Maryland Right to Life Foundation (MDRTL Foundation) is a pro-life charitable organization that uses educational initiatives to uphold the sanctity of human life at every stage from conception to natural death. MDRTL Foundation educates the public about life-related issues like abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, and offers life-affirming alternatives. 1
Maryland Right to Life is the lobbying and electoral advocacy arm of Maryland Right to Life Foundation. 2
Activities
Maryland Right to Life Foundation supports the work of its sister organization Maryland Right to Life through its educational initiatives that promote the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death. MDRTL Foundation provides educational materials on issues like abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and fetal stem cell research, along with alternative, life-affirming resources. 1
Maryland Right to Life Foundation’s resources include fact sheets on abortion statistics, abortion techniques, abortion complications, Supreme Court decisions on abortion, Maryland’s abortion policy, and the pain suffered by an unborn child during an abortion procedure. MDRTL Foundation provides information on abortion pill reversals along with ways to contact the Abortion Pill Reversal hotline, 1 a 24-hour service that claims to offer a safe and effective process to save a pregnancy after an attempted chemical abortion. 3
Maryland Right to Life Foundation opposes euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS), arguing that PAS is not a valid personal choice, despite the rhetoric from those who advocate for it. To this end, MDRTL Foundation provides anti-PAS arguments to help those defending life counter the common talking points of PAS advocates. 4
Funding
Maryland Right to Life Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While MDRTL Foundation does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($20,750 in 2022), 5 Global Impact ($9,806 in 2012), 6 and the United Way of Central Maryland ($5,719 in 2012). 7
Leadership
As of 2025, Laura Bogley-Knickman was the executive director of Maryland Right to Life and Maryland Right to Life Foundation. Bogley-Knickman formerly worked as a chief of staff in the Maryland State Assembly; as assistant vice president of public affairs, policy, and communications at Verizon; and planning editor at the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Bogley-Knickman sits on the boards of the Maryland Economic Development Association and the Maryland Independent College Fund. 8
Sid Marcus was the secretary of the board of MDRTL Foundation as of 2025. 9
Alexandra (Ali) Rak is the former president of Maryland Right to Life and Maryland Right to Life Foundation. Rak is the Maryland State director for the State Freedom Caucus Network and a co-founder of the Coalition of Maryland Parents. Rak is a former chair of Charles County Right to Life. 10
Sallie Taylor was the treasurer of the board of MDRTL Foundation as of 2025 and a Republican candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates 2026 elections. Taylor is a former member of the Republican Central Committee in Frederick County and formerly worked as a senior staffer for then-U.S. Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD). 11
References
- “Education.” Maryland Right to Life. Accessed September 28, 2025. https://mdrtl.org/resources/education/.
- “Home.” Maryland Right to Life. Accessed September 28, 2025. https://mdrtl.org/.
- “Home.” Abortion Pill Reversal. Accessed September 28, 2025. https://abortionpillreversal.com/.
- “Anti-PAS Arguments.” Maryland Right to Life. Accessed September 28, 2025. https://mdrtl.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NRLC.WTSYSEuthanasia.2025.pdf.
- Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
- Global Impact, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2012, Schedule I, Part II.
- United Way of Central Maryland, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2012, Schedule I, Part II.
- “Laura Bogley-Knickman.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-bogley-knickman/.
- Maryland Right to Life Foundation Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2023, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
- “Ali Rak.” State Freedom Caucus. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.statefreedomcaucus.org/leadership/ali-rak-state-director-maryland/.
- “Sallie Taylor.” Ballotpedia. Accessed September 28, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Sallie_Taylor.