Our Projects
Equip yourself with
evidence-based research and
messaging to defeat
misinformation and make
abortion unthinkable.
Verified Pregnancy Centers can gain
access to research-based messaging
and strategies so they can be more
effective in reaching women and
saving lives from abortion.
For pastors, physicians,
policymakers, and pro-life people
For pregnancy centers
National Outreach Team
Vitae Foundation’s research has caused a paradigm shift in the Pro-Life Movement in the way pro-life organizations speak with women considering abortion.
To ensure that the research continues its nationwide reach, we’ve assembled a team of experts who have invested themselves in the research and are passionate about sharing the research with others.
To request one of our National Outreach Team members to speak at your upcoming event, please click “Schedule a Speaker” at the bottom of this page.
Brandy Meeks
Areas of Expertise – Pregnancy Center branding & Marketing, abortion industry manipulation tactics
Brandy Meeks is a seasoned leader in the pro-life movement with over a decade of experience advancing initiatives that protect and support life. Her commitment to the mission deepened during her early career as a pregnancy center director, where she developed a hands-on understanding of the challenges facing women and families. She later served as Director of Marketing and Research Application at Vitae Foundation, leveraging data-driven strategies to strengthen the organization’s outreach and impact.
In 2018, Brandy was invited by former Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life advocate Abby Johnson to serve as Vice President of Operations at And Then There Were None, helping abortion industry workers transition out of the field during the growing visibility of the film Unplanned. Together, they also launched ProLove Ministries, a pro-life organization designed to address unmet needs within the movement and provide compassionate support to communities in need.
Following the landmark Dobbs decision in 2022, Brandy was recruited by Vitae Foundation’s board to serve as President. Under her leadership, Vitae Foundation continues to advance lifesaving research and translate findings into strategic messaging that encourages a culture in which abortion becomes unthinkable.
Beyond her executive roles, Brandy has contributed extensively to organizational governance and advocacy. She was a founding board member of the Abortion Survivors Network with abortion survivor Melissa Ohden, served on the board of And Then There Were None, and represents civil society in partnership with the United Nations through the Organization of American States to promote human rights internationally. She also served as a Commissioner with the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Christian Life Commission, the public policy arm of the MBC.
Dr. Jeff Pauls
Areas of Expertise: Vitae Research and its applications with physicians, pastors, pregnancy centers and policymakers.
Jeff is a longtime educator who has taught and coached students from second grade through the post-graduate level. He obtained his B.A. in History from Truman State University, M.A. in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University, and earned a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Teaching-Learning Processes from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
As Director of Research, Jeff curated content from many of Vitae’s Emotional Research studies and has shared the findings with individuals and organizations across the country. His work has helped establish Vitae Foundation as a prominent research authority on pro-life messaging. He has also worked as the Executive Director of the National Consortium of Pro-Women’s Healthcare Centers and served at Marygrove, a ministry of St. Louis Catholic Charities.
Rob Rysavy
Areas of Expertise – Communicating using Vitae’s research, pro-life school and church outreach, and church programming.
Rob has a diverse background in religion, military, and education. As an ordained deacon for the Diocese of Colorado Springs, Rob has a fluent understanding of the challenges faced in our culture and the urgency for change. Additionally, Rob’s experience as a retired Air Force colonel and an Air Force Academy graduate make him an effective leader rooted in structure and persistence. Rysavy is also the former president of St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs, where he gained insight into the issues young people face in today’s culture.
Rob’s dedication to Vitae Foundation and the cause for life runs deep. He served as Vitae’s past president and previously served as the chair of Vitae’s board of directors. Today Rob speaks all over the country about Vitae’s research study findings, moving the needle on the strategy of the Pro-Life Movement.
His thirty-plus-year commitment to the preborn is rooted in both faith and reason.