10. Laura Ahearn

As an advocate for prevention of child sexual assault, Ahearn is only getting more effective. Blunt when she needs to be, Ahearn is also becoming the go-to expert for politicians and law enforcement alike. She needled national leaders last October by issuing a report card on states’ implementation of Megan’s Law that gave an average grade of F, then pivoted perfectly and used the hub-bub to convince Congress to budget more funding for the National Megan’s Law Helpline. When the parents of Stephanie Caruso, the LI teen who was lured away by a convicted sex offender to Mexico, couldn’t get any help from police, Ahearn goaded authorities into action, and Stephanie was soon brought home safe.