Who We Are
South Carolina Citizens for Life is South Carolina’s largest single issue, right-to-life non-profit organization.
Lisa Cooper Van Riper
President, South Carolina Citizens for Life
Lisa Cooper Van Riper serves as the President of South Carolina Citizens for Life, a position she has held with dedication and passion for over 20 years. In this role, Lisa leads the organization in its mission to advocate for the sanctity of human life, influencing public policy and community awareness across South Carolina.
Lisa brings a wealth of experience to her presidency, having an extensive background in public affairs, education, and community service. She currently consults on legislative issues and community relations for North Greenville University, where she previously served as the Director of Public Affairs and the Director of the Honors Program. In this capacity, Lisa engaged with governmental officials at all levels and represented the university at various community events. Her tenure at North Greenville University also included teaching political science.
Her commitment to public service is further demonstrated by her past leadership as the Executive Director of the Putting Families First Foundation, where she supervised state-wide staff and coordinated welfare reform initiatives, earning recognition from the National Governors Association with a Distinguished Service Award. Lisa also served on the South Carolina State Board of Education and the South Carolina First Steps Board for School Readiness, contributing to the development of educational policies and early childhood programs.
Lisa’s academic contributions include teaching political science at both the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg (now Upstate) and North Greenville University, covering subjects such as National Government, State and Local Government, and Public Policy. Additionally, she has held significant interim roles, including serving as the Executive Director of the Greenville YWCA.
Her community involvement is extensive, with current roles as a teacher and officer at First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, and a teacher for the Child Evangelism Fellowship after school program. Lisa is also a Sustainer of the Junior League of Greenville.
A well-respected figure in her community, Lisa has received numerous accolades, including the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, and the “Woman of Achievement Award” from the Miss South Carolina Organization. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Furman University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. In recognition of her significant contributions, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Greenville University.
Lisa’s dedication to pro-life advocacy, public service, and education highlights her as a leading figure in promoting life-affirming values and shaping the future of South Carolina.
Holly Gatling
Executive Director, SCCL
Holly Gatling has been the executive director of South Carolina Citizens for Life since 1993. She is a 2019 graduate of Divine Mercy University with a Master of Science in Psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina College of Journalism and worked for 20 years as a daily news reporter covering crime, courts, and public corruption. She received awards for investigative journalism and feature writing.
In January of 2019, Governor Henry McMaster presented Ms. Gatling with the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor awarded to citizens of South Carolina for extraordinary lifetime service and achievements of national or statewide significance. Since 2004 she has served as the corporate secretary of the National Right to Life Committee.
As the senior lobbyist for South Carolina Citizens for Life, Ms. Gatling most recently successfully promoted the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act of 2023 which the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld as constitutionally sound. Before the historic U.S. Supreme Court Dobb’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Ms. Gatling successfully lobbied the South Carolina General Assembly for passage of the Woman’s Right to Know Act, the Abortion Clinic Regulation Act, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Physician-Assisted Suicide Ban Act, the Safe Haven for Abandoned Newborns Act, the Choose Life License Plate Act, and the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act among other pro-life laws.
In her free time, Ms. Gatling enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family which includes 11 nieces and nephews, and 14 (so far) great-nieces and nephews.
Sally J. Zaleski
Executive Office Manager, South Carolina Citizens for Life
Sally has been an integral part of South Carolina Citizens for Life since October 2013, serving as the Executive Office Manager. In this role, Sally assists the Executive Director in the daily planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating of the office, staff, volunteers, interns, chapters, and resources to ensure the efficient and well-executed functioning of the state affiliate to the National Right to Life Committee.
Sally has made significant contributions to the organization, including developing new policies and procedures, implementing new software, upgrading office equipment and automations, and facilitating major events, such as the annual Proudly Pro-Life Weekend, the annual Midlands Gives campaign, and the 2019 National Right to Life Convention held in Charleston, SC. Sally also maintains the organization’s donor management platform, website, and social media presence.
In addition to Sally’s role at the state level, Sally is the chapter president for the Orangeburg County chapter. In this capacity, Sally reorganized and reactivated the local chapter affiliate, appointed officers, and facilitates monthly membership meetings to update on both state and local pro-life activities. Sally also coordinates local Chapter fundraising efforts and volunteer opportunities for events like the annual Festival of Roses, the Orangeburg County Fair, and the Orangeburg Christmas Parade, and implemented and coordinated the inaugural legislative pro-life roundtable.
Sally’s experience spans across both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining South Carolina Citizens for Life, Sally held various positions that honed her administrative and leadership skills. As the Director of Operations for the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce, Sally served as Executive Assistant to the Chamber President, managed financial accounts and reporting, and handled staff management and HR duties. She has worked as a Practice Coordinator at Northampton Cardiology Associates, and she served as the Regional Director for YOUTH 2000 New England, where she organized and facilitated youth retreats and mentored youth leadership teams.
Sally holds a degree in Executive Office Administration and was inducted into the Alpha Beta Gamma business honor society. She is also a nationally certified FertilityCare Practitioner and received a certificate in Crisis Pregnancy Coaching.
Originally from Massachusetts, Sally moved to Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 2010, after meeting her husband, Gene, on CatholicMatch. Outside of work, Sally enjoys reading, vacationing in the mountains, and spending time with her Carolina Dog, Kona. She and her husband also facilitate a quarterly marriage prep class at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Columbia, SC.