Roo Powell on Boundaries and Making The World a Safer Place

Imagine putting on a wig, trendy makeup and teenager’s clothes to hunt down online predators in an undercover operations—this is the life that Roo Powell has chosen. As the Founder of SOSA, or Safe from Online Sex Abuse, she is a law enforcement consultant and advocate for effective legislation to protect our children from online predators. Her work at SOSA can be seen through the docuseries Undercover Underage and SOSA Undercover. As a mother to teenage girls, this work is deeply personal, and through it all, Roo has balanced being both  tough and soft at the same time. She Talks Asia crosses over to the US to chat with the Welsch-Filipina-American trailblazer about life in her 40s. 

What do you do for a living, and what are the things that make you feel more alive? 

I’m the founder and CEO of SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse), a non-profit that works to protect kids and teens online. I feel most alive when our work makes an impact—whether that’s going undercover to pose as a minor during an operation with law enforcement, shipping out a care package to a survivor, or speaking before a room of caregivers about how to keep their children safe online. 

How old are you? 

42 

Fill in the blank: “I am most known for___________.” 

From my colleague: “having no fewer than four beverages on her desk at a time.” 

From one of my daughters: “always being available for late night yap sessions …. and nuking coffee and tea after it’s gone cold.” 

From my friend: “discerning taste in memes, tapas, and playlists.” 

From a most recent first (which was also a last) date: "sending gracious 'not a match' texts before 10pm." 

Fill in the blank: “I am most proud of ____________.” 

how SOSA has flourished over these past five years. It’s been wonderful to see the organization and community grow around the commitment to keeping kids and teens safe from abuse and exploitation. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge, and the best thing, about being your age? 

At 42 where I’m at in life, my bandwidth is limited, but I try to prioritize showing up in the two main aspects of my life: work and parenting. Both highly demanding and incredibly meaningful, running an organization that deals with the dark corners of the world entails its fair share of difficult, upsetting days. Parenting also requires a lot of focus — raising teenagers as a single mom involves being present and patient. 

While all that can be challenging, 42 is still young. I’m not 22 anymore, but I also don’t want to be 22. At 42, there is a level of experience and wisdom that I am able to share with people who are younger than me, and there’s also still plenty to learn from the people who are younger than me, from my peers, and from people who are older than me. 42 is great! Do I have to do mobility exercises in order to keep my joints feeling good? Sure, but that's fine — it’s just a part of aging, and aging is a privilege. 

How have you grown wiser in the past few years? 

My word of the year is “steady” and maybe it’ll be my word of the year next year, too. Over the past few years I’ve really leaned into learning about and establishing boundaries and trying to figure out how to stay grounded in a career and phase of life where everything is moving. 

What's something you're looking forward to learning/doing in the next decades of your life? 

I joke that one day I’ll be a 70-year-old Lola climbing in and out of an undercover vehicle, still doing this work. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but whether it’s working or gardening, I’m sure it’ll be great.

What are the best pieces of life advice you have ever received? 

Everything is figureoutable; the key is to just move in a direction. If you make a decision and it turns out to be the wrong choice, that’s okay! We pivot, we adjust, we try something else. What matters is the willingness to adapt, not being stuck in a state of indecision. It’s easier to move when you’re already moving!

#STAGenerations