BWJP Welcomes Rachel Graber, MA, MSW, as the new Deputy Project Director for the Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP)
Rachel Graber will serve as the Deputy Project Director for the Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP).
She comes to BWJP from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), where she served as the Director of Public Policy and then the Director of Public Affairs after NCADV’s merger with the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Graber has been instrumental in the development and passage of important legislation to protect survivors, to provide services, and to keep firearms out of the hands of abusers, including the VOCA Fix Act to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund, the 2022 Violence Against Women Act, and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. She has both organized and participated in numerous Congressional briefings about domestic violence, with a focus on the intersection between domestic violence and firearms.
Graber was one of the primary creative forces behind Disarm Domestic Violence, a project of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, and Prosecutors Against Gun Violence. Disarm Domestic Violence is an interactive website that helps survivors, advocates, lawyers, lawmakers, and others understand state laws governing firearm possession by respondents to protective orders. Graber has also co-authored multiple book chapters on the intersection between domestic violence and firearms, including the chapter on this issue in the authoritative Handbook of Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan.
Prior to joining the domestic violence field, Rachel was a junior/senior high school guidance counselor and equity coordinator in rural Iowa. Rachel holds a Master of Social Work Degree and a Master of School Counseling with an Endorsement in Gifted Education from the University of Iowa and is a graduate of Grinnell College.
"Rachel Graber's exceptional dedication and expertise in advocating for survivor safety and driving legislative change is a true asset to our team. Her invaluable contributions in developing crucial legislation, raising awareness, and combatting domestic violence make her an instrumental force in our mission to keep firearms out of the hands of abusers. Rachel embodies the spirit of our organization and we are honored to have her as our Deputy Project Director for the Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP)." - Amy J. Sanchez, CEO
Meet Rachel:
Q: What brought you into the field of gender-based violence?
The Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “In a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” I have always had a strong sense of responsibility for the wellbeing of others, which led me first to be a school counselor and then to the gender-based violence field.
Q: What drew you to BWJP?
BWJP is doing cutting-edge, transformative work, led by some of the brightest minds in the field. I am honored to join this redoubtable staff!
Q: What are you most looking forward to working at BWJP?
I am looking forward to translating the work I did in the policy realm into real life. I am also looking forward to collaborating with and learning from an amazing team of colleagues.
Q: How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my husband, Jason; our two cats, Sir Thomas Wyatt and Norman; and our dog, Freya. I also enjoy ballet class, singing (primarily Yiddish, opera, and liturgical music), and Saturday ice cream cones, and I volunteer with an animal rescue.
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