Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.
Who We Are
Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.
Who We Are
Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.
Who We Are
Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.
Who We Are
Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.
Who We Are
NOVA is supported by its members, donors, corporations, foundations, government grants and contracts.
Our mission is to champion dignity and compassion for those harmed by crime and crisis.
OUR WORK
assist
We advocate for victims by connecting them with services and resources.
train
We provide skill-based training to victim advocates and crisis responders.
credential
We ensure the highest standards and professional core competencies are met and maintained by those working directly with crime victims through credentialing programs.
promote
We promote public policy initiatives that protect the rights of crime victims and serve as the national voice for victims.
OUR VALUES
compassion
We care about and respond to the plight of people and one another.
accountability
Excellence in our work and justice in our cause means we honor our commitments.
collaboration
Teamwork and partnerships are crucial to the work we do.
passion
We are driven by the hope that the work we do change lives.
Executive Staff
Claire Ponder Selib
Executive Director
Claire Ponder Selib has over 25 years’ experience providing direct advocacy services to victims of crime and managing victim assistance programs for civilian and military agencies. In April 2020, Claire was appointed by the NOVA Board of Directors to serve as NOVA’s new Executive Director. In this role, Claire leads the strategic vision for the organization; serves as the agency’s primary spokesperson; and manages all operations and staff. Since 2013, Claire has served on the NOVA staff in the following roles: Deputy Director; Director of Education; and Director of the DoD Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program (D-SAACP). Prior to joining NOVA, Claire served for over five years as the Project Manager for the Army’s Victim Advocacy and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Contract; managing a staff of 164 Victim Advocates at 56 Army installations around the world. Claire has extensive experience developing policies, anti-violence campaigns, training curricula and facilitating national trainings for military and civilian audiences. She has managed state and national anti-violence programs at the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Additionally, Claire provided on-call advocacy, individual counseling, and psychoeducational groups to survivors of sexual assault/abuse and domestic violence while working at Prince George’s Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center and Women Empowered Against Violence. Claire holds a BA in English from Columbia University and a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania.
Senior Director of Finance and Operational Services
Deborah began her victim advocacy career at a local rape crisis program and soon after came to NOVA to work at the national level with the desire to advance the cause of fair treatment and comprehensive services for victims of crime. NOVA’s mission was and is a good fit – 30+ years later. Deborah has served in many capacities for NOVA that include grant management, event planning, crisis response, and project coordination.
In recent years, she serves as NOVA financial officer, developing and overseeing NOVA’s budget, managing the day-to-day financial operations, monitoring internal controls, and assisting in strategic planning. Deborah is a Credentialed Advocate with Advanced Standing with the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) and also serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). These days, Deborah boasts about her adorable new grandchild and has no shame admitting that her lovable two cats have nearly as many pictures on her phone.
Roger Roberts, Director of Crisis Response Services and Training, is the primary trainer for the NOVA Crisis Response Team Training®. He also administers the National Credentialed Crisis Responder Program and coordinates NOVA’s National Response to Crisis.
Roger is a graduate of the Wright State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Roger served as the emergency preparedness coordinator for the London City-Madison County Health District for 6 years before becoming the Director of Emergency Management for Madison County.
Kellie Portmanis NOVA’s Crisis Response Training Coordinator. Previously, she was a Core Energy Life Coach and has over 20 years of experience working within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Kellie earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Services Leadership from Urbana University. In addition to her education, Kellie’s extensive training and knowledge has allowed her to coach and train hundreds of youth and families, school personnel and other professionals. Kellie is a certified NOVA Crisis Response Team® training instructor, a member of a local CRT response team and has been actively involved in local responses.
