Leadership & Staff

April Evans has been a BARCC supporter and contributor for many years and joined the board in 2015 after serving as a pro-bono consultant to BARCC’s executive director Gina Scaramella in 2014. As partner and chief financial officer at the private equity firm Monitor Clipper Partners, April brings considerable experience to BARCC’s Finance Committee. Her advocacy in the Boston community extends to memberships on the boards of the Women’s Association of Venture and Equity, the Simmons College Board of Trustees, the Simmons College School of Management Business Advisory Council, and the Massachusetts chapter of the ACLU. Says April: “I am proud to be able to do something, small as it may be, to support survivors as they find ways to heal and move forward with their lives despite the traumas they have, and do still, experience.”

Ed Reiss has been a part of BARCC since 2003, beginning with over 10 years of service on the Champions for Change Gala Committee before transitioning onto the board in 2011. A real estate professional for over 40 years, he has worked in corporate real estate for Harvard and Trammel Crow and asset management for AEW Capital Management and RREEF Property Trust. He brings that valuable experience to the BARCC Finance Committee. Ed says, “I believe to be a complete human being we need to give back in some meaningful way. Working with BARCC has provided this opportunity for me. The work is important and the people with whom I’ve been associated are committed and focused.”

Oyenike Balogun-Mwangi was a hotline volunteer at BARCC in 2012-2013 and joined the Board of Directors in 2023. She is a licensed psychologist in private practice and an assistant professor in the department of natural and applied sciences at Bentley University. In her roles as an instructor, researcher, and clinician, Oyenike works to center intersectional disparities in mental health, especially among marginalized groups. Her most recent research studies have focused on the experiences of Black adults with serious mental illness, microaggressions among highly educated women of color, and body image among Black African women. Oyenike has provided care to vulnerable populations in a range of settings including the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, and Harvard University Health Services. “I am honored and proud to be joining BARCC in its 50th year of survivor-centered work.”

Stephanie Brown has been a part of the BARCC family since 1995. She has served as a volunteer advocate (before the medical advocacy program), a medical advocate, and a medical advocacy supervisor. She joined the board of directors in 2003. Stephanie is the CEO of Casa Myrna, an organization working to end domestic violence. “I found BARCC when I first moved to Boston from Florida in 1994. I was looking for a community of like-minded feminist activists and found them at BARCC! BARCC has given me the opportunity to work toward ending sexual assault while allowing me to learn skills, mature, and be part of an evolving organization,” says Stephanie. “I’m so proud of the work BARCC does. Because it is such a respected organization that makes a significant impact on our community, it is an honor to tell people that I was a volunteer and serve on the board.”

Cliff Pollan is a technology-oriented entrepreneur who joined the BARCC Board of Directors in 2017. He also serves as the CEO of Sococo, a technology startup. He first became involved with the BARCC community by attending the annual Champions for Change Gala. According to Cliff, he feels deeply touched by the experiences of friends and family members who have survived sexual violence and motivated to help BARCC continue to provide no-cost services and support to survivors. Says Cliff, “My favorite aspect of BARCC is the amazing staff, along with the strong, passionate culture. It is truly unmatched and makes BARCC the most amazing organization I have ever been part of.”