Conference Planning Team
2nd World Conference of Women's Shelters Planning Team
Meet our staff who, for the past two years, have been hard at work planning the 2nd World Conference of Women's Shelters. We hope to see you all at the conference!
Alisha Donovan, Registration Coordinator is part of the of the Program and Conference Planning Committees. Alisha is the Transitional Housing Specialist for the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Housing Project providing comprehensive technical assistance to over 150 transitional housing programs across the United States, focusing on services for survivors of domestic, sexual and dating violence, and stalking. Alisha has worked with and on behalf of survivors for over 7 years. In her previous work as a shelter and transitional housing advocate she provided counseling and support services to families that were homeless due to domestic and sexual violence. She has provided trainings for adults and youths on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, healthy relationships and conflict resolution.
Sue Else is president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. She started her career in the domestic violence field as a volunteer at a battered women’s shelter in Ames, Iowa called Access while earning her Bachelor’s degree psychology from Iowa State University. She was eventually hired as the volunteer coordinator at the shelter – one of two paid staff positions – and quickly became the Executive Director. Later, she moved to Kansas City, Missouri and served as President and CEO of Hope House for 18 years. When Sue first started at Hope House, it was a small organization that operated from a small, dilapidated house in Independence, Missouri. During her tenure, Sue transformed Hope House from a revolving-door program into a comprehensive organization designed to meet the full spectrum of needs for victims of domestic violence. Under Sue’s leadership, Hope House grew from an organization with 13 staff members and a $260,000 budget into an organization with more than 70 staff members and a $3.5 million budget. After a successful $2.3 million capital campaign in 1993 and another successful $4 million capital campaign in 2000 under Sue’s leadership, Hope House now has two shelters that have beds for up to 104 women and children every night, and a licensed Early Childhood Center at each campus.
Kenya Fairley, Workshop Speakers Coordinator is on WCWS Program and Communications Committees. Kenya is a lifelong advocate to end domestic and sexual violence against women and girls. As Program Director of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV), Kenya oversees the technical assistance, training, and resource development components of the organization. She also coordinates the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, which creates a forum for a diverse group of professional advocates from national organizations and culturally specific institutes to provide input on issues of national importance; those emerging issues and ideas are then converted into resource tools and materials for use by advocates and allies. Kenya’s background is in victim advocacy, project management, training, and child welfare.
Annika M. Gifford is on the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters’ Program Committee. Annika is the Policy and Research Manager at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV). Prior to joining the NRCDV, Annika spent four years working in Zagreb, Croatia for the Centre for Women’s Studies, Zagreb. Her work focused on gender mainstreaming, capacity building, human rights and justice, cross-border reconciliation, and anti-violence against women. She also co-founded a Croatian nonprofit and nongovernmental organization for children and youth with disabilities. Annika has a Masters of Arts in Gender and Peace Building from the United Nations mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. She is also a Steering Committee member of the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence.
Nina Gilbert, Communication Coordinator is on the WCWS Communications Committee. Nina is the Outreach Coordinator at the WomensLaw Project. She has successfully expanded the organization into social media, supporting advocates and survivors through Facebook and Twitter. Nina supports WomensLaw.org in numerous capacities including operations, systems and outreach management and representing the organization in various media channels. She also updates content on the website. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Goucher College and will graduate in May 2012 from Fordham University with her Masters in Social Work.
Kelly Howard, Delegate Scholarships Coordinator of the WCWS. As Development Specialist of NNEDV, Kelly participates in all of NNEDV's fundraising efforts, including grant writing, event planning, managing and updating the website, and managing donations and donor relationships. Before coming to NNEDV, she worked in development and fundraising at Hope House, a domestic violence program in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Kelly has also served as a Research Assistant for the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning at the Iowa Department of Human Rights, where she coordinated efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of the state's juvenile justice system and programs for at-risk youth. Kelly obtained a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Simpson College and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC). Kelly is a music and movies buff, and a pop culture enthusiast with a particular fondness for the White Stripes, an alternative rock band from Detroit.