Jeremy is the CRT Response and Technical Assistance Manager. He is a certified NOVA Crisis Response Team® instructor and assists teaching CRT Basic and Advanced courses, and is a NACP Credentialed Victim Advocate. Jeremy coordinates the NOVA section of the Improving Community Preparedness Training and Technical Assistance grant through DOJ/OVC. He is focused on helping local, regional and state CRT-trained individuals and teams create response plans that can be utilized when an emergency or disaster occur.Jeremy facilitates NOVA’s National Crisis Response Team to assist local communities during emergencies and is working toward the creation of a National Crisis Response Credential.Jeremy has assisted with mass violence response planning to the Oregon District Shooting in Dayton, Ohio, Oxford High School shooting in Oxford, Michigan, Tops Market shooting in Buffalo, New York, and Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Prior to coming to NOVA, Jeremy was contracted by the State of Michigan, Division of Victim Services to oversee a statewide Mass Violence Response program that included 300 CRT-trained volunteers. He helped to create a mass violence response and deployment protocol that was implemented as part of the state emergency operations plan and worked alongside local, state, and federal partners to create and lead full scale exercises that included family reception center planning, victim notifications, and family resource or assistance center plans. Jeremy also worked as a career paramedic and firefighter for 15 years and still maintains certifications at the state level.
Jeremy has a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from Purdue University Global. He attended the Emergence Program with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, through the Naval Postgraduate School. In both, his master’s degree capstone project and with the CHDS/NPS Emergence Program, Jeremy focused on validating the inclusion of victim assistance resources into emergency management, mitigation and preparedness plans, and formalizing comprehensive project management plans for crisis response programs.
Callie Stewart
Director of Professional Development & Outreach
Callie Stewart (she/her) is the Director of Professional Development & Outreach at NOVA. She is dedicated to improving trauma-informed responses across a variety professional fields and strengthening trauma-impacted communities through the use of quality educational content, partnership collaboration and effective outreach. In addition, Callie serves as an adjunct faculty member at Dominican University where she teaches Strategies for Assessing Trauma-Informed Care.
Prior to her current position, Callie was the Marketing Manager at NOVA, where she handled all communications, developed membership programming and created engagement initiatives.
Callie is a Licensed Master Social Worker, with a clinical background providing trauma-informed therapy to children and families. Today, she uses this experience and her expertise in adult education to consult, develop and deliver professional, evidence-based training curricula to a diverse audience of helping professionals. She has provided training at national conferences and served as subject matter expert faculty. In addition, she has experience working with partners and stakeholders to provide consultation on managing psychosocial support for special-interest groups.
Callie is trained in human subject research and protection, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psycho-education, victim advocacy, and Suicide Risk Assessment and Safety Planning. She received her Masters of Science in Social Work from the Columbia School of Social Work and her B.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.
Michelle Williams
Marketing & Communications Manager
Michelle is NOVA’s Marketing and Communications Manager. A native of Newport News, VA, Michelle has experience working in human services organizations that advocate for the underserved in programmatic and administrative capacities. During her 10 years in the nonprofit field, she has worked in a variety of roles including direct support professional at a home for children with disabilities, mental health case manager, after-school program leader, a job coach for individuals with disabilities, development coordinator, administrator at a political foundation, and more. Michelle has obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health from Old Dominion University, and a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She has since worked in fundraising and marketing roles in nonprofits of various sizes, creating content for and designing annual reports, solicitations, social media posts, flyers, merchandise, newsletters, and other publications. Utilizing her direct service experience, she enjoys leveraging language and media to make personal connections, engage audiences, and build community.
Michelle is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and serves on the board of local nonprofit, Feed The Streets RVA, where she uses her marketing and communications skills to create publications, social media posts, and more for the organization. A huge movie buff, you can find her on weekly solo dates to the theatre, binge-watching “behind-the-scenes” documentaries, traveling with friends, or at home playing with her cat, Zeus.
Mariel Branagan Jewell
Membership Manager
Mariel Branagan Jewell is the Training Manager for NOVA. She currently assists in the coordination and delivery of NOVA’s victim assistance trainings and academies. She was previously the Deputy Program Manager of the D-SAACP Program where she helped direct efforts to credential over 12,000 military sexual assault victim advocates per year through this congressionally-mandated program.
