PATIENTS’ RIGHTS ACTION FUND

Leadership

As an organization with thousands of active volunteers nationwide, the Patients’ Rights Action Fund relies on a team of dedicated leaders that brings years of expertise in public policy legislation and advocacy to the fight against assisted suicide.

Matt Vallière

President / Executive Director

Matt is a respected leader in the fight to end assisted suicide laws amongst PRAF’s many allies across the political and worldview spectra. He has spent years building bridges and developing relationships that have helped to forge a movement. Matt engages in public discourse as a thought leader in opposition to this dangerous and discriminatory public policy. He has been published in media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Hill, Real Clear Politics, Newsweek, and others.

Jessica Rodgers

Coalitions Director

Jessica has a long history of advocacy work, most recently running a program for college students with disabilities. She brings prior experience in legislation and media, along with an educational focus on human services and gerontology. As coalitions director, Jessica works with diverse stakeholders across the country to protect the vulnerable from the dangers of assisted suicide.

Allyson Howell

Communications Director

In her role at PRAF, Allyson is responsible for sharing the vision and mission of PRAF in a clear and compelling way. Her years of experience in non-profit organizations position Allyson to oversee social media, design, content creation, and marketing. She is a passionate advocate for human dignity.

Kerry Ruiz

Strategic Partnerships Director

Kerry is a dynamic servant leader and speaker who is focused on creating collaborative relationships with both our PRAF donors and allies. His decades long career as an Executive Coach and Mentor in both the corporate and non-profit world position him as a key advocate for human dignity and patient’s rights.  In recent years, Kerry has contributed support to the Veteran community via suicide prevention training and Tai Chi Instruction to lower symptoms of PTSD, TBI, and depression of our nation’s veterans. Kerry has served on the Governor’s Challenge for Suicide Prevention and continues to seek multiple avenues to achieve the mission of the Patient’s Rights Action Fund to end the dangerous and discriminatory public policy of assisted suicide.

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Barbara Lyons

Special Projects Coordinator

Following an impressive 40-year career working in public policy and advocacy for human dignity and healthcare equality, Barbara served as Coalitions Director for PRAF for 7 years. Barbara now works as Special Projects Coordinator focusing on research and legal issues and physician co-ordination.

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Jeremy Paff

Operations Director

Jeremy handles all of PRAF’s accounts payable and receivable. He navigates contract negotiations with executive staff and is a resource to our team for employment matters. His experience in venture capital and financial analysis is key to keeping PRAF’s lights on.

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