Purdue HHS alumna a national leader in the fight against domestic violence in the U.S. and beyond

Lee Ann De Reus

Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu

Lee Ann De Reus’ career mantra of “If not me, then who?” led her to the top of several nonprofit agencies dedicated to women’s rights, gender justice and racial equity. Some of her most recent positions worked to eliminate domestic, sexual and gender-based violence both domestically and internationally.

Along with 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, De Reus (MS ’92, PhD, ’97) co-founded Panzi Foundation USA, a nonprofit that assists survivors of gender-based violence at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She helmed No Means No Worldwide, an international nonprofit organization that provides sexual and gender-based violence prevention curricula to youth. Under her leadership as executive director, the organization reached 250,000 young people in 10 countries in 2022. De Reus also served as executive director of the Domestic Violence, Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP) in Washington, D.C., the only nonprofit providing free legal appeals for abuse survivors across the United States.

In 2023, De Reus joined Amplio as executive director. The nonprofit organization addresses global poverty by creating simple, cost-effective, technology-based solutions that provide low-literate people with access to critical knowledge that transforms lives. The organization’s mission is to reach the most marginalized and underserved populations in remote rural areas.

An alumna of Purdue University’s Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS), De Reus has maintained a link to the Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences by offering her expertise as a mentor for the Purdue Focus Forward Fellowship for Women Veterans and as an advisory council member for the Purdue Military Family Research Institute (MFRI).

“I’ve mentored four different women, each for one year, to help them navigate the transition from military to civilian life and attend college on the GI Bill,” De Reus stated. “As a part of the fellowship, I also conduct a workshop on the dynamics of gender. The goal is to give them tools to break through the barriers of gender stereotypes and norms to live a more authentic and purpose-driven life.”

De Reus’ years at Purdue were formative as she worked closely with Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, HDFS distinguished professor and director of MFRI. The women have known each other for 36 years, as they first met during De Reus’ PhD studies. De Reus said she still regards MacDermid Wadsworth as a mentor.

What are some of your fondest Purdue memories?

While there, I received a master’s degree in HDFS, had a baby, got the PhD and earned a minor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies. My favorite haunts were Von’s Books and a bar out on West State Street called Veno’s that no longer exists but was a favorite gathering spot for graduate students. In the HDFS department, I was a research assistant for Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth and a teaching assistant for introductory HDFS classes, which is how I discovered my love of teaching.

How else did your experience in HDFS enhance your career?

Purdue is also where I cut my teeth as an activist for social justice, especially on issues related to poverty. It’s where I was introduced to various feminisms, which resonated with me deeply, and inspired my praxis — to put theory into action — by volunteering at Lafayette Urban Ministry’s homeless shelter and food pantry and organizing awareness-raising events and protests on campus. These experiences brought the inequities I studied in class to life as I sat across from people who shared their stories, revealing the traumas and complexities of poverty that led them to that place. The feminist frameworks I studied at Purdue informed my work as an academic and translate today into my nonprofit leadership strategies.   

The HDFS faculty who taught my classes were not only brilliant academics, but supportive professors who were determined to see their students succeed. When I look back, I marvel at the world class education I received. The majority of my professors were incredibly accomplished, strong women, who taught me to think critically and gave me frameworks for understanding families, the larger world around me and my place in it.

At DV LEAP, you addressed the intersection of domestic violence and climate change. How are the two linked?

I created DV LEAF to raise awareness, to inspire new audiences, to take action and inform policy. Most people don’t realize that the stressors encountered from climate-fueled disasters, such as losing a home or a job, can provoke increased feelings of powerlessness and a lack of control, which are known precursors to abuse. To engage our local community on these issues, we hosted an event at a park in Washington, D.C., where people could plant a tree to honor a survivor of domestic violence and help combat climate change. It’s important to note that women of color and indigenous communities bear an additional burden imposed by environmental injustice. Already disproportionately vulnerable to air pollution, food insecurity, hurricanes and rising temperatures, their exclusion from government climate protections is yet another risk-multiplier, placing them in additional danger. To help inform policy, we teamed up with law students from the University of the District of Columbia, to write formal letters to the United Nations, D.C. government and the White House, urging action on these issues.

Why did you focus your career on being an advocate for women’s and human rights?

I have focused on advocacy for women’s and human rights because too many people are suffering needlessly in the world, especially women and girls. Given the many advantages I possess by virtue of where I was born, the color of my skin, and my education, for example, I believe I have a moral imperative to step up for gender justice and help remove barriers to women’s well-being and agency.