Prior to coming to NOVA, Mariel was the programs manager for a reentry program for women with nonviolent offenses. It was there she learned that most of the women in the program had histories of trauma and had been victims of crime themselves.
Mariel received her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University (Go Monarchs!) and her Master’s degree in Forensic and Legal Psychology from Marymount University.
Alejandro is NOVA’s Victim Advocacy Training Manager.
Formerly a victim advocate at the Office of Victim Services at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Alejandro was the lead advocate of the Victim Offender Dialogue Program. Alejandro facilitated victim initiated, victim centered and victim driven dialogues within victims/survivors and their offenders. Also, during his tenure he educated victims on their victims’ rights; as well, as assisted them to exercise them. Such as being heard during criminal justice proceedings, in particular to provide impact statements and oppose parole of inmates during clemency hearings. Furthermore, Alejandro has worked as a technology safety specialist with the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Providing technical assistance and training on assessing and safety planning around abuse by means of technology. Alejandro also was a trainer with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence from 2013- 2016. Prior to becoming a trainer, Alejandro provided lay legal advocacy services to victim of domestic and sexual violence at the domestic violence shelter where his work in advocacy started back in 2010 as a volunteer in Phoenix, Arizona
Boards/Organizations: Alejandro is a recipient of ASU Alumni Award for Early Career Excellence 2017- 2018. Alejandro has also served as an Associate Member with Violence Against Women International from 2016- 2017. Furthermore, serving as a member on the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women during 2016. Alejandro also served as a Member for the Steering Committee of IPV Prevention Council of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV). Education Alejandro earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminology & Criminal Justice from Arizona State University’s School of Criminology & Criminal Justice on May 2014.
Carolyn Eskin
Education & Outreach Coordinator
Carolyn Eskin is NOVA’s Education & Outreach Coordinator. Since coming to NOVA in 2019, Carolyn has successfully completed Crisis Response Training.
Prior to working at NOVA, Carolyn worked at the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a Project Assistant on the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program, credentialing Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) internationally and maintaining the DRE database. She provided conference planning and registration support for the IACP’s Drugs, Alcohol and Impaired Driving Conference.
Carolyn received her B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and a Psychology minor from Millersville University, and her M.A. in Forensic Psychology from the George Washington University.
Director of NOVA’s Campus Training & Technical Assistance Program
Shannon Collins (she/hers) is an autistic advocate living in Denver, CO who strives to cultivate collective leadership, survivor empowerment, and peer support in her work. Shannon currently serves as the Director of the Campus Training & Technical Assistance Program at the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). Shannon is a licensed clinical social worker who has spent over 20 years working to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) through advocacy, response, prevention, and education primarily in college and university settings. Shannon specializes in the formation of trauma-informed victim advocacy programs within institutions of higher education and the development and maintenance of campus-based Coordinated Community Response Teams (CCRTs) to foster collective leadership for institutional change. At NOVA, she provides leadership for the National Campus Advocacy Training (NCAT) and the NOVA campus training & technical assistance program funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women Campus Program. Shannon serves as adjunct faculty for several Colorado universities and teaches workshops and academic courses on the ethics of campus advocacy, evidence-based practice, trauma-informed leadership, and gender-based violence over the lifespan. Shannon is grateful to serve her community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA). Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology, a Master of Social Work degree, and a Women’s Studies Certificate of Graduate Study from the University of South Carolina, as well as an Executive Certificate of Nonprofit Management from the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute. When Shannon is not working to promote justice and healing for survivors and communities, she can be found immersed in a crochet project or exploring the natural Colorado landscape with her family.
Dr. Ava Ramirez-Ene
Training & Technical Assistance Program Coordinator-Military/Campus
At NOVA, Ava works to support the training & technical assistance for the campus and military programs.
Prior to NOVA, Ava worked in the non-profit sphere conducting outreach, education, prevention, and intervention with youth, schools, and in her community, while also volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for youth in foster care.
Ava is a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, with almost nine years of service, including a deployment to Afghanistan and stations in Japan and around the U.S. Ava discovered her passion for advocacy and supporting survivors while serving as a Uniformed Victim Advocate (UVA) for military sexual assault survivors.
Ava earned her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology, with a specialization in Victimology in 2021, with past academic achievements to include a Masters of Philosophy in Forensic Psychology, a Masters of Arts in Human Behavior, and a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. Ava is also a RYT-500 certified yoga instructor, with specialty training in Trauma-Informed approaches, and is a certified Reiki level I/II Practitioner. She is currently in training to obtain her Yoga Therapist (IAYT) Certification.
Altogether, Ava is a major proponent for advocacy, education, and empowerment for all peoples.
Jasmine Uribe
Sr. Training & Technical Assistance Advisor
Jasmine (she/her/ella) is the Senior Training and Technical Assistance Advisor for NOVA and partners with staff across various grant programs. She is a leader in the anti-violence movement with 15+ years of experience working in community with youth and adult allies to develop innovative programs and culturally affirming resources.
As a graduate from California State University, Los Angeles she uses her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development with a Certificate in Youth Agency Administration to advocate for programs that center the multi-faceted needs of individuals, and create systems that increase the quality of life for BIPOC communities.
Prior to NOVA, Jasmine spent the early years of her career working with K-12 students as a Teacher Assistant and Community Outreach Liaison. She began her prevention education and response efforts working with a national youth-serving organization for 11 years. In 2021 Jasmine launched her consulting business and works with organizations to build and increase capacity, strengthen programming, and address cultural responsiveness. She is a skilled public speaker, training facilitator, and curriculum developer, and has been featured in national conferences, podcasts, radio, and network television shows as a subject-matter expert.
When Jasmine is not working, she loves taking trips to reconnect with nature, being a tourist in her own community, finding new places to eat and relax, and supporting artists and local vendors. She enjoys having conversations about media and pop culture and considers some of her binge watching to be “research” as she often finds ways to connect themes around media messages and representation into her trainings and writing.
Clara Valadares Kientz
Campus Program Manger
Clara Valadares Kientz (she/hers/ela/dela) is the Campus Program Manager of NOVA’s Technical & Training Assistance Program. Clara has over 10 years of experience working in the field of anti-violence response and prevention with focus in dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking on college campuses. Clara has served as a community-based and campus-based advocate, as well as a state-wide trainer addressing gender-based violence. She also has over five years experience in grant management, including grant writing, reporting, and budgeting for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
At NOVA, she works to support the training & technical assistance program for campus coordinated community response funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women Campus Program. In this role, she is dedicated to helping institutions of higher education create trauma-informed, culturally humble, inclusive, and accessible programs to address dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking on campus.
She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Services, a Master of Science in Counseling and Student Affairs, and a graduate certificate in Academic Advising from Kansas State University. Clara is grateful to serve her state as a member of the Kansas Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council to promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Kansans.
Clara’s passion is to improve responses to survivors of power-based violence through evidence-based and survivor-centered practices while promoting institutional courage. When she’s not working to build anti-racist, inclusive spaces, she is playing board games with friends, watching movies with family, or absorbed in a podcast or audiobook. She enjoys her mom’s home-cooked meals (Brazilian feijoada is her favorite), sharing pictures of her adorable pets, and traveling.
Em Alves
OVW Campus Program Manager
Em Alves (they/them/elle) is a Campus Program Manager on the OVW Special Student Populations Grant for NOVA’s Campus Training & Technical Assistance Program. Em is a social worker with 10 years of experiences in interpersonal violence prevention and intervention both as a student advocate and professional within campus-, community-, and hospital-based programs.
In their Master of Social Work program, Em concentrated in Violence and Injury Prevention among women and femmes of color with a specialization in policy. In addition to their work within interpersonal violence, Em worked within Reproductive Justice in Latinx Communities. Em approaches violence prevention and response from a broad lens, centering anti-oppressive practices and a margins-to-center approach. In 2016 Em Co-chaired the 2nd Annual Midwest Queer Indigenous People of Color Conference in St. Louis, MO. Em entered the field of social work because they believe that pushing systems and challenging hegemonic policies are necessary for the collective liberation of all.
For three years, Em worked on the Auraria campus as a preventionist focusing on survivor- and student-centered practices. Em is passionate about understanding the ways that media and content creation is impacting and stimulating conversations around violence, and utilizing media literacy to draw out the nuances. Through frameworks like anti-oppression, sex positivity, and anti-racism they spearheaded the prevention program and began an ongoing podcast called “Phoenix Cast” as a way to bring anti-violence and advocacy to students on-the-go while still being trauma-informed. Em believes that education plays a critical role in violence prevention, and that creating resources and materials that speak to the diversity of human experience is vital to ending violence.
At NOVA, Em focuses on four priority populations for the OVW Campus Program: Immigrant, LGBTIA+, disabled, and military-connected students. In this role, Em leads listening sessions with students across the nation so as to best identify their ever-changing and often overlapping needs.
In their free time, Em organizes within their community around the principles of food justice and sovereignty among BIPOC populations. Due to their passion surrounding food justice, Em likes to spend their free time in the garden with chickens, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. When not organizing, Em loves to watch terrible television and build cat furniture with their spouse.
Alejandra “Ale” Soto
Language Justice and Accessibility Program Manager
Alejandra “Ale” Soto (she/hers/ella) – Language Justice and Accessibility Program Manager
Ale is a Mexico City native and Public Administration and International Development and Cooperation Consultant and Professor, specializing in topics such as Public Policy, Crime and Violence Prevention, Human Rights, Language Justice and Language Access, Victims’ Assistance, Gender-Based Violence, among others. She is also a Cultural and Linguistics consultant and professional translator (Spanish<>English). Prior to moving to Colorado in 2017, she worked for the United States Agency for International Development Office in Mexico City as a Governance and Democracy Program Specialist where she managed Crime and Violence Prevention Project aimed at at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. She also supported the Human Rights Office by leading the Office’s Leahy Vetting process that screens persons involved in Gross Human Rights Violations.
While in Colorado, Ale has volunteered in different organizations including Movement to End Violence Colorado, Colorado Network to End Human Trafficking Hotline, Denver for CEDAW, Aurora Office of International Affairs ‘s Immigrant and Refugee Commission and Museo de las Americas; she also served as the Vice-president of the Global Network of Highly Qualified Mexicans Abroad (Red Global) endorsed by the Mexican Consulate in Denver. Prior to coming to NOVA, Ale worked for the University of Colorado Cancer Center Office of Community Outreach and Engagement as a Cultural and Linguistics Competency Coordinator to assist the office on projects that aim to engage disadvantaged Hispanic/Latino populations by providing literacy adaptation and cultural appropriateness of project’s protocols, outreach, engagement, and research materials, and cancer prevention education.
Ale is passionate about Human Rights, Languages, Language Justice and Access, and Women Empowerment; she is an advocate to end violence against women. When she is not mothering, working volunteering or teaching, she is watching international movies, specially in French or Italian, or planning trips to home: Mexico City. Ale loves spending her time with her 4-year-old daughter Kaya and her dog Marley, with family and friends.
Angela Duhon
Military TTA Senior Manager
Angela Duhon has been providing direct services to survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking for over 10 years, with extensive knowledge relating to victim rights, strangulation and LGBTQ+ Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Prior to joining NOVA in 2020, Angela was employed by a local LGBTQ+ agency in Virginia where she provided crisis counseling, and she was the agency’s subject matter expert on LGBTQ+ IPV. Angela worked to enhance victim services to better meet the needs of LGBTQ+ survivors. Angela served for over 7 years as a military domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocate at several military installations. Additionally, Angela has provided 24/7 on-call advocacy, crisis intervention, extensive safety planning, facilitated psychoeducational groups to survivors of domestic and dating violence and/or sexual assault, as well as facilitated presentations, trainings, and briefings to both military and civilian audiences throughout her career.
Angela is a nationally credentialed advocate at the advanced level, has successfully completed the Crisis Response Training, and has completed the advanced level training through The Training Institute on Strangulation.
Angela hold a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a Forensic Psychology concentration from Saint Leo University.
Danielle Kitchen began her career in direct services nearly ten years ago as an intern working with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Monongalia County, West Virginia. As she continued with her social work degree, Danielle continued working for the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as the Assistant Program Coordinator for their Victim Assistance Program, specializing in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault cases. She was promoted to the position of Program Coordinator and began serving on the County’s Sexual Assault Response Task force, while continuing to provide direct services within the court system as well as 24/7 hospital accompaniment for victims and survivors as needed. Danielle also began her work with the County’s Child Advocacy MIDT, working alongside with prosecution and forensic interviewers to ensure victims voices were heard within the criminal justice system.
National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) Coordinator
Angela Willmore is the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) Coordinator. Angela works closely with the NACP Program Manager to provide administrative support and assistance in all areas of the program’s administration.
Angela was previously the D-SAACP Credentialing and Training Coordinator where she helped to successfully credential over 12,000 military sexual assault advocates per year through this congressionally-mandated program.
Prior to joining NOVA, Angela worked for more than 15 years in child welfare, specializing in international adoption. She facilitated the placement of children from a number of countries, including South Korea, China, and Russia. One of Angela’s most rewarding professional experiences involved volunteering with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, both at a shelter and through a program for incarcerated women who were survivors of domestic violence. Angela is passionate about ensuring that trauma survivors are heard and receive the appropriate support and resources essential to help them on their path to healing.
Angela is a nationally credentialed advocate who holds a BS in Public Relations from Kent State University and a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from the University of South Carolina.
Outside of work, Angela can be found enjoying her husband’s home-cooking, traveling, and curling-up on the couch with her sweet chihuahua, Willa.
August Mann
DSAACP Follow-up Manager
August Mann is the DSAACP Follow-up Manager for NOVA. She ensures receipt, analysis and processing of D-SAACP applications with a turnaround goal of 120 days for certification dissemination and in preparation for quarterly review by the D-SAACP Certification Review Committee. She also, assist as needed, in scheduling, organizing and facilitating the quarterly meetings of the D-SAACP Certification Review Committee, documentation of decisions & justifications.
In her past employment August is a Civilian Retiree from Department of Defense (DoD) at the Human Resource Center with 30 years of service working in the areas of Physical Disability, Wounded Warrior Soldiers, Exception Family Member Program, Remission of Cancellation of Indebtedness and ending in the position of Enlisted Background Screening (EBSS) for all Army members attempting to acquire a background clearance to operate in a sensitive duty position. Sensitive duty position as a Recruiter, Drill Sergeant, Equal Opportunity Advisor, Enlisted Aide to the General, Command Sergeant Major and Soldier of the Year.
August has an Associate Degree in Human Resource from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). She also holds a certificate of achievement with NOVA for Basic and Advance Crisis Response Team Training.
In her spare time August like to relax with friends and family and shop.
NOVA’s Board of Directors is comprised of up to fifteen elected members committed to its mission.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Jeannette Adkins, MEd, LPC, CA, Board President
Retired – Executive Director, Michael’s House Child Advocacy Center/Greene Co. Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio
Steve Derene, Board Vice President
Executive Director (retired), National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators, Wisconsin
Dr. Mamie M. Futrell, DSW, LCSW, Board Treasurer
Owner, Futrell Counseling & Consulting, LLC, Delaware
Assistant Professor at University of Pikeville (Remote), Kentucky
Angela Seguin, Board Secretary Assistant Director for Victim Advocacy, University of Delaware, Delaware
REMAINING ELECTED BOARD
Laura Abbott (1st Term expires 2024),
Founder, Victims’ Rights Arkansas, Arkansas
Orvie B. Baker, Jr. (1st Term expires 2023), President, The Einmalig Group, LLC, Minnesota
Eric Barreras (1st Term expires 2024), CEO/Founder, Difference Makers (10 Strong), California
Bette M.S. Inch (1st Term expires 2023),
Victim Services Consultant; Senior Victim Assistance Advisor (Ret.), Department of Defense (DoD) Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Office, Florida
Tanya O. Jones (1st Term expires 2025),
Founder and CEO, Interactive Advocacy, North Carolina
Rosie Martinez (1st term ends 2026) Victim Unit Director, Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office, Texas
Joél Junior Morales Contigo Fund, Florida
Patricia A. Payne, (2nd Term expires 2023),
Executive Director of Northwest Victim Services (Ret.); Consultant for Non-Profit Organizations, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth (Beth) Rossman, (2nd Term expires 2023),
Past Chairperson, Training Chair, Florida Crisis Response Team Inc., V.P. H&R Consulting, Florida
Steve Twist (2nd Term expires 2025), Founder, Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, Arizona
Andy Yurick, J.D. (Immediate Past- President),
Law Offices of Andrew N. Yurick, New Jersey
Advisory Board Members
Our Advisory Board Members offer additional expertise to the Board of Directors.
Paul Freeman, Chairman of Advisory Committee, North Carolina
Rhonda S. Barner, Director (Ret.), Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office Victim/Witness Division, Florida
Darlene Hutchinson Biehl, Former Director, Office for Victims of Crime, Alabama
Shawn M. Cox, Victim Services Division, Maricopa County Victim Attorney’s Office, Arizona
Hon. Collene Thompson Campbell, California
John W. Gillis, Gillis Consulting Group LLC, Arizona
Hon. Lois Haight-Harrington, Judge of Superior Court, California
Barbara Kendall
Michaelene O’Neill McCann, Attorney ADA and Chief Victim Witness Services (Ret.), Essex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts
Brenda J. Muhammad, Executive Director, Atlanta Victim Assistance, Inc., Georgia
D. Michael Sheline, Assistant Section Chief, Chief-Crime Victims Section, Office of Ohio Attorney General, Ohio
David R. Thomas, Program Manager II, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Virginia
Brandon Wolf, Equality, Florida
Shawn M. Cox, Victim Services Division of the Maricopa County Victim Attorney’s Office
In memory of and in Gratitude to NOVA Past Presidents, Joseph Myers and Norm Early. Both of whom were dedicated to the NOVA mission and had a profound impact on the field.
We stock a variety of NOVA merchandise in limited quantities. Our most popular resource is a series of publications related to victim advocacy and child victims.
When you join the National Organization for Victim Assistance, you become part of an inspiring community committed to advancing the field of victim services and connecting to a leading professional network in education, training and development. Each membership is an investment in providing high-quality trauma-informed training, victim advocacy, crisis response, and enhanced services and policies for victims/survivors of crime and crisis. Your voice will play an active role in protecting the rights of victims everywhere. Together, we can advance the field of victim services, building a bright future for survivors. Become a member today!
NALC’s Monthly and Quarterly CEU Trainings for Victim Advocates and Program Managers. Earn up to 24 CEU credits per year!
Member-only benefits at NOVA’s Annual Career Development Fair to help you advance your career.
Advocate Wellness and Sustainability: New events, tools, and resources that will support you in the critical work you do throughout the year.
NOVA Pop Culture Discussion Group: A new discussion group dedicated to talking about victimization and survivor representation in television, pop culture and media.
Lunch and Learns: In this informal meeting, partner organizations will share innovative tools and toolkits that will help you in the survivor services field.
Entry into the NOVA Member LinkedIn Group: Network with other professionals! Share job openings, resources and more in this group of peers.
Access to NOVA Academy Scholarships: Apply for need-based scholarships to attend NOVA’s academies.
Reduced registration fees for the NOVA Annual Conference, NOVA’s Crisis Response Training and Online Academies.
