Meet Your Advocates

 
Photo of Jess
(she/her)

Jess Burger

Background: I earned my B.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology with a minor in Critical Gender Studies from the University of California, San Diego, and continued my academic journey at San Diego State University, where I am pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. I began my career in advocacy within San Diego’s confidential shelter system, providing direct support to survivors of domestic violence while managing a 24-hour crisis hotline. I later transitioned into campus-based advocacy, where I connected survivors with community resources and accompanied them through detective interviews, restraining order hearings, and criminal court proceedings. Now at SDSU, I draw on these experiences to offer trauma-informed, comprehensive support, ensuring survivors have the information, autonomy, and resources they need to make the decisions that are best for them.

Advocacy Focus: When I’m not at SDSU, I run National Operations for Girls Rugby, an empowerment-based nonprofit for girls in 2nd through 8th grade. I love reading—currently fantasy or dystopian novels, but I’m always open to recs—I love exploring new countries, trying new foods, and learning about new cultures. If you catch me on a work-from-home day, you’ll likely see one or both of my cats, Luna and Lois.

Why I Advocate: Survivor autonomy is at the core of my advocacy work. I firmly believe there is no one better equipped to determine the next best step than you. With so much information online, from friends, and from family, our own voices can easily become lost in the healing process. In my advocacy, I work alongside you to quiet that background noise—helping you identify the path that feels right for you and ensuring that path is informed, accessible, and clear.

Photo of Erin
(she/her/they/them)

Erin Anglikowski

Background: I earned both my BA in Psychology and my Masters in Social Work here at SDSU. I've worked extensively in hands-on roles with youth and families in a variety of settings. Most recently, I've worked directly with families with histories of domestic violence and child abuse as they navigate healing their familial relationships. Additionally, I've spent time in schools and community-based organizations developing and facilitating prevention efforts, providing youth mentorship, coordinating access to essential resources, and providing crisis intervention. 

Advocacy Focus: I focus on creating a space where survivors feel that they can show up as they are, in all their complexities. I aim to meet each survivor's full experience with compassion, genuine care, and humor. I'm here to walk with them through moments that can feel messy, confusing, or overwhelming. I'm also passionate about survivor-led prevention efforts and empowering students to build a campus culture that priortizes respect, accountability, and care. 

Why I Advocate: I advocate because I deeply believe in each person's inehrent right to joy. In a moment where joy can feel so difficult to access, I'm here to remind survivors that there will be a future for them where healing is a reality and joy feels abundant.

Contact Us

Please call or email for support.

How You Can Support a Survivor

Survivors often struggle to choose to tell anyone what happened. Some fear they won't be believed. Some blame themselves. To best support a survivor, center your words and actions on trust, validation, and choice.