Our Story
An adoptee, donor conceived person, and two people with an NPE walk into a restaurant…David Wrate, Gregory Loy, Alesia Cohen Weiss, and Kara Rubinstein Deyerin met while doing an interview for Kiro News 7, “DNA Home Test Kits Reveal Family Secrets, Bring Unexpected Trauma.” They believe people with a DNA surprise and genetic identity issues need access to support and laws related to genetic information, identity, and family dynamics need to be updated to reflect the changing technology and social dynamics of the times. Over dinner after their interview, this belief developed into Right to Know.
With over-the-counter DNA testing, there is no such thing as anonymity any more. Adoption and donor conceived laws need to be updated with this reality. And family secrets that could be locked in the closet in the past, can no longer remain hidden. We need laws that reflect our right to know our genetic identity.
Parents need to understand the devastating affects of suddenly learning you are not who you thought you were. Families now come in all shapes and sizes. We need to be open with children about their genetic parentage so there are no shocking surprises.
There should be no shame in knowing your genetic heritage.
Kara is the founder of Right to Know. She is a non-practicing attorney with an LLM in Taxation and a master’s in Trade & Investment Policy. In January 2018, she wanted to see where in Africa her father’s family came from. Her over-the-counter DNA test revealed she was 50% something, but she had zero African DNA. This meant the man on her birth certificate couldn’t possibly be her genetic father. She lost her ethnic identity with the click of a mouse. Kara discovered she was 50% Jewish. The DNA pandora’s box she opened led to an identity crisis. Because there were few resources for people with misattributed parentage and a lack of legal rights, she founded Right to Know.
Kara is leading advocate for genetic identity rights and people impacted by misattributed parentage. She has appeared on many podcasts, in multiple television interviews and articles, and is a frequent speaker on her DNA surprise, the right to know, and the complex intersection of genetic information, identity, and family dynamics.
Check out her web page and read her blog about being Unexpectedly Jewish in Seattle.
Kara is our President and Treasurer. Kara @RightToKnow.us
Sheridan anderson
Sheridan (she/her), a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and trained family mediator, is the heart behind Sliding Doors Counseling.
Her journey into the world of high-conflict relationships, life transitions, and DNA surprises is not just professional—it’s deeply personal. Growing up, she believed her father had died by suicide, a narrative that shaped her early life. However, a DNA test in 2018 revealed a different truth: the man she thought was her father wasn’t her biological parent. This revelation reshaped Sheridan’s understanding of mental health and identity, fueling her passion to help others on similar paths.
Sheridan has shared her insights on DNA podcasts and as a public speaker, addressing topics such as the impact of perceived genetic history on personal identity and her own mental health journey and the importance of coping skills to manage anxiety.
Sheridan is also a regular human—sometimes anxious, occasionally awkward, and mostly funny. For more insights and updates, follow Sheridan on Instagram @slidingdoorscounseling and on Facebook at Sliding Doors Counseling.
Sheridan is our Director of Resourses (MP Directory) and Mental Health Advisory Liason Board Member. Sheridan @RightToKnow.us
Brad Ewell
Brad learned he was adopted in 2019 at the age of 48 years old after an Ancestry DNA test. Since this discovery he has been reunion with his biological father, a half-sister, two half-brothers, as well as many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was never able to meet his biological mother who passed away 19 years before his discovery. He has been on several podcasts, written several pieces for Severance magazine and Lori Holden’s website. He is also a board member for Right to Know. Brad is a retired police officer who lives in Texas with his wife and three children.
You can find him on Instagram @a_late_discovery.
Brad is our Secretary. Brad @RightToKnow.us
DEBBIE OLSON
Debbie is a Certified Life Coach, founder of DNA Surprise Network and co-founder of DNA Surprise Retreat. She helps others navigate life’s path after having a DNA Surprise, having experienced her own. Debbie is a former paralegal with over 20 years of experience in that field. Possessing skills of empathy, understanding, and great communication, she is an ideal person to work with. She believes no matter where you are now, it is where you desire to be that is most important.
She was raised believing her biological father did not want her, and eventually she was told he was deceased. After taking an over-the-counter DNA test, she matched with an unknown half-sister in 2019. With this connection, she learned her biological father was alive, and had in fact looked for her.
She’s an advocate for animals serving on the board of East Idaho Spay Neuter Coalition and is a key player in the Snake River Animal Shelter’s biggest yearly fundraiser. Both are nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations that help save animals lives.
Debbie can be found on Instagram and Facebook at DNA Surprise Network or at DNA Surprise Network.
Debbie is our Director of Support. Debbie @RightToKnow.us
J. Steven osborne
Steven’s career has spanned over 35 years as a successful tech entrepreneur, business consultant, commercial real estate investor, sales trainer, author and speaker. He has spent the majority of those years helping companies grow their sales organizations and implement sales-related systems and technologies.