Quarterly NOVA Member E-Newsletter, full of information about upcoming continuing education opportunities, current news and alerts to help you stay informed and up-to-date with the latest trainings and professional developments.
Discounts on NOVA merchandise.
Eligibility to Join the NOVA Board: All NOVA Members have the ability to run for the NOVA Board after being a member for at least one year. Join our board and impact the future of victim advocacy and crisis response! Also, receive voting privileges to elect members of our Board of Directors.
Looking to upgrade from a Basic Membership to a Premier Membership? It’s quick, easy, and affordable to upgrade to a NOVA Premier Membership. To upgrade online, sign into your NOVA account by clicking the “My NOVA Account” button at the top right of the screen and log in to your account. The option to Upgrade appears on the lower right after signing in.
If you do not wish to pay online please download the paper application HERE
NOVA Basic Membership
Along with the tremendous satisfaction of investing in a network of incredible professionals around the world, NOVA Basic Membership offers the following benefits:
Quarterly NOVA Member E-Newsletter, full of information about upcoming continuing education opportunities, current news and alerts to help you stay informed and up-to-date with the latest trainings and professional developments.
Reduced registration fee for the NOVA Annual Conference
Reduced training fees for NOVA’s Crisis Response and other training programs
Voting privileges to elect members of our Board of Directors
Group Discounts (20% off 5 or more memberships from the same agency) Please email membership@trynova.org
Join our growing and diverse network of NOVA Members today! NOVA offers two membership plans – NOVA Basic Membership and NOVA Premier Membership – to give you more benefits and choices. Select the NOVA Membership Plan that’s right for you!
Memberships are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Membership FAQs
Please expand for submission details:
> I currently have a basic membership. Can I upgrade to the Premier level?
You can upgrade your membership to a NOVA Premier Membership and receive full access to NOVA’s NALC at any point this year.
It’s quick, easy, and affordable to upgrade to a NOVA Premier Membership. To upgrade online, you must have a NOVA online account (if you do not have one, registration is easy! Click on “My NOVA Account” on the top right of the page and follow the simple instructions to create an online account using your email address). Once logged in, you can upgrade your membership online. Alternatively, a membership upgrade form is available for download.
> What is a NOVA Life Membership?
A life membership allows you to join an exclusive cadre of NOVA members who receive NOVA member benefits year after year at no additional charge.
> What are the qualifications to receive a discounted membership?
We offer several discounted membership options: Group membership – 5 or more individuals from the same agency Senior membership – available to individuals 60+ years old Student membership – available to current students at any educational level Military membership – available to all active-duty, reservist, National Guard, and advocates employed by the DoD or DHS Volunteer Victim Advocate – available to individuals volunteering their time as a victim advocate NVAA Alum – Available to graduates of NOVA’s Victim Assistance Academy
> I have a NACP or D-SAACP victim advocacy certification – does that mean I am a NOVA member?
No, NACP and D-SAACP are separate programs from the NOVA membership.
> Does NOVA offer agency memberships?
Unfortunately, NOVA does not offer agency memberships at this time. We do offer group discounts for 5 or more staff from the same agency. See below.
> Does NOVA offer group discounts?
We are pleased to offer a group discount for 5 or more staff from the same agency. Please contact us for more information: 703-535-6682 or membership@trynova.org.
> I want to buy a NOVA Membership for each of my staff. How do I do this?
To purchase memberships for more than one person, you can either sign each person up online separately, or we would be happy to process a bulk payment if you contact our office at 703-535-6682 or membership@trynova.org.
Thank you for your support! If you have any additional questions, please contact us at 703-535-6682 or membership@trynova.org.
The America’s Best Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to charitable organizations that meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. Applicant charities must provide evidence of their program activities and demonstrate the benefit of their services. They must submit for review their most recent IRS tax returns with all schedules. Charities with annual revenues above $250,000 must also submit audited financial statements produced by an independent certified public accountant, including an auditor’s opinion letter stating the charity meets the generally accepted accounting standards in the United States.
