(Wo)Men Speak Out™ is a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating rape, sexual assault and gender violence. We seek to educate both men and women, cultivating healthy relationships and gender equity.

(Wo)Men Speak Out™ Founders

Christopher de Serres is a public speaker and freelance writer with a lifelong passion for psychology and sociology. He formed (Wo)Men Speak Out in 2007 with his wife Ophelia, a nonprofit organization providing education on the subject of rape, sexual assault and gender violence to both the public and private sector. Its primary focus is bringing together men and women, cultivating healthy relationships and gender equity. He currently works as Editor of Minizine, an online WSO publication. Chris has explored such subjects as the emotional and cultural impacts of abuse, gender constraints and recidivism in our communities. While much of his work serves his passions, he explores subjects that both educate and explore a more globally diverse context to include cultural variousness and the impact humans are having on the environment.

Ophelia de Serres brings over 8 years of experience in the field of assaulted women and children’s advocacy. Having previously served as the Director of Operations for the Angela Shelton Foundation, and Director of Ophelia’s Love, she is Co-Founder of (Wo)Men Speak Out™. Ophelia is passionate in her advocacy outreach, finding it imperative to provide quality services to her community. She has served a vast population in the field of mental health and sits on the Board of Directors with An Infinite Mind, a national organization that provides education and advocacy for individuals with dissociative disorders. She is also an advocate and supporter of Girls Fight Back and believes in supporting programs that empower and educate our communities.

(Wo)Men Speak Out™ Board of Directors
The Board of Directors bring a unique combination of professional competence and personal commitment to governing the activities of WSO.

David Eldred is a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for King County, Washington. He is a 1996 honors graduate of the University of Washington School of Law. He is an experienced civil rights litigator in trial and appellate courts at the state and federal levels. In addition, David advises police and corrections agencies and teaches law enforcement officers on police practices and civil rights.

Jaimie Pollack is founder and director of An Infinite Mind, a non-profit organization dedicated to education and advocacy in the area of dissociative identity and related disorders. During the past ten years, Jaimie has worked with several national survivor organizations in an effort to raise awareness about sexual trauma and to help put an end to all sexual violence. In her free time, Jaimie is a dedicated pre-school special needs teacher and in-home early interventionist.

Angela Rakis is an advocate for victims of sexual abuse. Her passion for helping and supporting started when she held the position of Victim's Advocate for the Prosecuting Attorney's Office in her home town in Michigan. Since then she has held a Vice President position on the board of VOICES in Action, received her certification from the Grant Writers Association and has supported and hosted many victim's education events.

(Wo)Men Speak Out™ Advisory Board

Aleksandra Grzywaczewska has been working as a graphic designer at the Art Gallery of Ontario for over 8 years after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors and a Bachelor of Design with Honors degrees at York University in Toronto, Canada. Being passionate about many causes, she finds it important to contribute her time in aiding organizations with their visual communication and branding, including the (Wo)Men Speak Out™ logo, minizine and website, knowing that "poor design can undermine the best of intentions".

Scott Dietrich, is a Public Relations Specialist and the Director of Purpose Driven Publicity. His personal mission has always been a little different from most publicists. His handpicked clientele of outstanding individuals have more to offer than just a product, but something truly tangible to give to their communities. As Founder and Executive Director of PD Publicity, Scott’s simple but incredibly effective approach has always revolved around building personal relationships. Through his natural talent and vision for finding the best outlets for his speakers, he has fostered a network of change. Scott is a leader in community outreach, bringing passion and creativity to everything he does. He previously served on the Advisory Board of Ophelia's Love and currently represents (Wo)Men Speak Out™ for all speaking and community events.