Raise Your Voice Keynote Featuring Liz Hanlon Sands '04
Oct 6
Le Mans Hall, Stapleton Lounge| Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 12:00 PM | View Full List of Programming |
Raise Your Voice Keynote Address
October 6, 2026, 12 p.m.
Stapleton Lounge, Le Mans Hall
As part of the Raise Your Voice Sexual Violence Prevention Symposium, Saint Mary's is proud to welcome alumna Liz Hanlon Sands '04 as this event's keynote speaker.
Sands is the founder of The Courage Closet, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering survivors of sexual abuse by partnering with hospitals, advocacy centers, and community organizations to provide financial support and resources that promote healing, dignity, and hope. A survivor herself, Sands has transformed her personal journey into a mission of advocacy, believing healing begins when survivors feel seen, heard, and supported. Through her speaking, she inspires others to find their voice, embrace resilience, and create meaningful change.
Sands is a proud alumna of Saint Mary's College. She is a Certified Public Accountant, corporate leader, mother of four, and lives with her family in Northern Virginia. A standout varsity golfer while on campus, Sands was inducted into the Saint Mary's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
Raise Your Voice is a day-long training and awareness event. See a full list of programming here.
Why Raise Your Voice?
October is Relationship Violence Awareness month, and marks a time of year called "The Redzone". "The Redzone" is the first six weeks of the school year that students are most likely to be assaulted. Victims of sexual violence include people of any age, race, gender, religion, and ability. Not only is sexual violence universally common, for college and college-age students, the statistics grow even more alarming—one in four will experience some type of sexual violence in their college years.
Saint Mary's College is the only women’s college in the state of Indiana, and one of 31 in the United States. As an institution whose mission is to empower and educate women, it is our responsibility to talk about sexual violence, to raise awareness of its impact, and support women who speak up.