Kaofeng Lee, Project Manager of the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters. As project manager, she is responsible for all aspects of the conference from development to implementation. In addition, she is a Project & Communications Specialist with the Safety Net Project. Kaofeng works on a variety of National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) projects. Kaofeng also provides technical assistance, resources, and advocacy on all forms of technology, specifically on how technology can be misused and how it can be effectively used to help survivors of stalking, sexual violence, and domestic violence. Before joining NNEDV, Kaofeng worked with survivors of domestic violence as a bilingual advocate with the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project and interned with Break the Cycle in Washington, DC. Previous work experience includes 8 years as an editor, writer, and project coordinator. Kaofeng has a Masters in International Affairs, focusing on human rights and violence against women, from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication from Iowa State University.
Monica McLaughlin, Volunteer Coordinator of the WCWS. Monica is the Senior Public Policy Analyst at NNEDV. As a life-long activist in the women's movement, Monica began her career as a domestic violence advocate in Montana, Chicago and England. Her work with survivors afforded her a unique perspective on the issues that impact women's lives and fueled her desire to advocate for survivors at a macro level. While completing her Master's in Communication Studies, she was the Public Relations and Advocacy Coordinator for a women's substance abuse treatment program, where she coordinated the agency's first legislative call-to-action campaign and initiated a speaker's bureau of women in recovery. Monica joined NNEDV in 2007 as a Public Policy Specialist and co-chairs national coalitions working to improve federal legislation and increase resources to address and prevent domestic violence.
Krista Niemczyk, GNWS Board Liaison is on the WCWS Program Committee. Krista is the Public Policy Coordinator with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). In this capacity, she works with the policy team and national coalitions to improve federal legislation and increase resources to address and prevent domestic violence. Krista prepares advocacy materials and coordinates meetings and events on behalf of the policy team. Krista’s past work experience with at-risk youth strengthened her passion for social policy issues. She has a Bachelors of Arts in Social Work and a Masters in Public Policy with a concentration in Social Policy.
Heidi Notario-Smull is on the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters’ Program Committee. Heidi is the Training Specialist at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) and a member of the Technical Assistance team. Heidi is originally from Cuba and has resided in the U.S since 1995. Prior to joining the NRCDV, Heidi worked as an advocate for individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals for approximately ten years. Her interests include a wide variety of issues related to the treatment afforded to victims/survivors with disabilities and Deaf victims/survivors by the criminal justice system, service providers, and society at large. As a Queer Latina, she keeps on the forefront of her anti-oppression work the elimination of barriers that impact immigrant survivors and the LGBTQ community. Heidi holds a Masters in Sociology. Heidi
Erica Olsen, Exhibits Manager is on the WCWS Program, Finance, and Communications Committees. Erica is a Housing & Technology Safety Specialist with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). Through training, technical assistance, and policy advocacy, she addresses all forms of technology impacting survivors of stalking, sexual violence, and domestic violence. Erica has been focusing on women and social change for over 10 years, including working to end domestic violence at the local and state level. Erica’s prior work at the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, included writing curriculum and training statewide on a project focusing on the intersection of domestic violence and disabilities. Erica has also worked internationally, providing trainings on technology safety in Australia and working on volunteer projects in Nepal, India, and Africa.
Kim Pentico, Conference Coodinator is on the WCWS Program Committee. Kim has been working with and on behalf of survivors of sexual and domestic violence since 1990. She first spent over seven years working for a local domestic violence program in Kansas and another seven years at the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCASDV). She has also worked for the STOP Technical Assistance Project in Washington, D.C. Kim currently works as an Economic Justice Specialist for the Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, which works to ensure and enhance survivor access to economic justice and safety.
Rene Renick, Evening Events Coordinator of the WCWS. Rene is the Vice President of Economic Enterprises at The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). In this capacity, she directs the Economic Justice Project which provides training and technical assistance to state and local domestic violence programs in the area of economic justice and empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Rene also serves as NNEDV’s liaison with corporate foundation partners, administers NNEDV’s operational procedures and manages human resource functions. Rene has more than 20 years of experience providing support and services for victims of domestic violence. She started her career as an Outreach Therapist for battered women, and has also served as the Program Coordinator, the Vice President of Services, a Consultant and Trainer, and the Director of Community Programs for various domestic violence programs in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Rene is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s degree in Counseling & Guidance and an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration.
Stacey Sarver, Esq., is a Communications Coordinator on the WCWS Communications Committee. Stacey is NNEDV's Senior Attorney and the Legal Director of NNEDV's WomensLaw.org Project. She manages all legal content on the WomensLaw.org Project website and runs the email legal hotline. Stacey graduated with High Honors from Tufts University and with Honors from Fordham Law School. She began working in the field of domestic violence 13 years ago. Prior to joining NNEDV, she represented low-income domestic violence victims in family court in the Bronx and Staten Island, NY and in the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Manhattan. She is raising (and enjoying) her two year-old daughter.
