ABORTION POLICY EXPERT

ELISE HIGGINS CONSULTING

Elise Higgins (they/them) is a nationally recognized abortion policy expert and community advocate with deep Kansas roots. Their career has included roles at URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, Planned Parenthood Great Plains, State Innovation Exchange, Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, and the Expanding Medication Abortion Access Project.

Elise is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Kansas, where they’ve co-authored multiple publications and taught hundreds of students about feminist social movements. Their forthcoming dissertation explores abortion stigma in the Kansas Legislature.

Elise lives in Lawrence with their delightful toddler and husband Jeffrey.

BREAKOUT LEADER

MAPPING THE THREAT: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM, STATE POLICY, AND THE FUTURE OF REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM

Access to abortion healthcare is under unprecedented national threat. From court challenges of medication abortion to coordinated state-level bans and restrictions, opponents are using the law, misinformation, and extreme ideology to dismantle reproductive freedom.

This session will unpack the current policy landscape across the states, connect the dots between the Christian Nationalist movement and anti-abortion strategy, and explore how these efforts fit into a broader agenda to control personal freedoms and weaken democracy.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of the stakes, learn how policy battles in one state impact others, and leave with practical actions to defend reproductive rights, protect access to care, and push back against theocratic overreach in their own communities