In 2021 at the age of 57, through a home DNA test, Steve found out that the man who raised him was not his biological father. Steve’s surprise DNA results exposed his misattributed parentage and set him on a journey to untangle his past, his family secrets, and ultimately reveal to him a new definition of family.
Steve and his wife Becky (married 30+ years) have raised two daughters and live in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Steve is a graduate of Miami University with a degree in Applied Science and a BA in Business Administration from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
He is one of the few people who has produced content which has won an Emmy, and another which was banned on six continents
Steve is our Director of Education. Steve @RightToKnow.us
Corey Stulce
Corey Stulce and his longtime partner, Kendall Austin Stulce, moved from San Francisco to New England in 2018, after discovering Kendall’s birth family. (Kendall was adopted at 2 months old.) They created and host the Family Twist Podcast, about DNA discoveries, adoption, NPEs and donor conceived people. Corey is an ally for those communities and a supportive spouse, helping Kendall through his lifelong journey of family discovery, joy and heartbreak. They also host the Horror Heals podcast about how the power of horror is positive for mental wellness. (It’s true!)
Corey started writing at age 5 and will never stop. He started his career as a newspaper and magazine editor and has been a traditional and digital marketer since 2009. He brings his passion for writing, keywords, search engine optimization and event planning to Right to Know. Corey is honored to be part of the board and enjoys the camaraderie that the organization has. His first two books are “Laugh Lines: Conversations with Comedians” and “The Union of The State,” the official history of comedy troupe, The State. Corey and Kendall are collaborating on their first book together about the lessons learned, mistakes made and positive outcomes when meeting and bonding with found family.
Corey and Kendall continue to bond over their mutual love of Halloween, all genres of music (there’s always music playing in their home), and their menagerie of critters: Hansel, Gretel, Falco, Mr. Furley, Frankie, Finney, Nikki and Latte.
Corey is our Director of Media. Corey @RightToKnow.us
Mental Health advisory Board
Not only does Jodi serve on our Mental Health Advisory Board, she is also our Continuing Education Program Administrator.
Jodi’s passion for the MPE population was born from her own 2016 DNA discovery, leading her to create the Sex, Lies & The Truth podcast, the Finding Family blog on Psychology Today and pioneering the only clinical training for mental health professionals she coined, Parental Identity Discovery™. Jodi uses her expertise to guide people and their families through the unique and challenging process of discovering surprise DNA revelations and the necessary skills to cope with them.
Jodi received a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University in San Rafael and obtained licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in 2004. She is currently a doctoral student at Touro University where she expects to receive a PsyD in Human and Organizational Psychology in 2022. She is recognized for an empathic and direct style in connecting with clients and is skilled at dealing with difficult issues in trauma and family dynamics. Trained by EMDR founder Francine Shapiro, she is an expert in addressing grief, trauma, feelings of belonging, identity confusion, rejection, worth and self-esteem.
Jodi is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist throughout California via secure teletherapy.
Leslie is a therapist specializing in issues that impact families conceived through adoption and third-party reproduction. For three decades she’s been sharing her expertise on these topics at conferences and events across the country and around the world. She relinquished two sons for adoption in the mid-1960s and a quarter of a century later, gave birth and raised IVF twins. Her experiences and her extensive academic training give her a unique perspective into alternate methods of building a family. The tremendous losses inherent in adoption and 3rd party reproduction are seldom addressed ahead of time with families, which sets them up for irreparable damage and dysfunction.
Leslie works with families and individuals to bridge that gap and with those contemplating contact with DNA relatives. Without preparation, doors are often slammed shut, never to be opened again. Beyond working with clients, Leslie’s passion is educating therapists. She offers on-line supervision in Adoption Competency and various on-line resources to spread the word: Openness and preparation are not optional, but essential!
Her story is included in the book The Girls Who Went Away and the documentary A Girl Like Her. Leslie was interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, featured in Dan Rather’s report; Adoption or Abduction and appeared on the Katie Couric Show along with her oldest son. She has appeared on CNN and is a consultant to those being reunited on TLC’s Long Lost Family.
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us. It is Right To Know’s policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you. We only ask for personal information when we truly need it to provide a service to you. We collect it by fair and lawful means, with your knowledge and consent. We also let you know why we’re collecting it and how it will be used.
We only retain collected information for as long as necessary to provide you with your requested service. What data we store, we’ll protect within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. We don’t share any personally identifying information publicly or with third parties, except when required to by law. We may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and practices of these sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy policies.
You are free to refuse our request for your personal information, with the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services. Your continued use of our website will be regarded as acceptance of our practices around privacy and personal information. If you have any questions about how we handle user data and personal information, feel free to contact us.
This policy is effective as of 1 January 2021.
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