Ashley Slye, Delegates Liaison is on the WCWS Program, Finance, and Communications Committees. Ashley joined NNEDV in April 2010 as the Program Coordinator. Ashley works with the program team to plan meetings and trainings, provide technical assistance to grantees, updating website content, and compiling materials for any meetings/trainings/conference. Prior to NNEDV, Ashley earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Cultural Studies and a minor in Sociology from Virginia Tech. She focused her studies primarily on politics and crime in literature and within society. While attending school, she became passionate about the issues surrounding domestic violence. During her senior year, she volunteered at the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley. She has a strong background in working with children. Her work spans from tutoring children from low-income neighborhoods to assisting children diagnosed with autism, cerebral palsy, emotional disturbance, and others.
Cindy Southworth is on the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters’ Program and Finance Committees. Cindy is the Vice President of Development and Innovation at NNEDV, and leads the communications, development, technology, and international efforts of NNEDV. She joined NNEDV in 2002 when she founded the Safety Net Project to address all things technology and Violence Against Women. Through the Safety Net Project Cindy works with private industry, state and federal agencies, and international groups to improve safety and privacy for victims in this digital age. She has testified before Congress and is on many task forces and committees that address justice, privacy, technology, and safety in the Justice, Elections, Defense, and Human Services arenas. Cindy has Masters Degree in Social Work and has worked to end violence against women for 20 years at national, state, and local advocacy organizations. She has spent the past 12 years focusing on how technology can increase victim safety and how to hold stalkers accountable for misusing technology. She is a co-Chair of the Technology Committee of the National Taskforce To End Sexual And Domestic Violence Against Women and is a member of both the Anti-Spyware Coalition and the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Program’ Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative’s Privacy and Information Quality Working Group. Cindy is recognized as the international expert on helping victims use technology safely, addressing technology stalking and data privacy for victims.
Paulette Sullivan Moore, Exhibits Manager of the WCWS. Paulette is the NNEDV's Vice President of Public Policy. In this position, Ms. Moore directs NNEDV’s work with Congress and the Administration to support and implement laws, programs, policies, practices, and procedures, which promote safety for victims of domestic violence and accountability for their perpetrators. Before joining NNEDV, Ms. Moore served as the Director of Policy for the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence where she: (1) testified before and worked with legislators to craft effective protection order, criminal justice, housing, and victims of crime laws; (2) trained advocates, judges, lawyers, and law enforcement on state and federal domestic violence laws and policies; and (3) provided technical assistance to a wide range of governmental and non-profit domestic violence advocates and community members on matters regarding protection orders, domestic violence and the faith community, confidentiality, and the state legislative process. A member of the Delaware State Bar Association since 1977, Ms. Moore has served as a prosecutor, a defense attorney, a county elected official and an attorney guardian ad litem. Ms. Moore is admitted to practice before the Delaware Supreme Court, the Delaware District Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sarah Tucker is on the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters’ Program and Conference Planning Committees. Sarah is a Technology Safety Specialist with Safety Net: the National Safe & Strategic Technology Project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). Through training, technical assistance, and policy advocacy, she addresses all forms of technology that impact survivors of stalking, sexual violence and domestic violence. Over the past ten years, she has provided hundreds of national and international trainings and co-authored several articles on the use of technology and violence against women. She holds a Bachelors of Arts from Mount Saint Mary’s University, and is current pursuing a graduate certificate in Cybersecurity from the University of MD, Baltimore County.
Mao Yang Baltazar, VIP Liaison is on the WCWS Program Committee. Mao joined the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) as Resource & Technical Assistance Specialist in 2004, after working for five years at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV). As a public relations assistant at RICADV, Mao coordinated and tracked local and statewide press coverage of domestic violence in Rhode Island. As a public policy associate, Mao focused on children who witness domestic violence and other policy advocacy issues. She also convened and facilitated workgroups aimed at developing and implementing strategies to address gaps in services for domestic violence victims. In addition, Mao helped coordinate statewide legislative campaigns, organized the data collection efforts of the local programs and provided resources for the public. At NNEDV, Mao works to support state and territory domestic violence coalitions by coordinating and providing membership services, training and technical assistance.
