There is a possible way to make a script to send to public name.
Thinking outloud, I would write a script that would go through the memberlist and get the public names. This script would create a hash table that would map public names to member numbers.
The board would also need to be hacked so that as new members join, they are mapped to the hash table, and if members change their public names, or if members are deleted, the hash table is updated.
Then, it's simply a matter of getting the member number from the hash, and calling the redirect.
It's more involved than I want to mess with at this point, but that's how I would do it.
Amy