wang

With over four decades of experience,  Ann Simonton has dedicated herself to teaching media literacy, with a particular focus on exposing everyday sexism and promoting awareness of sexual abuse prevention. She has fearlessly engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience — resulting in 11 arrests — to highlight social hypocrisy, racism, corporate greed, and the perpetuation of misogyny under patriarchy and capitalism. Simonton has spoken globally on the various ways mainstream media encourages and invites harm to women and children using examples from advertising, film, pornography, radio, television, popular beauty pageants, and more.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

'It doesn't go away.'

'It's there forever.'

Sharing her experiences in an industry known for superficiality, actor Sarah Hodkinson navigates trust, violence, and betrayal throughout her personal journey. She brings to light the ways that denial and dismissal rob survivors of justice in the face of sexual violence, using her voice and her story to push for change. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

'I had a decision point of: either I am going to live or I am going to die.'

Speaking on the internal battles survivors face, the dynamic Jean Ibanez Payne shares hidden troubles with suicidal ideation and darkness while living the seemingly perfect life. Today, Jean stands as a powerful advocate for survivors of abuse, using her voice and her story to ignite hope in others. In 2014, she left her successful corporate career to start TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC), with a mission to help people work better together. Through her speaking engagements and personal coaching services, she encourages women, particularly those who have faced similar battles, to embrace their vulnerabilities and see them as gateways to strength.

Host: Kate Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

Speak truth to power with the incredible Jon Vaugh and Josh Rubin in this 2024 episode of Dear Katie. 

This week we share the powerful voices of Jon Vaughn and Josh Rubin. Jon Vaughn made waves around the world as one of the few to publicly speak out against the abuse of University of Michigan doctor Robert Anderson in 2020, leading over 1000 survivors in a lawsuit against the university that settled in 2022. Today, he is a testament to the power of speaking out and advocating for what is right against all odds. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer: Emily Wang

Rashan Legard is an International Motivational Speaker, Veteran, Storyteller, Poet, and Credentialed Survivor Advocate who strongly desires to create change in individuals and organizations. Through his company, Rashan Legard Speaks LLC, Rashan shares his message to a broader audience by providing powerful presentations and coaching infused with his personal experience to organizations around the world. By focusing on Resiliency Programs, Emasculation, Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention, Rashan helps organizations improve their training and effectiveness while bringing awareness to these critical issues. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

Stephanie Mangan has been a Trauma Expert/Consultant for the past 16 years. Working with individuals who have experienced the highest levels of abuse and trauma, including but not limited to sexual violence, complex PTSD, sex trafficking, and substance abuse, Stephanie is passionate about helping individuals lead a life of healing and resiliency through a trauma-informed lens. More recently, she has also worked at the macro level through the non-profit Healing TREE, providing consulting services to film and arts professionals, ensuring their projects are trauma-informed and appropriate for their audiences/viewers. She also provides consulting for organizations seeking to bring in a Trauma Expert who identifies ways to apply trauma-informed business practices. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

'When you look at it, in the bigger spectrum, we can talk about this [...] I mean, fifteen years ago, a high-schooler wouldn't be talking to you about consent.'

Pamela Zaballa has dedicated over 20 years to advancing support systems for victims of domestic and sexual violence. Her career spans various roles in the US and UK, including frontline services, shelter development, advocacy, children's services, and setting up programs for human trafficking victims. Pamela’s work also encompasses policy and communications, where she has developed multiple successful action-based campaigns.

As the Global Chief Executive of NO MORE, a foundation dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence, Pamela has been a trailblazer in finding comprehensive solutions to gender-based violence. She has fostered strategic partnerships such as the development of Commonwealth Says NO MORE and consultancy services for various governments, international organizations, and global corporations, aiming to unify efforts against domestic and sexual violence. Notably, Pamela developed the NO MORE Global Directory—the first global directory providing contacts for domestic and sexual violence support in over 200 countries—and has worked on award-winning public awareness campaigns like #listeningfromhome, which gained extensive exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out about NO MORE here. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang