AG Yost recognizes ‘the light bearers’ at annual Two Days in May Conference

Addressing the nearly 1,000 people attending the Ohio Attorney General’s 34^th annual Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost spoke about the meaningful work being done by advocates and others who help victims and survivors of crime, and reflected on the message of this year’s conference theme, “One Mission, Many Voices.”

“You are the hope carriers, the light bearers,” Yost told the gathering at the 2026 conference, held May 18-19 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. “You are helping to set the world right again.”

Two Days in May brings advocates together to share best practices, trends and developments in the field of victim assistance. This year’s event, which is organized by the Crime Victim Services Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, included two keynote speakers, 35 workshops, and expert presenters from throughout Ohio.

On Monday, following Yost’s opening remarks, Nicole Snell, CEO of Girls Fight Back, presented the keynote address. Snell is a sought-after trainer on empowerment and violence prevention, and, for those who work in the advocacy field, burnout avoidance.

Also on Monday, Yost met privately with a group of survivors who work with the Cincinnati Police Department’s Victim Assistance Liaison Unit. They shared with him their personal stories of hope and strength. In that meeting, he met UCanSpeakForMe founder Hope Dudley, who was also a Two Days in May award recipient this year. In a surprise moment during his remarks, the attorney general announced that $20,000 in settlement money obtained by his office would be donated to help fund the mission of Dudley’s organization.

On Tuesday morning, a motivational plenary session featured survivor Kar’Mell Triplett, who shared her story of stalking and abuse. Her experience led to a new stalking-related law in Ohio. Triplett was joined by Maria York of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and Sgt. Roberta Bailey of the Dayton Police Department. Together, they explored survivor-led advocacy and the lessons learned more than a year after the enactment of Ohio’s law on technology-assisted stalking and tracking.

Highlighting the second day of the conference was the TDIM Awards Ceremony, with AG Yost honoring Dudley, two other professionals and one group for their longstanding and impactful work in the realm of victim advocacy.

More about the award winners can be found below.

To review conference highlights and award winners from previous years, click the tabs below

Two Days in May 2026Two Days in May 2025Two Days in May 2024Two Days in May 2023

Award winners

Success Through Collaboration Award

Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO) Team
Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court, Cincinnati

Last May, only hours after officers from the Green Township Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office served a civil protection order to a man who lived with the petitioner, an officer driving past the residence noticed the man entering it.

Fortunately, the woman who requested the order was not there.

When the officer went to enforce the order, the man barricaded himself inside, leading to a standoff requiring SWAT assistance. The man was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Though tragic, the outcome represented a success story for the Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (DVCPO) team in Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court.

In short, the protection process worked well.

Before Judge Anne Flottman joined the court in January 2023, that wasn’t necessarily a given in Hamilton County.

The court’s protection order process was plagued by inefficiency and inconsistency, its dismissal rate was unusually high, communication was poor and many protection orders were going unserved. These systemic failures too often left survivors of domestic violence feeling ignored and unprotected, or worse.

“I’ve been around a pretty long time, and I’d heard horror stories over the years,” said Julie Doepke of the Hamilton County Adult Probation Department, whose agency regularly refers people to the court to seek civil protection orders (CPO). “It ebbs and flows about the different ways that people were treated as they came into court, or things that were said to them, or just the process being hard to understand and frustrating for those coming to seek these orders.”

Judge Flottman, who had spent the previous 7½ years handling domestic-violence cases as a magistrate in Warren County Domestic Relations Court, made the deficiencies a top priority after Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey reached out to her about an egregious process failure, confirming the shortcomings the judge herself had been seeing early in her term.

The two formed a Domestic Violence Task Force to collaboratively talk through and troubleshoot recurring problems – a group that began with about 10 regular participants and now routinely draws 35 to 40, including many representatives of agencies outside the court who work with domestic-violence survivors and/or have a vested interest in the discussions.

The judge talked privately with advocates and others who use the process, heard about petitioners’ frustrations, listened to audiotapes of the court’s CPO work and otherwise examined how the court was addressing domestic violence.

What she found was plenty of room for improvement.

“We were all siloed,” Judge Flottman said. “For me to have the ability to go talk to advocates about what had been their experiences and have them give me an honest answer was enormously helpful.”

In July 2024, she became the court’s administrative judge and quickly created a Dedicated Domestic Violence Team consisting of the court administrator, the docket office supervisor, a support specialist who works with the sheriff’s office on CPO service, the judge’s staff attorney and her case manager, the attorney who works in the Hamilton County Clerk of Court’s Help Center, and the four magistrates who would form the smaller DVCPO Team.

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Robert Denton Special Achievement Award

Dr. Robert Shapiro
Director, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Dr. Robert Shapiro’s interest in the well-being of children took hold early in his medical career and grew into a passion that helped him both pioneer and advance the field of child abuse pediatrics in Ohio.

“Diagnosing child abuse during my clinical work in the Pediatric Emergency Department raised my curiosity about how we can better protect children and families by increasing our understanding of child maltreatment,” he said.

That was more than 40 years ago.

Today, as he approaches retirement, Dr. Shapiro is a widely respected national leader in the specialty whose legacy is defined by his extraordinary service to young abuse victims and the systems aimed at safeguarding them.

Most notably, he was the driving force behind the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children, which opened 26 years ago at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the first Child Advocacy Center nationwide housed in a hospital.

“It was a dream and a vision that he turned into a reality,” said Dr. Kathi Makoroff, the center’s current medical director, who has worked with Dr. Shapiro for nearly 30 years. “We are dedicated to helping children and families, training professionals, advancing the field through research, and preventing child maltreatment.”

Dr. Shapiro’s history with Cincinnati Children’s dates to 1984, when he began working in the Emergency Medicine Division after his residency and fellowship in New York City. At the time, concerns about child abuse and neglect were drawing increasing attention, but relevant research and related medical expertise were still limited.

“I found assessing these kids really challenging because, truthfully, as pediatricians, we didn't know that much about how to recognize or differentiate abuse from other kinds of injuries,” Dr. Shapiro said.

“Kids would come in, and there'd be police officers there asking loads of questions. The parents are saying that ‘this’ happened. Caseworkers are worried about whether the child is going to be safe to go home. And, honestly, as a doctor, I had very little training – and the medical literature really was lacking in terms of how to differentiate abuse from normal childhood traumas.”

He and others in the Emergency Medicine Division began doing research to educate themselves and reaching out to other medical professionals across the country with an interest in the field.

In those days, Dr. Shapiro said, child abuse pediatrics wasn’t yet a recognized specialty, but the hospital’s director of social work at the time, Pat Myers, was a staunch advocate of children and a steady presence on his rotations into the Pediatric Department to work up cases of suspected abuse.

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Compassionate Leadership in Advocacy Award

Hope Dudley, Founder/CEO
UCanSpeakForMe, Cincinnati

Hamilton resident Serina Knight met Hope Dudley on March 11, 2016, likely the worst day of Knight’s life.

Knight had just learned that her 18-year-old son, Jaylon, had been fatally shot. In her profound grief, she felt lost and overwhelmed, uncertain what to do or where to turn.

Dudley was there for her, waiting at a church in Cincinnati to console and guide her through the challenges that lay ahead.

“She opened up her arms, not knowing who I was or anything,” Knight said. “She connected with me. She prayed with me. She gave me information and resources to help me through my journey.”

What Dudley did for Serina Knight, she has done for numerous other loved ones of homicide victims in southwestern Ohio for nearly 19 years.

She understands firsthand the excruciating pain that survivors feel. On Sept. 29, 2007, she herself lost a son, 26-year-old Daniel “Chaz” Dudley, in a drive-by shooting.

Although his case remains unsolved, her enduring search for answers has not been in vain.

Only days after burying her Chaz, Dudley embraced a purpose much larger than her own tragedy, dedicating herself to raising awareness of Ohio’s 5,000 cold-case homicides. As part of those efforts, she helps families of homicide victims negotiate the investigative process and keeps victims’ names and images front and center to aid authorities in solving more homicides.

Dudley was 57 when she learned that her son, the front-seat passenger in a vehicle driven by a friend, had been fatally shot.

Today, at 75, she is still doing what she began doing soon after her son’s funeral: assisting families that wake up to this same reality.

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Special Courage Award

Jane Keiffer, Executive Director
The Artemis Center, Dayton

In her 30 years with the Artemis Center – as a victim’s advocate, the clinical supervisor, the clinical director, and, for the past nine years, the executive director – Jane Keiffer has never lost sight of priority No. 1.

“What stands out to me about Jane, particularly during crisis, is that she stays so focused on survivors,” said Bernadette Rieger, the current clinical director at Artemis. “She just embodies the survivor-first mentality.”

Keiffer also has a way of making things happen.

“She figures things out,” said Deb Armanini, a retired first assistant in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, who worked with Keiffer for many years through Artemis. “If there's a problem, she will let you know about it and she'll work together with you.”

As it turned out, these attributes were just what Montgomery County needed when, in June 2024, the community lost its sole resource provider for survivors of sexual assault.

To Keiffer and her staff, the notion that an entire subset of survivors “might not be seen or heard or have a safe place to land” seemed unthinkable.

“Everyone at Artemis – from the center’s management team to its advocates – was really excited to say yes because we knew that people were going to fall through the cracks if we didn't step up,” she said. “So it really was a team effort for us to say yes.”

Keiffer knew that expansion would create challenges for the center, which historically had served only survivors of domestic violence and their children, but the potential human fallout from the lack of services for rape victims was haunting.

Artemis had long been embedded in criminal-justice partnerships, she noted, but had never worked directly with the medical world.

“Mostly it was, ‘’How do we build those same strong partnerships to ensure that survivors receive good care?”

In some ways, sexual-assault survivors were a natural fit for the center’s mission.

“We serve so many people who’ve experienced sexual assault in the context of intimate-partner violence,” Keiffer said. “This would allow us to expand our safety net and our reach.”

But could Artemis pull it off on a wider basis without sacrificing the level of services that helped it build its first-rate reputation?

Keiffer’s team went to work, leveraging the center’s enduring ties with the Victim Witness Division of the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office, which has long provided hospital response to sexual-assault survivors.

Keiffer consulted the Ohio Attorney General's Office about the dual role and funding possibilities, and turned to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) for guidance, technical assistance, programmatic direction, and mandated training.

With each phase of the process, she said, the support was overwhelming.

From the county’s perspective, Armanini said, Artemis’ involvement in closing the services gap would be a big win for the community.

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Addressing the 1,000 victim advocates attending the office’s annual Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost celebrated the work being done to aid Ohio’s crime victims and echoed the underlying message of this year’s conference theme, “Every Step a Victory.”

“While some use their backs and others their arms to do their jobs, you use the strongest muscle we have: the heart,” Yost said during his opening remarks at the conference, held May 19-20 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. “You invest so much in those you work with – every day – because you genuinely care about humankind.”

Two Days in May, marking its 33^rd year, annually brings advocates together to share best practices, trends and developments in the field of victim assistance. This year’s event, which is organized by the Crime Victim Services Section of Yost’s office, included two keynote speakers, 35 workshops, and more than 75 expert presenters from throughout Ohio.

Highlighting the second day of the 2025 event was the TDIM Awards Ceremony, with AG Yost paying special tribute to Ohio’s most notable victim-services advocate, the Rev. Robert Denton, who died last year. One of the conference awards, the Robert Denton Special Achievement Award, has borne his name since 2013; the honor recognizes the accomplishments of leaders dedicated to serving and advancing Ohio’s crime victims movement.

New this year was the Compassionate Leadership in Advocacy Award, which AG Yost presented to Dr. Kenneth Yeager. Yeager’s pioneering work and enduring impact inspired the honor, which will be renamed the Dr. Kenneth Yeager Compassionate Leadership in Advocacy Award beginning next year.

Dr. Yeager received one of four TDIM awards presented in 2025. (To watch videos about the award winners, see the Two Days in May 2025 dropdown menu below.)

Award winners

COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP IN ADVOCACY AWARD

Dr. Kenneth Yeager,
professor emeritus and co-founder of Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program,
Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center

Dr. Yeager is a pioneer in the trauma recovery specialization, a leading light in Ohio and the nation. He began his career in 1985 as a drug and alcohol counselor at Shepherd Hill Hospital and later worked for Riverside Methodist Hospital, Ohio State University Hospitals East, the OSU Athletic Department, OSU Harding Hospital, and the National Football League – all of them involving programs related to substance abuse. In 2009, as an assistant clinical professor and researcher in the OSU College of Medicine, he and colleagues Grayce Sills and Holly Kastan started the Stress Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program in the Department of Psychiatry to help lessen the impact of stress and trauma on the lives of behavioral-health patients. But Yeager soon recognized the need for trauma care for other populations, including first responders and front-line medical workers. Thanks in part to Yeager’s efforts, in March 2017 Ohio became the second state (after California) to create a network of Trauma Recovery Centers to address the physical, emotional and material needs of survivors of crime-related violence.

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PROMISING PRACTICE AWARD

Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services
Findlay, Ohio

Open Arms, a stand-alone private nonprofit founded in June 1981, is the only agency in Hancock County providing emergency services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to victims of domestic violence and rape. In its 45th year, Open Arms provides a wide range of services, including an emergency shelter at a confidential location for survivors and their families, 24/7 services for victims of sexual assault, a 24/7 crisis hotline, support sessions for children affected by domestic violence and supervised visitation and exchange of children, legal and medical advocacy, and prevention education programs for schools and the community. In rural northwest Ohio – where farming communities are spread out, survivors might not know where to turn for help and public transportation is limited – the Open Arms mobile-services program has made an immediate impact, serving 38 people in its first 17 months of operation.

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ROBERT DENTON SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Elizabeth Well,
Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center

In her 12 years as legal director of the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, Well has emerged as a leading voice for victims’ rights in Ohio and the nation. She and her team have assisted more than 10,000 crime victims at trial and in appellate courts, and have been responsible for much of the significant litigation involving victims’ rights in Ohio. Equally important, she has regularly worked alongside survivors in courtrooms to make sure they are heard and valued and obtain the justice they seek. Well was instrumental in the success of the Marsy’s Law constitutional amendment campaign in 2017 and ultimately played a leading role in drafting the amendment’s implementing legislation, House Bill 343, which took effect in 2023. Beyond the courtroom, Well has crossed the state to provide victims’ rights training to more than 18,000 judges, magistrates, prosecutors, and other criminal-justice officials – as well as victim advocates and allied professionals. For nearly a decade, she has presented at Two Days in May.

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SPECIAL COURAGE AWARD

Yarimar Soto-Perez,
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center

Throughout her diverse career, Yary Soto-Perez has been a compassionate ally and staunch advocate for Clevelanders in need. Early in her professional career, she investigated housing violations and advocated for tenant rights at a community development organization, then worked as a behavioral-health specialist at a human-services agency to connect Spanish-speaking clients to community-based care. Soto-Perez started at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center six years ago as a victim advocate, working closely with survivors and their families to get them necessary medical, emotional and legal help. As a subject-matter expert, she trains law enforcement officers how to recognize sexual violence and human trafficking and regularly presents to regional and national audiences to educate professionals and community members on issues related to survivor advocacy. Soto-Perez recently finished her first year as the crisis center’s director of community systems, overseeing its advocacy and human trafficking teams to ensure comprehensive support services for survivors.

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Conference agenda

Monday – May 19, 2025Tuesday – May 20, 2025

8 - 9 a.m. | Breakfast and Drop-in Sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victims Compensation

9 - 9:30 a.m. | Opening Session -- Welcome from Attorney General Yost

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Keynote Presentation

"Beyond Surviving: Transforming Pain into Purpose"

Teresa Stafford-Wright, Survivor and Chief Executive Officer, Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center

With raw honesty and a message of hope, Teresa Stafford-Wright shares her powerful journey of resilience, healing and post-traumatic growth as a sexual-abuse survivor who entered the criminal-justice system at just 14 years old. Teresa faced decades of compounding trauma. Yet, through determination and self-discovery, she transformed her pain into purpose, emerging as a nationally recognized leader and advocate for survivors of sexual violence, domestic abuse and human trafficking. Teresa’s story exemplifies the strength and growth that can come from life’s harshest experiences. She empowers audiences to embrace healing, turn adversity into strength and unlock the transformative power of post-traumatic growth. This compelling presentation is a call to action for those ready to move beyond survival and into a life of purpose and impact.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 1 (Workshops 1-7)

Workshop 1 | Strengthening Crisis Support: Addressing the Unique Needs of Individuals With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury

Erica Harris, MS, CHES, ADAC, University of Cincinnati’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Doug Jackson, 988 Administrator (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Brei Miller, Program Director, Ohio Brain Injury Program

In 2019, an estimated 7.39 million people in the United States had an intellectual or developmental disability, with many of those individuals also having a mental-health condition. People with disabilities are overrepresented at all stages of the criminal-justice system, from jail and prison to probation and parole. Forty percent of state prison inmates have a disability, compared with 15% of the general U.S. population. There are also high rates of co-occurring mental-health conditions and involvement in the criminal-justice system for people with brain injuries and other cognitive disabilities. This presentation provides an overview of intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities and brain injury, and includes a brief discussion of accommodations, communication, behavior and crisis prevention. The session also explores various initiatives and training resources available to law enforcement officers as a way of continuing to improve police response and support before, during and after a crisis.

Workshop 2 | Empowering Survivors: Creating Safe and Ethical Storytelling Spaces

Breana Griffin, Access to Care Manager, Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center of Summit and Medina Counties
Megan Vermillion, Director of Survivor Services, Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center of Summit and Medina Counties

This training will provide an overview of Hope and Healing’s mission and the impactful role storytelling plays in the healing process for survivors of trauma. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Speaker’s Bureau Program, which empowers survivors to share their experiences to foster healing, awareness, and advocacy. The session will also highlight Stories of Strength, sharing examples of survivor journeys to illustrate resilience and recovery. Additionally, guidance will be provided on how to establish safe spaces for survivors to learn how and when to share their story, followed by a Q&A segment to address participant questions and provide further clarification.

Workshop 3 | Domestic Violence, Stalking, Dating Violence and Sexual Violence: Legal and Legislative Updates

Lisa DeGeeter, Senior Director of Policy and Prevention, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Alexandria Ruden, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

This presentation provides an overview of state and federal legislative, statutory, rule and policy changes affecting domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, and sexual-violence law and services. Also discussed are significant case-law developments, statutory law, and relevant changes to Ohio's court and administrative rules.

Workshop 4 | Critical Partnerships With Faith Communities to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Glenn Harris, Director of Prevention, Ohio Domestic Violence Network/Ohio Men's Action Network
Darlene Hills-Clinkscale, M.S. Ed., Founder and Faith-Based GBV Preventionist, Stop It Before It Starts
Phadra Z. McCray, M. Ed, MSW, LISW, You Matter Staff Support Clinician, Nationwide Children's Hospital

Faith communities can play a crucial role in the lives of people experiencing gender-based violence, yet they tend to be the missing component in community efforts to end such crime. A person's place of worship is often where a victim goes first to report abuse, making it vital that partnerships be formed to share information, prevention strategies and resources — which will greatly expand a community’s ability to support survivors. This workshop discusses the importance of partnerships, barriers to partnerships, and ways to form and maintain partnerships to assist a community’s most vulnerable members.

Workshop 5 | Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Program | An Overview

Deborah Miller, Director of Crime Compensation, Crime Victim Services Section, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Candice Suffren, Senior Assistant Attorney General and Unit Coordinator, Crime Victim Services Section, Ohio Attorney General’s Office

The Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Program reimburses qualifying victims of crime for out-of-pocket expenses that directly result from their victimization. This overview of the program covers eligibility requirements, the application process, and ways to connect victims to the Victim Information and Notification Program (VINE).

Workshop 6 | Successful Community Partnerships

Rachel Dye, Shelter Manager, Haven House of Pickaway County
Lisa Johnson, Executive Director, Haven House of Pickaway County

In serving victims of domestic violence, the Haven House of Pickaway County succeeds with the help and support of the community. This workshop examines what it takes to develop effective community partnerships, including the need to identify the people, businesses and agencies that can be of assistance as well as the benefits of these collaborations. Also discussed is the importance of establishing connections — specifically, knowing the right people to contact to get the help you’re looking for — and ensuring that your agency becomes known and respected in the community for the services it provides to victims.

Workshop 7 | When Caregivers Doubt: Navigating Ambiguity, Disbelief and Healing in Child Sexual Abuse

Cody Tatum MSW, LSW, Harcum House Child Advocacy Center

A caregiver’s responses to child sexual abuse can significantly affect children — in both the short and long term. In discussing some basic principles of child sexual-abuse disclosure, the presenter focuses on the spectrum of reactions to abuse discovery and explores dynamics such as ambiguity, disbelief and re-traumatization. In addition, practical tips are offered on how to navigate these barriers and promote the best holistic outcomes.

12:15 - 1:45 p.m. | Lunch on Your Own

1:45 - 3:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 2 (Workshops 8-14)

Workshop 8 | Reporting Barriers for Victims with Disabilities

Amy Hayden, Advocate, Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services
Brittany E. Hayes, Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati
Amanda Simmons, Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati

Members of this University of Cincinnati research team have identified gaps and brainstormed ‘fixes’ to support victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in reporting sexual assaults. In their work, the team connected with professionals (law enforcement, victim advocates), individuals with IDD, and the community (caregivers, support personnel). The group discusses barriers to communication, current policy and available accommodations to support individuals with IDD, as well as areas for training.

Individuals with IDD are often missing from data due to, among other things, communication differences. The research team developed several tools — inclusive interview guides, visual schedules and social stories included — to help ensure that all voices are heard, especially those of survivors with IDD. The team shares these tools so that others might be more intentional about making sure that individuals with disabilities are centered in decision-making.

Workshop 9 | Technology-Facilitated Stalking and Tracking Devices: Practices and Policies to Improve Survivor Safety

Leah Stone, Training Director, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Kar’mell Triplett, Survivor
Maria York, Policy Director, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

When crime victims suspect that their location is being tracked through GPS or Bluetooth technology, there are some effective safety strategies that advocates can turn to. Workshop participants learn how to identify and address the risks associated with technology-facilitated tracking and become familiar with practical tools and techniques to assess risk, enhance survivor safety and document concerns for potential legal intervention. Also covered in the session are recent legislative changes and advocacy initiatives aimed at addressing non-consensual location-based tracking. The presenters use videos created in collaboration with law enforcement as well as scenarios and physical examples of tracking devices to help victim advocates respond more effectively to technology-facilitated abuse directed at the victims they serve.

Workshop 10 | The Medical and Legal Implications of Strangulation

Jane Bryan, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Cleveland Clinic
Alexandria Ruden, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Heather Wilde, Director of Education for Forensic Nursing Network

This overview of the medical implications of strangulation encompasses relevant statistics in exploring why strangulation is so lethal. It also addresses the legal implications, including Ohio's new strangulation law, and significant legal challenges. Expert-witness testimony — including qualifications, the rules of evidence and report writing — are also discussed, with a focus on handling strangulation cases in the context of relevant case law. Attendees learn about emerging best practices, new research, case law, and ways to approach cases and save lives.

Workshop 11 | Lost But Not Forgotten: Advocacy for Families of Missing Persons in Marginalized Communities

Alma Diaz, Spanish-Bilingual Advocate, Community Refugee and Immigration Services
Lara Downing, Program Manager, Community Refugee and Immigration Services

What happens when a person goes missing? And how can authorities determine who the victims are — the missing person, that person’s family, both or neither? Using real-world case studies involving marginalized communities, this session examines the challenges posed by language barriers, immigration status, cultural differences and discrimination – all of which can hinder a family’s ability to seek help and find resolution.

Participants engage in critical discussions about how advocates encounter missing-person cases across diverse circumstances and the unique ethical challenges faced by advocates (including balancing confidentiality, cultural considerations and legal obligations) as well as the emotional toll of working on missing-person cases. Attendees leave with culturally responsive, trauma-informed strategies to better support families, foster trust, and navigate the legal and systemic complexities surrounding missing persons.

Workshop 12 | A Unique Insight Into Law Enforcement and Victim Advocate Collaboration

Mark Elliott, Lieutenant, Marion Police Department
Aaron Marburger, Detective, Marion County Sheriff Office
Courtney Rittenour, Coordinator and Victim Advocate, Marion Victim Assistance Program

The Marion Victim Assistance Program partners with the Marion Police Department and Marion County Sheriff Office to provide victim-centered services, crime prevention and programs aimed at strengthening the community. Using the highly successful Unarmed Self-Defense Program as an example, this workshop demonstrates how teamwork benefits law enforcement, advocates, survivors and the community as a whole. The Unarmed Self Defense Program addresses situational awareness, individuals rights and responsibilities regarding self-defense, physical defense, and use of community partnerships.

Workshop 13 | Ethics in Victim Advocacy (Part 1 of 2)

Elyse McConnell, Executive Director, Ohio Victim Witness Association (OVWA)
Rachel Ramirez, Director of Health and Disability Programs and Founder of Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Wendy Ricks Hoff, Program Director, OVWA

This interactive presentation focuses on the importance of community and system-based advocacy that serves crime victims in an ethical manner. Advocates have a duty to learn and operate within a code of ethics that protects both the advocate and the crime victim and instills best practices to ensure effective and supportive advocacy service.

Participants learn about the National Organization of Victim Advocacy’s code of ethics for advocates and how practical application of advocacy skills through an ethical-service lens can lead to exceptional victim services. The session examines the intersection of personal ethics, biases and values, and takes a deep dive into advocacy boundaries and confidentiality. Active participation is encouraged, so attendees are asked to familiarize themselves with the NOVA code of ethics to prepare questions ahead of the workshop.

Workshop 14 | Building Resilience in High-Risk, High-Need Youth

Suzanne Barker, Staff Attorney, CASA of Franklin County
Sarah Brown, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney - Specialty Dockets/Juvenile Division, Franklin County Prosecutor's Office
Michelle Mumaw, Staff Attorney, CASA of Franklin County

Have you ever wondered what trauma-responsive care looks like in a specialty-docket setting for youth who are at high risk or who have been sex-trafficked? Many youth involved in the justice system are often linked with multiple community child-welfare agencies, but some still manage to fall through the cracks. The session presenters discuss methods for collaborating among agencies and stakeholders to achieve improved outcomes for high-risk, high-need youth. They examine how continuing education, meeting frequency, streamlined communication, incentives, consistency and flexibility all aid in creating a supportive and effective specialty-docket environment.

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Break

3:30 - 5 p.m. | Breakout Session 3 (Workshops 15-21)

Workshop 15 | Unmined Data: What State Agencies Already Collect That Can Help Serve Victims and Survivors

Mallory Minter-Mohr, Social Science Research Specialist, Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services

Various state agencies collect a range of data that shows which Ohio communities are most affected by violent crime, including homicide, sexual assault and domestic violence. In this workshop, attendees learn how to find and access relevant data and how their agency can use the data to improve grant applications, inform program development, illustrate the prevalence and impact of crimes in their communities, assess program effectiveness and raise awareness. The discussion focuses on data from the Ohio School Safety Center and the state departments of Public Safety, Health, Education and Workforce, and Mental Health and Addiction Services. Data sources include self-reported experiences from students, reports from school administration, and law enforcement incident reports.

Workshop 16 | Beyond the Horizon: Triumphs and Trials of Rural Survivors

Shelby Lieber, Survivor Coordinator, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

Rural communities have unique barriers, strengths, and attitudes around sexual violence. Following a three-year project centered on rural Ohio communities, the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence shares an overview of the resulting statewide needs-assessment data and survivor stories. The discussion focuses on what rural is; the geographical, infrastructure and cultural barriers faced by rural survivors; the successes and failures in the alliance’s collaborations in rural communities; the need to increase services in rural areas; and the need for ethical storytelling to both change community culture and empower survivors.

Workshop 17 | Victims' Rights: Case Law Update

Latina Bailey, Senior Staff Attorney, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Morgan Galle, Senior Staff Attorney, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center

Since Ohio’s “Bill of Rights” for crime victims (Marsy’s Law) took effect seven years ago and the law’s implementing legislation (House Bill 343 and Senate Bill 16) two years ago, Ohio’s appellate courts and Supreme Court have decided more than 100 cases interpreting these laws. This session covers this case law, helping attendees to understand the big-picture takeaways of court interpretation of victims’ rights laws, including the crucial rights to privacy, restitution and appellate review.

Workshop 18 | Stronger Together: Addressing Violation Behaviors and Supporting Victims

Kristen Arapp, Victim Advocate, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Aretha Gamble, Victim Advocate, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Jennifer Pribe, Chief Hearing Officer, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

This session examines the Adult Parole Authority violation hearing process for those under Post Release Control and Parole supervision, and discusses how crime victims can play an intricate part in the process. Under Senate Bill 201 (the Reagan Tokes Law), the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction can address rule-infraction behavior by imposing additional prison sanction time. Attendees learn how this process provides a safe environment for prison staff, incarcerated adults, and victims. In addition, the Office of Victim Services provides a snapshot of its services, including how the office can help crime victims at violation hearings.

Workshop 19 | Understanding Elder Financial Exploitation and Working With Law Enforcement

Teri Ruslander, Elder Services Coordinator and Retired Detective, Grove City Division of Police

Elder financial exploitation is an ever-growing and devastating societal problem that hurts not only victims but also their families and the community at large. This workshop examines the complexity of elder financial exploitation, the legal mechanisms available to resolve particular cases, and the need to respond to elder exploitation with a multidisciplinary approach. The audience is educated about the roles and responsibilities of a victim's advocate/Adult Protective Services compared with those of criminal investigators. Participants gain a greater awareness of the various types of elder financial exploitation and how they can intervene to protect their clients from such crimes.

Workshop 20 | Ethics in Victim Advocacy (Part 2 of 2)

Workshop 21 | The Intersection of Child Support and Domestic Violence

Jonathan Abram, Case Support Officer, Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency
Katherine Kausek, Manager of SAVES Grant, Office of Child Support, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Maria York, Policy Director, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

One of the primary reasons that survivors of domestic violence stay with their abuser — or return after leaving — is the lack of financial resources to live independently. The core purpose of the child-support program — ensuring that families receive reliably consistent support — is ideally aligned to promote survivors’ ability to safely leave violent relationships and establish safe, independent living situations for themselves and their children. For those who work with survivors who have questions about child support, this session provides an overview of Ohio's child-support program, including the role of county child-support agencies and the work being done at the state and local levels to make the program safer for survivors of domestic violence through the Safe Access for Victims' Economic Security (SAVES) grant.

8 - 9 a.m. | Coffee/Tea Service and Drop-in Sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victims Compensation

9 - 10:30 a.m. | Plenary Session

"From Tragedy to Triumph: A Rural Community's Resilience in the Face of Unthinkable Crime"

Matt Champlin, Sheriff, Gallia County
Jason Holdren, Prosecutor, Gallia County
Amy Sisson, Ph.D., LPCC-S with Survivor Services, Gallia County Prosecutor’s Office

This keynote address will examine how a multidisciplinary team—comprising law enforcement, prosecution, and mental health professionals—can support the recovery of both crime victims and the first responders involved in their cases. Using a tragic child abuse case from Gallia County as a framework, the speakers will discuss the process of building a collaborative team that not only aids victims but also provides crucial support to all those impacted by the case.

Attendees will gain insights into trauma-informed practices that go beyond standard approaches, learning practical strategies to deliver victim-centered and culturally competent services, even in resource-limited settings. The session will highlight how different sectors can work together to implement best practices that positively impact both children and adults.

While the presenters' experience is rooted in a rural setting, the innovative strategies and creative problem-solving they share will be applicable to professionals in any environment. Sheriff Champlin, Prosecutor Holdren, and Dr. Sisson understand the challenges of demanding work with limited resources, yet they remain committed to overcoming obstacles in the pursuit of justice and effective victim care. Participants will leave this session inspired and equipped with new approaches to enhance their work.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 4 (Workshops 22-28)

Workshop 22 | Under Investigation: How Can We Ensure Victims’ Rights are Protected in Initial Stages

Cierra Davis, Advocacy Director, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Morgan (Keilholz) Galle, Senior Staff Attorney, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Valerie Hooper, Supervisor of Victim Services and Offender Watch Unit, Delaware County Sheriff's Office

Ohio law regarding crime victims’ rights has changed significantly in recent years. Yet, as with any other new laws, practical application within law enforcement agencies, prosecutor’s offices and courtrooms can lag behind the effective dates of statutory changes. This workshop offers concrete tips regarding advanced advocacy techniques to ensure that a victim’s rights are protected throughout a criminal case. Specifically, the session focuses on the investigation stage, with guidance provided by an experienced advocate who works within law enforcement on best practices and strives to maintain productive relationships with officials in the criminal-justice system — all in an effort to best serve victims.

Workshop 23 | Victim-Centered Approach to Responding to Human Trafficking Survivors in Juvenile Justice

Chelsea Gaffey, LSW, Juvenile Justice Trafficking Liaison, Ohio Department of Youth Services
Jodi Stanton, Safe Harbor/Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator, Hamilton County Juvenile Court
Anna Travis, Ph.D., Safe Harbor Coordinator, Delaware County Juvenile Court

This session examines how to develop Safe Harbor response procedures, adopt diversion programs to better serve exploited youth, and increase identification of youth experiencing trafficking in the juvenile justice system. Participants broaden their understanding of how to engage community partners in establishing a coordinated multidisciplinary-response protocol for addressing child trafficking and providing the most helpful, supportive care possible.

Participants learn about the Ohio Department of Youth Services’ Human Trafficking Screening Tool, a validated nonproprietary tool intended to screen for high-risk indicators of sex and labor trafficking. Presenters explain the implementation of this tool in Ohio’s statewide juvenile justice system and the holistic response to identified victims.

The session also examines the challenges associated with providing whole-person support, employing best-practice standards, and ensuring that youth are active participants in identifying their needs and the resources needed to meet those needs.

Workshop 24 | Addressing Invisible Injuries: Strategies for Working With Crime Victims Impacted by Concussions and Strangulation

Kasey Holderbaum, Health and Disability Project Coordinator, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Rachel Ramirez, Director of Health and Disability Programs and Founder of Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Many victims of domestic violence experience traumatic physical violence involving blows to the head or face and/or strangulation. Brain injury caused by violence is rarely identified and is almost never treated immediately, leading to both short- and long-term physical, emotional and cognitive harm that can affect all areas of a victim’s life, including the victim’s ability to access and participate in social services. This session explores the complex and nuanced intersection of victimization, trauma and brain injury. Also discussed are opportunities for collaboration in understanding violence-related brain injury and responding to brain-injured victims.

Workshop 25 | How to Better Support Teen Mental Health and Resilience in this Post-lockdown Era

Mae Bennett, Manager, Domestic Violence Services, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland
Riane' Robinson, KNOW Abuse and Prevention Specialist, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland

In this workshop, advocates who work with youth learn about new tools to support young people in the post-COVID lockdown era. The presenters emphasize what it means to “meet youth where they're at” in 2025. Since the pandemic lockdown, teens and tweens are experiencing increased levels of anxiety, disengagement and emotional struggles, which correlate with increased isolation and developmental delays. The session covers the neurobiology of the teen brain and how trauma, including trauma stemming from the lockdown, has affected their functioning. To address these challenges, the presenters emphasize the importance of healthy behaviors, including emotional regulation; self-care; and a safe, supportive environment for teens.

Workshop 26 | Applying Harm-Reduction and Trauma-Informed Care to Systems-Based Advocacy

Delia Brennan-Parks, Direct Services Advocate, Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center
Katie Howell, Advocacy Services Manager, Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center

As survivors interact with a variety of systems during and after their victimization, the complexities of these systems can compound their trauma. In addition to the direct harm caused by their perpetrators, many victims face additional barriers — including, in some cases, subsequent arrest — by the systems intended to protect them. This session follows a survivor through a process that can encompass jail/community-based correctional facilities, a courtroom and community re-entry. Although traditional advocacy training focuses on court advocacy for crime victims, this workshop identifies the nuances of criminalized survivorship, emphasizing best practices for advocates when navigating these systems through a trauma-informed, harm-reduction lens.

Workshop 27 | Reducing Risk of Homicide in Cases of Intimate Partner Violence

Erin Becker, Coordinator, High-Risk Domestic Violence Court, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
Suehad Husien, Victim Advocate, Cuyahoga County Witness Victim Services
David Schlegel, Sergeant, Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department

Team members from the Cuyahoga County High-Risk Domestic Violence Court detail their multidisciplinary model aimed at reducing the risk of homicide in cases of intimate-partner violence. They share how the team collaborates to identify and reduce risk, citing cases in which their communication and coordination helped improve victim safety and offender accountability. They also provide risk-reduction strategies that attendees can incorporate into their work.

Workshop 28 | Aligning Narratives: Ethical Sexual-Violence Storytelling

Elliott Fullenkamp, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

Ethical storytelling cannot begin and end with survivor speaker bureaus. As victim-assistance professionals, we use storytelling in every aspect of our work, including education, training, outreach, prevention and fundraising work. The stories we share should contribute to a narrative that supports all survivors, not one that further marginalizes and traumatizes them. This workshop explores the pedagogical strengths and ethical considerations of sharing stories about the people and populations we serve. It presents a strategy for aligning educational storytelling practices with the ethical standards, values and objectives of the victim-assistance field.

12:30 - 1:45 p.m. | Awards Luncheon

2 - 3:30 p.m. | Breakout Session 5 (Workshops 29-35)

Workshop 29 | Empowering Community Through Compassion

Loretta Craddock, MPH, MSW, OSU STAR Advocate and Outreach Relations Specialist, OSU STAR Program
Dontae Reynolds, OSU STAR Advocate and Outreach Relations Specialist, OSU STAR Program
Christy Walters, LPCC, Manager and TRC Psychotherapist, OSU STAR Program

This workshop explores how collaborations and connections can help foster a culture of community compassion. By understanding the transformative power of empathy and kindness, participants learn how to create supportive environments that lift individuals and strengthen community ties, increasing efficacy and decreasing burnout. The presenters promote a fuller understanding of compassion and its role in community building and equip participants with practical tools and strategies to cultivate compassionate connections in their daily lives. They highlight current collaborations of the OSU STAR Trauma Recovery Center, including field-immersion experiences with the Columbus Police Department to encourage participants to address community challenges through compassionate actions.

Workshop 30 | Finding Balance: Supporting Survivors When You Need Help, Too

Talacia Coleman, Assistant Director, YWCA of Northwest Ohio
Rachael Gardner, Director of Victim Services, YWCA of Northwest Ohio
Elizabeth Robertson, Outreach Advocate, YWCA of Northwest Ohio
Iesha Watkins, Rape Crisis Advocate, YWCA of Northwest Ohio

Direct-service advocates and supervisors discuss how they navigate a helping profession when they themselves need support and services for health, mental-health, and/or trauma-related issues. The audience is invited to join the conversation on balancing flexibility with accountability, giving with receiving, and support from colleagues with needing professional support outside of work. The YWCA team facilitates this dialogue.

Workshop 31 | No, Yes, & Everything in Between: Let’s Talk About Consent

Kara Keating, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Erik Spitzer, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
William Walton, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Ohio Attorney General's Office

Did you know the Ohio Revised Code doesn’t even define consent? Using humor as their coping mechanism and pulling from real-life examples, these Special Victims Prosecutors will discuss how media portrayals of consent and rape myths have impacted how jurors see consent. The session encourages participation from attendees, who will take away a much clearer understanding of the law versus the public’s perception or ideas of what the law might be.

Workshop 32 | Advancing Justice: Cold-Case Investigations and Community Partnerships in Action

Michael T. Curtis, Director of Cold Case Fellowship, Tiffin University

Tiffin University’s Cold Case Fellowship is spotlighted in this session, with an emphasis on the program’s approach to cold-case resolution, community engagement and victim advocacy. The presentation explores key themes in justice work, including successful multidisciplinary partnerships, the unique challenges of cold cases, and the value of families sharing their stories in impactful ways. Also addressed are advanced strategies and tools tailored to the needs of seasoned professionals in the fields of cold-case investigation and victim advocacy. The session aims to bridge academic innovation and practical solutions, fostering collaboration and advancing justice for all stakeholders.

Workshop 33 | Grand Love

Melissa Antry, Program Advocate, Family Advocacy Center
Connie Roe, Executive Director, Family Advocacy Center

The Grand Love program serves grandparents who are raising grandchildren. Many of these families have been victimized by Ohio’s challenges with the opioid epidemic and the mental-health crisis. The agency’s work exemplifies how advocates can help to stabilize such families to enhance the children’s chances for future success.

Workshop 34 | Leveraging MDT Partnerships to Increase Collaboration and Reduce Burnout

Celeste Prince, Director of Operations and Programming, Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
Kevin White, Programming and Outreach Coordinator,Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers

Children's advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams play a vital role in fostering collaboration across disciplines to effectively address child-abuse cases. This presentation provides an overview of both, exploring their structure, purpose and proven effects on outcomes, based on key data. It also highlights the causes and effects of pervasive burnout among professionals in this field. Participants learn evidence-based strategies for multidisciplinary teams to enhance collaboration and mitigate burnout, along with practical tools for individual self-care to maintain resilience. The session is designed to empower professionals to strengthen their partnerships, sustain their well-being and continue delivering exceptional care to the children and families they serve.

Workshop 35 | Holistic approaches: Survivor Identification and Healthcare screenings for Human Trafficking Survivors, and How to Better Care for their Front-Line Advocates

Arianna Galliger, LISW-S, Stress, Trauma and Resilience Program at the Ohio State University
Dr. Rebekah Richards, MPH, Associate Professor, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – Department of Emergency Medicine

The needs of human trafficking survivors are often complex and not met in an emergency setting alone. In order to gain stability, a holistic approach is needed to include crisis intervention, material support and emergency shelter, case management, legal advocacy, and access to transportation, substance-abuse disorder treatment and many other things. The needs are complex, and this workshop will help to focus on those in an emergency basis, and also to help advocates on the front lines in those situations better care for themselves.

Keynote presenters

Teresa Stafford-Wright

Teresa M. Stafford-Wright is the Chief Executive Officer at Hope and Healing Survivor Resources Center, the home of the Battered Women's Shelter and Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina Counties. Teresa's experience includes more than a decade of service with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, most recently as its chief program officer. She has over 20 years of experience in strategic leadership, organizational development, coaching, consensus building, operations management, and program development. She recently shared her expertise as a contributing author for the book "Sexual Assault Kits and Reforming the Response to Rape."

A survivor herself, Teresa advocates for the systemic change needed to create a trauma-informed and culturally responsive climate. She has spent her career committed to increasing access to services for all who need them.

Teresa graduated from Tiffin University with a master's in Criminal Justice Administration and is an Intercultural Development Inventory® Administrator.

Matt Champlin
Gallia County Sheriff

Gallia County Sheriff Matt Champlin attended the police academy from 1996 to 1997. Upon completion, he held positions as a communications officer, juvenile probation officer, and worked part-time with several agencies before being hired as a full-time patrolman for the City of Gallipolis in September 1999. He served with the Gallipolis Police Department from 1999 until taking office as sheriff in January 2017 following his successful election. During his tenure as patrolman, he earned two promotions—first to sergeant and later to lieutenant, and established the agency's first canine program, handling two canines himself. Matt spent two years as an investigator specializing in narcotics crimes. Now serving his third term as sheriff, Matt has, during his time in office, prioritized officer wellness, working collaboratively to develop a program aimed at enhancing resilience, reducing the risk of PTSD, and strengthening skills and service within the community.

Jason Holdren
Gallia County Prosecuting Attorney

Jason Holdren has been practicing law for 16 years and began serving as Gallia County prosecuting attorney in 2017, a role he continues to hold in his third term. Early in his tenure, he recognized the urgent need for trauma-informed services for crime victims and worked to build partnerships with mental health providers. In 2018, Jason played a pivotal role in developing a program that ensures victims have rapid access to mental health support. He serves on the legislative and executive committees of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, the Ohio Attorney General's Advisory Committee for SVAA/VOCA funding, and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy's Controlled Substance Advisory Committee. Jason remains committed to advocating for victims' well-being through community education and efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Amy Sisson, Ph.D.
Gallia County Survivor Services

Dr. Amy Sisson is a licensed clinician with over two decades of experience in mental health, specializing in trauma. She has worked extensively with survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other violent crimes, as well as providing support to first responders. Throughout her career, Amy has been involved in both non-profit organizations and the criminal justice system. In addition to her clinical work, she has spent several years in higher education at the University of Rio Grande and The Chicago School. With a strong focus on trauma, she is particularly passionate about teaching the intersection of culture and trauma. She also conducts workshops on trauma for professionals in education, law enforcement, and healthcare. Amy also has consulted with global organizations, offering guidance to ensure programs are trauma informed and culturally sensitive.

Tribute to the late Rev. Robert “Bob” Denton

Two Days in May 2024

The 32^nd edition of the Ohio Attorney General’s Two Days in May Conference on Victim Assistance – held on May 13-14, 2024 – brought together nearly 1,000 advocates and others from across disciplines to learn from one another and share their successes.

Nearly 300 people attended the annual event for the first time, joining their peers for an inspirational opening keynote address, an emotional second-day plenary session, and more than 30 breakout workshops centered on the theme of “Healing Begins With Hope.” Also during the conference, AG Yost shared his latest efforts to persuade U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to reverse the dramatic reductions in federal support (VOCA funding) for crime victims in Ohio and other states.

Award winners

Promising Practice Award

Providence House
Family Preservation Crisis Nursery in Cleveland

As Ohio’s first crisis nursery, Providence House has cared and advocated for more than 15,000 children and families since opening its doors in 1981.

The nonprofit agency provides free emergency shelter to infants and children through age 12, working with parents and guardians to stabilize and preserve families. Nearly 70% of families served each year identify as victims of violent traumas, and the overwhelming majority – 85% to 90% – live in poverty.

And yet, thanks to the help that the Providence House team provides, 99% of the children under the agency’s care in the past five years were reunited with their parents or guardians.

Knowing that their children are safely and lovingly cared for, parents meet with licensed social workers for in-person or virtual case management and referral services, parenting support services, and trauma services. They also work together to coordinate visitation times and establish long-term goals for the family.

Providence House originated more than four decades ago as a three-room house on Cleveland’s West Side, the brainchild of Sister Hope Greener, a nun with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Sister Hope opened the house to provide care for babies who had prenatal exposure to crack cocaine, eventually expanding the scope to include any young children at risk of abuse or neglect.

In 2001, when Natalie Leek became president and chief executive officer, Providence House adopted a two-generation approach, not only caring for children in crisis but working with parents to address issues ranging from homelessness and domestic violence to substance abuse and unemployment – all in the hope of breaking cycles of violence and generational trauma.

In the face of ever-increasing need for such services, the organization continued to expand.

In 2012, Providence House enlarged the crisis nursery, called Leo’s House, to serve up to 20 children and, three years later, opened Elisabeth’s House, a 10-bed wellness nursery for children with medical needs who have been discharged from a hospital but whose families are not immediately able to care for them. The model – developed collaboratively with Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Metro Health -- is the first of its kind in the nation.

Most recently, Providence House expanded last year to Cleveland’s East Side with the completion of a second 20-bed crisis nursery, Hope’s House – named in honor of the nonprofit’s founder.

The addition of Hope’s House makes Providence House the largest residential crisis nursery in the nation. With both its East and West campuses, the agency is equipped to care for nearly 600 infants and children a year.

This marks the second time that Providence House’s family-preservation programming has been recognized with the Ohio Attorney General’s Promising Practice Award. The agency first earned the honor in 2015.

Watch the video

Robert Denton Special Achievement Award

Jill Donnenwirth
Director of Community-based Services for the Domestic Violence Shelter, Richland County

Jill Donnenwirth's approach to assisting victims of domestic violence is marked by creativity, innovation and a deep understanding of the diverse needs of survivors, and her passion and diligence during her 27-year career at the Domestic Violence Shelter have profoundly impacted countless numbers of them.

Descriptors of her work go only so far, though. A better measure can be found in the words of the people she has helped over the years:

One woman, trapped in an abusive marriage and unsure where to turn, found her life forever changed after hearing Donnenwirth speak, said Colleen Rice, the shelter’s executive director. The woman would say later: "Whether Jill knew it or not, she saved my life that day. Listening to her gave me the strength to leave my situation and not look back."

Another woman, a mother of five with another child on the way, returned to the shelter after getting help there several years earlier. Despite feeling embarrassed, the woman worked tirelessly with the staff to secure housing for her family and later found a job.

She credits Donnenwirth and her team with transforming her life: “I feel normal and happy again. I know I would have probably been in another bad relationship by now if I hadn't stayed involved with the shelter.”

Donnenwirth takes a comprehensive approach to assistance, addressing both immediate needs and long-term recovery, even traveling to meet with survivors who are unable to get to the shelter. And her commitment often extends beyond the responsibilities of her job. In one case, she arrived at the shelter at 5 a.m. every day for months to drive a large family to their farm to feed their animals and complete chores.

In addition, she advocates for survivors in legal proceedings, helps them with budgeting and connects them to social-service agencies that can meet their needs. And when a crisis occurs – as it did when a college student was kidnapped and later killed by her former boyfriend – she responds with support and resources to help those traumatized by the tragedy.

Donnenwirth’s work is every bit proactive as it is reactive. She created the first youth program to support children growing up in violent homes and helped develop an initiative for teenagers focused on dating violence. She conducts domestic-violence support groups (even outside the shelter’s service area) and speaks to organizations, groups and churches to raise awareness of domestic violence and educate the public about the rights and needs of victims.

Every day is a learning experience, Donnenwirth says, and the satisfaction of helping survivors in any way possible motivates her and her colleagues: “We don’t do it for the pay or recognition. We do it because it’s what we want to do.”

In her nominating letter, Rice called Donnenwirth’s contributions to the field of victim assistance immeasurable, noting that “her influence will undoubtedly continue to be felt for many years to come.”

“It's hard to imagine anyone more deserving of the Robert Denton Special Achievement Award.”

Watch the video

Special Courage Award

Alexis Kidd Zaffer
Executive Director of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, Cincinnati

When Alexis Kidd Zaffer was asked in 2012 to serve as the interim leader of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, the request marked the high point of a path that began in college – when she worked with Seven Hills as a member of AmeriCorps.

That feel-good moment was shattered, however, after she learned that the human-services agency/community development corporation was deep in debt. Seven Hills owed about $1 million, and creditors had attached liens to just about everything the organization owned. There was a real chance that Seven Hills would close.

“For 2½ years, I was basically volunteering my services to keep the doors open,” Kidd Zaffer recalled. “There were times when we didn’t even have heat in our building.”

Since the mid-1940s, when the neighborhood was split in two by the construction of I-75 and residents were forced to re-settle, the West End has become one of Cincinnati’s most socio-economically challenged areas.

Through it all, Seven Hills (and the settlement house from which the organization initially sprang, Findlay Neighborhood House) has been a lifeline providing a haven for families, educational and recreational opportunities for children and teenagers, and essential services for the community, including emergency food and clothing, assistance for victims of trauma and violent crime, support for parents, and help to prevent evictions.

Kidd Zaffer, who became the permanent executive director in 2015, has put Seven Hills on solid financial footing.

“We’re focused on being a good steward of the resources we have,” she said. “The team I’ve assembled and our board, they’re awesome. We make sure we do what we say we’re going to do and that we don’t take on more than we can handle.”

She looks forward to two key initiatives: moving the organization’s trauma recovery center into a stand-alone facility and continuing her work with community leaders to make sure that encroaching development doesn’t radically drive up housing prices and displace longtime residents.

Kidd Zaffer loves the West End. She has since her college days, when she started working in Heberle Elementary School as an AmeriCorps member. Residents made eye contact, talked to one another, connected as neighbors – which is why she made the West End home; why she loves working with the kids and helping their families; why she works tirelessly to get more sidewalks, bring in more stores and add bike lanes. It’s also why, on any given summer day, you might see her driving around in her golf cart watering the flowers in her neighborhood.

Janice Sowell, a Seven Hills clinical counselor and advocate who nominated Kidd Zaffer for the Special Courage Award, knows that few others likely could have matched her boss’s perseverance.

“It required strength and courage to take on the leadership of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, to go years without a paycheck and not know what the outcome might be,” Sowell said. “But Alexis’ commitment to stand and fight when others would have given up has allowed Seven Hills to survive and to continue to serve the people of the West End.”

Watch the video

Conference agenda

Monday – May 13, 2024Tuesday – May 14, 2024

8 - 9 a.m. | Breakfast and Drop-in Sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victims Compensation

9 - 9:30 a.m. | Opening Session -- Remarks from Attorney General Yost

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Keynote Presentation

"How Our Purpose Evolves: Choosing Hope During Seasons of Hopelessness"

Kellie Portman, senior program training manager, National Organization for Victim Advocacy

Having worked for three decades with youth, adults and families in crisis, Kellie Portman recognizes the seasons of triumph and tragedy and the emotional challenges that they pose for families and those who care for them. Advocacy work can leave those in the trenches teetering on the edge of helplessness and hopelessness. This interactive presentation will take conference attendees on a journey of purpose, offering a hard look at what ignited their advocacy, what keeps the spark burning and, equally important, how to keep the spark from burning out.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 1 (Workshops 1-6)

Workshop 1 | Healing Through Strengths: Trauma-Informed Practices to Promote Resilience in a Child Advocacy Center

Ashley Cremeans, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children
Dr. Pratima R Shanbhag, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children
Sarah Zawaly, Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children

Trauma-informed care is recognized as an effective approach to support healing for families and patients experiencing adversity. This interactive workshop will review how the Mayerson Center utilized that broader framework to implement an intervention that encourages patient and family empowerment. Attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the role of a strength-based approach and protective factors in mitigating the impact of adversity. Expanding on these concepts, attendees will receive part of the Mayerson Center training, which includes the introductory skills to incorporate the recognition of strengths in their patients during a child advocacy center visit. This model allows us to answer the question "What happened to you?" The strength intervention allows us to ask and answer the question "What is strong in you?"

Workshop 2 | Criminal or Creeper? A Deep Dive into Ohio's Sexual Battery Law

Erik Spitzer, Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section
Kara Keating, Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section
William Walton, Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section

Ohio law delineates 13 conditions that, individually, constitute felony sexual battery, but many of these conditions differ from what people commonly understand to be sexual battery. This workshop will examine scenarios to help attendees identify whether a perpetrator is, indeed, a criminal or only a creeper. It also will explore tips and tricks for building rapport with law enforcement and survivors.

Workshop 3 | Domestic Violence, Stalking, Dating Violence and Sexual Violence: Legal and Legislative Updates

Alexandria Ruden, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Maria York (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network

The workshop will provide an overview of state and federal legislative, statutory, rule and policy changes affecting domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, and sexual violence laws and services. Presenters also will discuss significant case law developments, statutory law, and relevant changes to Ohio's court and administrative rules. From this overview, participants will begin to recognize statutory trends that will impact those we serve.

Workshop 4 | A Person-Centered Approach to Victim Advocacy: Aligning Court and Community Advocates

Bridget Henebry, OSU STAR Trauma Recovery Center
Christy Walters, OSU STAR Trauma Recovery Center
Laura Marsh, Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, Victim Witness Unit

As victims work to navigate the legal process, advocates in both the court system and the community strive to meet the needs of survivors of crime and those impacted by homicide. The advocates’ combined expertise can prove exponentially beneficial to victims when they work together while maintaining a person-centered approach. This presentation explains the necessary and appropriate ways that court advocates and community advocates can work together to serve a shared victim. It also discusses what is gained therapeutically when a person-centered approach is used to support victims. The workshop seeks to better educate attendees about court procedures and give them a better understanding of how community-based advocacy or non-system-based advocacy can be complementary to court advocacy.

Workshop 5 | Using a Multi-Disciplinary Response to Work with Juvenile Human Trafficking Survivors

Erin Meyer, The Salvation Army
Jodi Stanton, Hamilton County Juvenile Court
Mary Braun, Cincinnati Police Department

As the number of youths identified as victims (and potential victims) of human trafficking increases, so does the importance of agency collaboration to better serve these youths. This workshop will discuss how three local agencies – the Hamilton County Juvenile Court, Cincinnati Police Department and Salvation Army (End Slavery Cincinnati) – work together on these cases. Attendees will learn how cases are identified, investigations are started, and services are initiated, all using a trauma-informed approach. The presentation also will review a case study that resulted in a federal indictment against the trafficker.

Workshop 6 | Survivorship to Leadership

Teresa M. Stafford, Battered Women’s Shelter and Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties

As a child, Teresa Stafford was sexually abused by a family member and, by age 14, had entered the criminal justice system as a juvenile delinquent. For several decades, she experienced one traumatic event after another, enduring years of turmoil before recognizing how her past was affecting her future. In this workshop, she will explain how she turned her pain into purpose to create a life filled with healing, growth and advocacy.

12:15 - 1:45 p.m. | Lunch on Your Own

1:45 - 3:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 2 (Workshops 7-12)

Workshop 7 | Ohio's Protection Order Schema: Do We Need That Many?

Alexandria Ruden, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

This workshop will provide a primer on Ohio's seven types of protection orders, both civil and criminal, as well as no-contact orders. It will address relevant relationships, jurisdiction, procedures, remedies and nuances of each type of order, as well as the protection order forms involved. The workshop also will provide relevant case law as applied to the various Ohio statutory provisions and examine the similarities and differences inherent in the statutes.

Workshop 8 | Unmarried Mothers: Understanding, Protecting and Defending Their Custody Rights Against Their Abuser

Sandy Sullivan Bostic, Center for Family Safety and Healing
Shauna Hill, Center for Family Safety and Healing

Unmarried mothers in Ohio have sole legal custody of their children, regardless of the birth certificate listing the biological father. Notwithstanding this clear legal right, many abusers coerce their partners and ex-partners into believing that they, the abusers, have all the control when it comes to their children. The workshop examines unmarried mothers' legal rights in Ohio regarding visitation and custody with the biological father, especially when intimate partner violence (IPV) is or was present in the relationship. The presenters will discuss the role that IPV plays in those legal rights and court decisions in custody cases. Participants will learn best practices in the legal realm to support their unmarried mothers as the mothers navigate parenting with their abuser.

Workshop 9 | Got Spoons? Advocating for Advocates

Shelby Lieber (she/her), Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

This interactive workshop will look at the culture of advocacy and dive into the shocking truth that advocates are burning out quicker than ever. It will discuss the spoon method, a metaphorical framework in which the amount of energy that a person needs to complete daily activities is symbolized as spoons. The more spoons, the more energy a person has. Ultimately, the exercise will help workshop participants determine whether they have enough spoons at the end of the day. The workshop also will explore possible ways that advocates can disconnect when away from their work, and how to find more support within the field.

Workshop 10 | Exploring Activities that Promote Regulation in Youths Exposed to Domestic Violence

Sonia Ferencik, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Transforming care for youths who have been exposed to domestic violence occurs when professionals serve them in a trauma-responsive way. This workshop will explore practical ways that advocates can deepen their knowledge of the mind-body connection to better ally with youths and help them with emotional regulation. It also will look at bias in serving younger survivors based on traditional child-rearing expectations and how advocates must shift approaches with children to help them find ways to manage their distress. The content will include a brief review of child development and trauma, as well as lower-brain-based, bottom-up activities used in therapy – practices that highlight how rhythm, playing, deep breathing, and movement flood the body with "rest and digest" hormones, calming the stress-response system. For advocates who work with parents victimized by an abusive partner, this session may provide ideas to help support parents in creating healing-centered approaches with their children when they experience distress.

Workshop 11 | VOCA Victim Advocacy Grant Training

Harrison Xu, Ohio Attorney General's Office
Mary Ann Young, Ohio Attorney General's Office
Mischa Hitchcock, Ohio Attorney General's Office

The workshop will provide an overview of the grant award acceptance documents and explain the grant application. Victim services providers will gain an in-depth understanding of programmatic and fiscal policies and procedures.

Workshop 12 | Ethics in Advocacy I (Part 1 of 2) (Note: Both parts must be taken to receive credit.)

Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Wendy Ricks-Hoff, Ohio Victim Witness Association

The first of two interactive workshops on ethics in advocacy, this presentation will review the NOVA Code of Ethics, which governs the conduct of victim assistance providers. The workshop also will examine issues such as client rights; privacy; confidentiality; and relationships with colleagues, other professionals and the public. The presenters will provide interactive case examples and opportunities for discussion.

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Break

3:30 - 5 p.m. | Breakout Session 3 (Workshops 13-18)

Workshop 13 | Using Our ''Wandering Nerve'' to Mitigate Work-Related Stress

Leanne Graham, Victim Assistance Program, Summit Victim Assistance Program

Using the Biopsychosocial Model of Health & Wellbeing, this workshop will examine work-related stress and its effects on health. Participants will learn about our "wandering nerve," vagus, and how vagal tone affects health. Strategies aimed at mitigating stress are presented for each area of health.

Workshop 14 | Collaborating in a Crisis

Diane Medvec, Mentor Police Department Victim Assistance
Sheri Sweeney, Lake County Prosecutors Victim Assistance Program
Sandra Tenkku (she/her), Lake County ADAMHS Board
Emelia Boepple, Lake County Victim Assistance Program

Lake County and the city of Mentor endured a mass shooting in which three people were killed and a small retirement community was traumatized. Mentor's victim advocate and advocates from the Lake County Prosecutor's Office and Crossroads Mental Health agency collaborated to provide crisis intervention and assistance to all victims soon after the shooting. This workshop will discuss how each brought its own expertise to support the victims and community.

Workshop 15 | Navigating the Current: Social Media, Technology and Their Impact on Society

Crystal Ann Hall, Child and Family Advocates of Cuyahoga County

This workshop will take a deep dive into the crucial role that social media and technology play in shaping public perceptions and behaviors in relation to violent crimes and the spread of disinformation. Led by a seasoned digital marketing expert with firsthand experience in child advocacy in the judicial system, the presentation will emphasize the protection of vulnerable groups and the promotion of digital literacy. Through interactive discussions, real-world scenarios, and strategic planning activities, participants will emerge better equipped to address these modern challenges head-on.

Workshop 16 | How to Recognize the Five Trauma Responses in Sexual Assault Survivors and Apply Knowledge to Help Successfully Investigate and Prosecute Sexual Assault Cases

Kat Hartswick, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center

Most people are aware of two or three trauma responses that survivors of sexual assault might experience – typically fight, flight or freeze. But there are actually five trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, fawn and appease. This training will help advocates, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and others involved in investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases to understand and recognize all five. It also will help investigators and prosecutors identify and break down barriers that arise due to these trauma responses. Professionals will be able to apply this knowledge to their cases to aid in removing bias and systemic barriers en route to successfully investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases.

Workshop 17 | Immigrant Women of Color Experiences With Intimate Partner Violence and Service Access

Dr. Cecilia Mengo, The Ohio State University
Shambika Raut, The Ohio State University
Yeliani Flores, The Ohio State University

This workshop stems from a community-based participatory research study that was conducted in two phases. Phase I involved a web-based survey distributed to informal and formal service providers who have served immigrant women of color (IWOC) experiencing intimate partner violence. Phase II included in-depth interviews with a nested sample of service providers. Half of the participants (50%) reported meeting the needs of IWOC experiencing intimate partner violence. In-depth interviews revealed the presence of systemic discrimination against IWOC survivors, which is a major barrier for accessing services. Other structural inequality barriers that were identified included language, immigration status, resource deficiency, and cultural misunderstandings about intimate partner violence. The combination of compassion fatigue and burnout also proved to be a major barrier to providing equitable services.

Workshop 18 | Ethics in Advocacy II (Part 2 of 2) (Note: Both parts must be taken to receive credit.)

Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Wendy Ricks-Hoff, Ohio Victim Witness Association

This workshop will examine special ethical considerations, including boundaries, oppression and dual relationships. Presenters will review the Code of Ethics while providing interactive case examples and opportunities for discussion.

8 - 9 a.m. | Coffee/Tea Service and Drop-in Sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victims Compensation

9 - 10:30 a.m. | Plenary Session

"Out of Darkness: How a Decades-Long Quest for Hope, Justice and Healing Finally Brought Answers"

Cierra Davis, session moderator, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Carmen Skipper, surviving victim of Robert Edwards
Regina Dawson, daughter of 1996 rape/murder victim of Robert Edwards
Mickey Casper, detective, Franklin County Sheriff's Office
Roger Davis, Ohio BCI special-agent-in-charge

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Breakout Session 4 (Workshops 19-24)

Workshop 19 | Safer Planning, Part 1: Supporting Safety for Survivors Who Stay (Note: Participants are NOT required to attend both parts.)

Alicia Williamson (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Denise Kontras (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Leah Stone (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Although safety planning typically associated focuses on safely ending an abusive relationship, not every person experiencing abuse is ready or able to leave. In the first part of this interactive workshop, participants will explore strategies to enhance safety and create choice for survivors who remain in contact or in a relationship with an abusive person. They will learn foundational skills for survivor-centered safety planning and apply this knowledge to various scenarios.

Workshop 20 | The Advocate's Toolkit: Interdisciplinary Strategies and Skills to Promote Survivor Healing

Emily Gemar (she/her), Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
Maria York (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Whether it means venturing out to the frontlines to offer services, working behind the scenes to create effective programs, or managing ever-growing organizations, the work of supporting survivors takes a lot of time, energy and effort. The work you do undoubtedly brings hope and relief to countless individuals seeking a reprieve from the harm they have endured. The same advice that you give to survivors applies to you: Your voice matters, and the world needs to hear it. This session will provide the guidance and support required to be an effective, persuasive and strategic advocate.

Workshop 21 | The Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence, Strangulation and Brain Injury Screening: A Pilot Project

Dr. Adenike Gbadebo, Aultman Hospital
Julie Donant, Domestic Violence Project Inc.
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and human trafficking face a high risk of brain injury due to high rates of strangulation and head and face injuries suffered from physical abuse. In addition to acute physical injuries, survivors suffer various chronic health complications. Many survivors do not seek medical attention for their injuries – and even when they do, their brain injury often goes unrecognized and untreated. Research indicates that one solution to this issue is screening for brain injuries, which not only helps identify such injuries but also can increase medical referrals for diagnosis and treatment. The workshop will discuss brain injury in the setting of intimate partner violence and provide a detailed look into a pilot project using brain-injury identification as a new standard of care for shelter-seeking clients. It also will discuss additional approaches to addressing brain injury within services, including the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s evidence-based CARE (Connect, Acknowledge, Respond, Evaluate) approach.

Workshop 22 | Elevating Advocacy: Children's Advocacy Centers and the Power of Collaboration

Celeste Prince, Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
Danielle Vandegriff, Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers
Jessika Holmes, Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers

This presentation will explore the profound impact of children's advocacy centers (CACs) on child protection and healing. It will provide insights into the core functions of CACs, the crucial role played by the Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers (ONCAC), and how ONCAC can bolster your efforts to protect and advocate for children. Participants will learn how various professions can strategically use CACs to meet agency needs and foster a collaborative and effective approach to child welfare.

Workshop 23 | Ohio's Victim Offender Dialogue Program – Facilitator Selection, Training, Retention and Program Management

Chrystal Pounds-Alexander, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Jennifer Conkle, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Victim offender dialogue (VOD) programs are important to a survivor's healing as well as the incarcerated individual or supervisee who has agreed to participate. Because the assigned facilitators are critical to the success of each case, they are selected with great care. This workshop will discuss the selection, training and retention of the facilitators and examine the practices required to maintain an effective, adaptable program. It also will look at the many benefits of such programs.

Workshop 24 | Strategies to Increase Prosecution of Traffickers of Minors

Linda Majeska Powers, Ohio Attorney General's Office
Mary Kate Waggoner, Ohio Attorney General's Office

This training is designed for law enforcement personnel and victim advocates who partner with law enforcement. It will explore the complexities of child sex-trafficking cases and help workshop participants enhance the quality of their investigations and their interactions with victims.

12:30 - 1:45 p.m. | Awards Luncheon

2 - 3:30 p.m. | Breakout Session 5 (Workshops 25-31)

Workshop 25 | Safer Planning, Part 2: Supporting Safety for Survivors Who Stay – A Panel Discussion (NOTE: Participants are NOT required to attend both parts.)

Denise Kontras (she/her), Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Dawn Anderson-Thurmond (she/her), of YWCA Hamilton’s Domestic Violence Programming
Suad Mohamed, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)
Monica Walker, Ohio Attorney General
Jennifer Vazquez Lopez (she/her), Ohio Hispanic Coalition
Chris Miller (he/him), Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland

In the second part of this workshop, a diverse panel of experts will expand on the unique barriers and needs of underserved populations when experiencing abuse. The lessons discussed will help advocates understand situations and develop plans for anyone they encounter.

Workshop 26 | How to Be the Village: Building Resilience With Child/Adolescent Survivors

Brianne Bergstrom, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Abigail Branco, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Youths who are affected by violence, abuse and trauma are more vulnerable to future harm, including physical abuse, teen dating violence, substance abuse and human trafficking. Every day, whether they realize it or not, advocates and other adults in various roles have contact with these youths. How can adults who interact with these young people increase their resiliency and decrease their vulnerability to future tragedies and trauma? This workshop will explore how professionals can work with youths in meaningful ways and improve outcomes for them and their families.

Workshop 27 | Bridging the Gap Between Advocates and Victims / Meeting Clients Where They Are

Sheila Nared, Trauma Recovery Center of Cincinnati
Janice Sowell, Trauma Recovery Center of Cincinnati
Mildred M. Patterson, Trauma Recovery Center of Cincinnati

This interactive session will include hands-on activities, demonstrations, and an opportunity to share experiences. Facilitators will discuss evidence-based practices that allow participants to meet clients where they are by acknowledging the reality of their situation. The workshop will focus on strategies that build relationships, identify root causes, and validate the needs of victims. Presenters will share simple, practical ways to implement trauma-informed care in all aspects of interaction with clients. Elements of the session will include meditations and healthy drumming to promote hope and healing.

Workshop 28 | The Medical and Legal Implications of Strangulation

Alexandria Ruden, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Ruth Downing, Forensic Nursing Network Inc.
Jane Bryan, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Strangulation has been identified as one of the lethal forms of violence. This workshop will give an overview of the medical implications of strangulation, including relevant statistics and reasons why strangulation is so lethal. Presenters will discuss legal aspects, including Ohio’s new strangulation law and significant legal challenges. They also will talk about expert witness testimony, including qualifications, the rules of evidence and report writing. This training will focus on handling strangulation cases in the context of relevant case law. In addition, participants will learn about emerging best practices and new research.

Workshop 29 | Joining Forces: Supporting Youth Affected by Homicide Deaths Through Traumatic Grief Counseling

Lauri Yersavich, OhioHealth Hospice Bereavement
Geneva Sanford, OhioHealth Hospice Bereavement
Sarah See, OhioHealth Hospice Bereavement

OhioHealth’s Trauma Recovery Center and OhioHealth Hospice’s Bereavement Program have formed a partnership to provide a specialized level of support for youths who are enduring the death of a loved one as a victim of crime. This session will highlight how this collaboration came to be and the process to navigate the workflow between programs. The remainder of the session will focus on the following: definitions and models of grief work with young children and teens; understanding the unique reactions and responses to traumatic loss; and supporting grieving youths through group and individual interventions that can be used in school, community or clinical settings.

Workshop 30 | Grant Writing

Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association

Grant writing is an essential skill for any advocate in a leadership position tasked with obtaining funding for program services. This training will explore the grant-writing process, including finding grant opportunities; understanding specific guidelines for governmental, corporate, and private foundation grants; planning and producing financial documentation and budgets; and identifying other practical skills for securing financial support.

Workshop 31 | Rock, Rhythm and Regulate: Practices to Mitigate Vicarious Trauma

Sonia Ferencik, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

The impact of vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress is real for many who serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking. Research in trauma and neuroscience indicates that trauma reactions can dysregulate a person’s internal state of balance, often keeping one in a stress response of fight, flight or freeze. Findings also show that mind-body practices can put the “brakes on the stress response,” thereby regulating and soothing the nervous system. This workshop is for those who want to explore and practice “being present” – with themselves and in a circle of peers. Participants will engage in 30 minutes of mindful meditation and breathing practices, 30 minutes of movements to release tension in the body, and 30 minutes of shared peer discussion intended to anchor your commitment to serving survivors while caring for yourself. Participants will receive a river-rock to record their anchoring word – a reminder to carry with you.

Keynote presenters

Kellie Portman
Senior Program Training Manager

Kellie Portman is a senior program training manager at the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA). Founded in 1975, NOVA is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and a recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.

Kellie joined the NOVA community in 2018 as a certified NOVA Crisis Response Team® training instructor before accepting a full-time staff position in 2020. She is a member of both her local and state crisis response teams and is actively involved in local and national responses.

Kellie is also the founder of Thinking Before Sinking, through which she provides life coaching and training to parents, teachers and others in the helping profession. As a Core Energy Life Coach with more than three decades of experience working with the child-welfare and juvenile-justice systems, she is best known for her humor and reality-based approaches to helping individuals achieve a greater quality of life for themselves and those around them.

Kellie has a bachelor's degree in human services leadership from Urbana University and coaching certification from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). In addition to her education, Kellie's extensive training, knowledge and lived experiences have allowed her to coach and train hundreds of young people, families and personnel in the helping profession.

"Out of Darkness"
Plenary Session

Two homicides with strikingly similar circumstances. A case that went cold for decades. Surviving relatives left with no answers. Detectives who would not give up.

What would justice look like? Would it ever come?

Thirty years later – with the help of modern technology through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation – a surprising DNA hit reinvigorated the investigations. And the amazing police work that followed eventually led to Robert Edwards and closed the book on two murders that had devastated loved ones and haunted a community.

This is a remarkable story of how a cold case can fare triumphantly in the criminal justice system and what it does to the families working within that system to seek justice.

Cierra Davis, a victim advocate with the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, will moderate this session, during which conference attendees will hear from Carmen Skipper, a victim who escaped from convicted serial killer Robert Edwards; Regina Dawson, who sought justice for her slain mother, Michelle Dawson; Mickey Casper, one of the detectives who worked tirelessly to solve the case; and Ohio BCI Special-Agent-in-Charge Roger Davis.

Two Days in May 2023

This year’s conference was held May 8-9 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center with nearly 1,000 attendees. Check back this fall for information on submitting workshop proposals and other details of the 2024 conference.

Award Winners

One of the most meaningful traditions at Two Days in May is our annual awards ceremony, which honors peer-nominated advocates for their exceptional, valuable and heartfelt work. Please join the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in congratulating and celebrating the 2023 recipients, whose impact on the lives of others is immeasurable.

Robert Denton Special Achievement Award

David L. Voth
Former executive director, Crime Victim Services, serving Allen and Putnam counties

Throughout his career, David Voth has been a leading voice in advocating for safety, healing, justice and restitution for crime victims.

For 37 years, from 1985 until his retirement in 2022, he led Crime Victim Services, an independent nonprofit agency dedicated to helping victims, protecting their rights, advocating for abused and neglected children and vulnerable adults, and prioritizing accessible services. Since its founding in 1980, Crime Victim Services has supported more than 58,000 victims and survivors.

Before it became the agency it is today, it was a church-based program that brought victims and offenders together to attempt reconciliation — a practice founded in the conviction that communities thrive when all members treat one another with empathy and respect.

Crime Victim Services has three offices in Allen and Putnam counties, 191 staff members and volunteers, and dozens of community partners. Its 10 programs serve specific populations and community needs, providing, among other things, court-appointed special advocates, elder victim advocates and volunteer guardians for adult victims.

Voth’s leadership helped to define best practices in the field and to effect important changes to state law. In 2010 he published “Quality Victim Advocacy: A Field Guide,” a manual that was initially intended only for his staff but has since become a recognized standard in the profession. For his efforts, he received the Outstanding Victim Advocate Award from the Victim Rights Caucus of the U.S. Congress.

Voth also was instrumental in the passage of the Marsy’s Law constitutional amendment in 2017; long before he testified before the Ohio legislature in the run-up to the vote, he was recognized as a leading advocate of granting crime victims the right to be informed, present and heard during court proceedings.

Watch the video

Special Courage Award

Brenda Glass, MSSA, LISW-S
Founder and Executive Director, Brenda Glass Multipurpose Trauma Center

Brenda Glass entered the field of social work later than most of her peers. At age 51, in search of a new direction after the paper mill where she worked shut its doors, she went back to school, at Cuyahoga Community College, eventually drawn to the area of victim advocacy. In doing so, she found her life’s work.

After earning her bachelor’s degree from Ursuline College and her master’s from Case Western Reserve, she worked at the Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland, ultimately becoming the associate director of the clinic’s Trauma Recovery Center (TRC).

In 2018, she founded the Brenda Glass Multipurpose Trauma Center, a faith-based nonprofit organization that is recognized today as one of the leading TRCs in the nation. The center supports Cuyahoga County residents who have been impacted by crime, violence or sexual assault and provides an array of services that includes mental health counseling, spiritual counseling, case management, and a safe shelter program that houses crime victims as they journey through the healing process and rebuild their lives. The center also helps with relocation to safe permanent housing.

Glass’ dedication to survivors extends to the boards and committees she serves on. As a member of the steering committee of the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers, she serves as a mentor to other TRC directors, counselors and staff, and helps to develop standards of practice addressing trauma among people of color.

In January 2023, she participated in the Mayor’s Roundtable with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to discuss strategies to prevent gun violence in Cleveland. For her partnership with the city, her commitment to crime victims and her efforts to prevent violence, the City of Cleveland honored her with the Hidden Figures Award.

Shakyra Diaz, the chief of federal advocacy with the Alliance for Safety and Justice, nominated Glass, noting that her “dedication to create stability in the lives of those who have been victimized and traumatized is limitless” and has resulted in positive outcomes that will benefit generations of children and families.

Watch the video

Promising Practice Award

New Leaf Justice Enterprises

Individuals and their families impacted by trauma, substance use or incarceration are often uprooted from their community and support networks. New Leaf re-establishes these connections through a wide range of long-term holistic services that help break the cycle of poverty that holds many residents of Appalachian Ohio in its grip.

New Leaf provides these services through what it calls Recovery Villages. It currently operates one in Nelsonville and is planning two more, in Athens and Glouster. The idea is to create a coordinated system of community support to meet the varied needs of program participants.

That means, for example, that a single mother enrolled in the Nelsonville Recovery Village could be set up with free transitional housing and a job at the New Leaf Marketplace selling locally made food and crafts. Within a 10-minute walk, she would have access to counseling services, childcare, transportation, career planning, and case management and advocacy services. All services are free and offered for a maximum of two years.

Ultimately, the New Leaf program aims to support clients in recovery while also preventing future trauma and violence.

As of February 2023, six individuals/families were enrolled in the program. One participant noted: “There are no words that can express just how grateful I am for the program at New Leaf. It is no exaggeration when I say the folks and this program have saved me. I have only been here a few weeks, but where I once was hopeless and saw darkness, I now have hope and light.”

New Leaf is an initiative of the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program. Both are led by Executive Director Jen Seifert, Ph.D. The Nelsonville-based agency serves nine southeastern Ohio counties and is supported in part through the Rape Crisis Fund and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding awarded through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Watch the video

Conference Agenda

Monday – May 8, 2023Tuesday – May 9, 2023

8 - 9 a.m. | Continental breakfast (Ballroom lobby); and Ohio Attorney General drop-in sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victim Compensation

9 - 10:30 a.m. | Opening Session -- Remarks from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

Keynote | The Science of Happiness: A Look at Positive Psychology in the Service of Others

Ruth Bowdish, managing director of On Demand Healthcare, licensed chemical dependency counselor, author, and life coach

The invaluable work that advocates do can take a toll and leave them prone to feelings of disengagement, fatigue, burnout and overall mental distress. All too often what advocates experience at work carries over to their personal life or vice versa; they can’t escape the growing negativity surrounding them -- negativity that can influence how, or even if, they help others. This presentation by Ruth Bowdish will teach how to harness the power of shifting one’s perspective to increase the potential for happiness in many of our everyday behaviors, and how to help those we serve do the same. Ruth will take a unique look at the science of being happy and share her personal story of how positive psychology helped her to survive poverty, domestic violence and homelessness -- and subsequently enabled her to help change the lives of others.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | WORKSHOPS

Workshop 1 | Fawn: The Forgotten Trauma Response

Jeanette Pellot-Ayala, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office

Fight, flight or freeze are the three major trauma responses we are used to talking about and possibly recognizing when working with crime victims. However, there is a fourth trauma response that it is seldom acknowledged – fawning, an instinctual response that involves immediately trying to please a person to avoid conflict. This workshop explains the fawn response and how it manifests in victims and survivors.

Workshop 2 | Homicide Co-Victims: Perspective from Community-based Advocacy at an Immigration Services Organization

Alma Diaz, Community Refugee and Immigration Services
Lara Downing, Community Refugee and Immigration Services

No family is prepared to deal with the aftermath of the murder of a loved one. In addition to unimaginable grief and trauma, every family faces a unique amalgam of challenges such as dealing with news media, unanswered questions, investigations, trials and confusing bureaucracy. The path forward may be further complicated by barriers such as language, discrimination, poverty and immigration status. This workshop explores the distinct role of community-based advocates who walk beside families through this process (with a particular focus on work with Hispanic and Latino families in central Ohio), discusses gaps in services, looks at research, and shares lessons and challenges.

Workshop 3 | Recovering from Financial Exploitation: A Case Study and Resources

Leo A. Fernandez, Ohio Department of Commerce
Janice Hitzeman, Ohio Department of Commerce
Allison Kretz, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio
Brian McDonough, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio

Presenters will explain the Ohio Investor Recovery Fund and discuss how advocates can help financial fraud victims use this resource. A case study highlights how federal and state agency partnerships provide victims greater opportunities to recover financially. The workshop also addresses other tools aimed at prevention and emotional recovery, and emphasizes the role that sharing stories plays in empowering fraud victims to report their victimization.

Workshop 4 | Valuing Survivor Care: Implementing Service Standards and Prioritizing Statewide Collaboration

Michelle Hannan, The Salvation Army of Central Ohio
Rebekkah O’Bryan, Ohio Department of Public Safety

Hannan and O’Bryan, co-chairs of the Victim Service Committee of the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission, will demonstrate why service standards and statewide collaboration are critical for providers of anti-trafficking services. Meeting the Ohio Service Standards can be viewed as a daunting task for providers, so this workshop provides practical tips intended to leave participants feeling confident and celebrated for the groundbreaking work that has informed Ohio’s standards of care. In addition, participants will explore the value of collaboration and the need for a statewide referral directory that increases service options for victims and ensures that the services offered meet statewide standards of care.

Workshop 5 | Making Title IX Trauma-Informed: Advocacy Suggestions for Educational Environments

Abi Mello, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Lauren Spector, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center

Schools often lack a survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach to the Title IX process due to their claims of neutrality for both respondent and complainant. This presentation provides suggestions for advocates and educators to create trauma-informed practices for survivors. Through an advocacy lens, attendees with gain knowledge necessary to uphold federal Title IX standards while creatively thinking outside the box to reduce harm in educational environments.

Workshop 6 | Credentialing for Advocates: (Part 1 of 2)

Jeannette M. Adkins, National Advocate Credentialing Program
Teri LaJeunesse, Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Advocate Network

The Ohio Advocate Network (OAN) launched in 1994 as a statewide credentialing program for victim advocates and allied professionals in Ohio. OAN would later serve as the model for the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP), initiated in 2003 by NOVA. Both programs seek to publicly affirm victim advocacy as a profession, across multiple disciplines, and recognize the knowledge and specialized skills required to effectively support, assist and advocate for victims of crime. Advocacy credentialing promotes the delivery of quality, best-practice services and is based on established standards for direct-service experience, focused training and ethical conduct. In this two-part workshop, leaders in advocacy credentialing will discuss the benefits of an advocacy credential, as well as the policies, requirements and application procedures for both OAN and NACP. This first session will focus on the OAN process. (Workshop 13, 1:45 - 3:15 p.m., focuses on NACP.)

Workshop 7 | K9 Therapy for Victims, Witnesses and for Employee Wellness

Andrea Denning, Ohio Department of Youth Services
Darrah Metz, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office K9 therapy program features select dogs and law-enforcement personnel that are trained to provide crime victims with relief from the mental, physical or psychological effects of trauma. Established in 2017 with Mattis, a Labrador Retriever that was the first law-enforcement therapy dog in Ohio and the sixth in the nation, the program continues to grow and collaborate. For example, the Department of Youth Services, which is part of the collaborative statewide agency trainings under the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, uses its Pup Patrol program for employee wellness. This workshop demonstrates the benefits to victims, witnesses and advocates when a therapy dog is involved.

12:15 - 1:45 p.m. | Lunch on your own

1:45 - 3:15 p.m. | WORKSHOPS

Workshop 8 | How Adult Advocacy Centers Can Help Combat Elder Maltreatment

April Wehrle, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Katherine Yoder, Adult Advocacy Centers

In 2019, the rate of violent victimization against persons with disabilities was nearly four times greater than the rate for persons without disabilities, the U.S. Department of Justice reported. An alarming statistic from any perspective, it is perhaps additionally distressing for elderly Americans: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41.6% of people in the U.S. who are older than 65 have been diagnosed with a disability. By exploring case scenarios, interventions and strategies for successful community partnerships, this workshop highlights how Adult Advocacy Centers -- a new model of services being implemented in Ohio -- can help advocates combat elder maltreatment.

Workshop 9 | Domestic Violence, Stalking, Dating Violence and Sexual Violence: A Legal and Legislative Update

Alexandria Ruden, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Maria York, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

The workshop provides an overview of state and federal legislative, rule and policy changes as well as significant case law developments relating to domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, and sexual violence. The presenters will also discuss changes to Ohio court and administrative rules. From this review, participants will assess trends in the law that will impact those they serve in whatever professional capacity.

Workshop 10 | How to Support Secondary Intimate Partner Violence Survivors

Mae Bennett, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland
Kayla Thomas, Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland

So often, family members and friends of a domestic violence survivor feel powerless to help their loved one. They turn to service professionals for guidance. Research suggests a positive correlation between safety of domestic violence survivors and the support they receive from family and friends. But understanding how to safely support is critical. This workshop answers the question of how others can help the primary survivor and offers interventions for the secondary survivor.

Workshop 11 | An Introduction to Prosecuting Child Sexual Abuse Offenses

Kara Keating, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Dan Meyer, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office

This session introduces lawyers, counselors, social workers, prosecutors and advocates to prosecuting child sexual abuse offenses in Ohio. It includes a discussion of forensic interviews and medical examinations and current case law surrounding their admissibility. The presenters will discuss how to understand complex DNA reports and how the results impact prosecution. Participants will learn best practices for preparing and questioning child victims in court, as well as ways to continue prosecution without the child victim present.

Workshop 12 | In Their Shoes: Understanding Survivor’s Cultural Barriers

Julia Figueroa-Gardner, Women Helping Women
Amy Flottemesch, Women Helping Women

This workshop focuses on cultural sensitivity related to working with immigrant and non-English-speaking survivors. The presentation covers myths, barriers, benefits and safety-focused outcomes. Both presenters are bilingual advocates, fluent in Spanish and English. They work daily with survivors, community partners and justice system agencies.

Workshop 13 | Credentialing for Advocates (Part 2 of 2)

Jeannette M. Adkins, National Advocate Credentialing Program
Teri LaJeunesse, Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, OAN

The Ohio Advocate Network (OAN) launched in 1994 as a statewide credentialing program for victim advocates and allied professionals in Ohio. OAN would later serve as the model for the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP), initiated in 2003 by NOVA. Both programs seek to publicly affirm victim advocacy as a profession, across multiple disciplines, and recognize the knowledge and specialized skills required to effectively support, assist and advocate for victims of crime. Advocacy credentialing promotes the delivery of quality, best-practice services and is based on established standards for direct-service experience, focused training and ethical conduct. In this two-part workshop, leaders in advocacy credentialing will discuss the benefits of an advocacy credential, as well as the policies, requirements and application procedures for both OAN and NACP. This second session focuses on the NACP process. (Workshop 6, 10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., focuses on OAN.)

Workshop 14 | Mandatory Reporting and the Advocate’s Role

Bernadette Rieger, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Leah Stone, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Alicia Williamson, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Federal laws and funding organizations require strict and clear confidentiality requirements for victim services organizations, but state-mandated reporting laws and professional license requirements can create confusion for some advocates. In this workshop, attendees will better understand their roles in mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect allegations and learn best practices for responding to child abuse concerns. Presenters will cover confidentiality requirements set by federal law and funding groups, define the mandated reporter status according to the Ohio Revised Code, and provide practical strategies to respond to abuse and neglect allegations in ways that holistically meet the needs of survivors.

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Break

3:30 - 5 p.m. | WORKSHOPS

Workshop 15 | Barriers to Accessing Care for LGBTQ+ Survivors of Violence

Alex Anastasia, BRAVO
Miranda James, BRAVO
Laura Niehaus, BRAVO

This workshop examines the ways that relationship violence, sexual violence, and hate/bias violence directly impact members of the LGBTQ+ community. The discussion will explore each type of violence, how such violence may manifest within communities and for specific individuals, and the consequences of violence faced by survivors. Most important, the presentation looks at the many barriers to accessing services for LGBTQ+ individuals who experience violence. It also reviews ways that care providers can better support LGBTQ+ survivors and work to dismantle some of these systemic obstacles. Participants will brainstorm ways that service providers can most effectively respond with cultural humility to LGBTQ+ survivor disclosures, and the best practices for supporting the needs of survivors from this population.

Workshop 16 | Engaging Men and Boys: Working with Male Survivors of Sexual Violence

Jayvon Howard, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

The workshop discusses adult male victimization, childhood sexual abuse of boys, and how culture plays a role in how advocates work with men as survivors. Sexual violence and abuse can happen to anyone regardless of gender, and this work shows that everyone has the right to live in a society free from violence.

Workshop 17 | Self-Care and Empathy and Advocacy: How Addressing Vicarious Trauma and Self-Care Practices Intersect

Sonia Ferencik, Senior Standing and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Workshop participants will learn the link between caring for themselves and promoting enhanced interactions of empathy and advocacy with survivors. When advocates embrace self-care practices, they often see benefits in their interactions with youth and adult survivors. This session examines the mind-body link of vicarious trauma and includes time for self-reflection and shared discussion. Participants will explore grounding practices, join in movement and breathing techniques, and create a self-care plan that can be used daily. Note: This workshop is limited to 50 participants.

Workshop 18 | Best Practices for Providing Trauma Responsive Services to Homicide Co-Victims

Wendy Ricks Hoff, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Jane McKenzie, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office (retired)
Marya Simmons, Shift in Notion Consulting
Crystal Turner, Survivor/Advocate

Building on its landmark 2021 study “Addressing the Needs of Homicide Co-Victims in Ohio,” the Ohio Victim Witness Association has developed the Homicide Co-Victim Best Practices Guide. In addition to an in-depth consideration of advocacy practices, the comprehensive guide discusses immediate crisis and trauma support, working with the news media, criminal justice considerations, navigating complex family dynamics, and special considerations for LGBTQ homicides, mass shootings and more. This workshop highlights practices from the guide through a trauma responsive lens, as provided by advocates with both lived experience and professional systems-based experience working with co-victims of homicide.

Workshop 19 | Incorporating Risk into Your Domestic Violence Response

Erin Becker, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
Tim Boehnlein, Cuyahoga County Witness Victim Service Center
Molly Kaplan, Journey Center for Safety and Healing

Conducting an evidence-based lethality assessment in domestic violence cases to identify those at the highest risk for fatal or near fatal outcomes is a tactic that has been identified as a best practice across the country. This workshop provides a brief review of risk factors associated with domestic violence homicides and describes the role law enforcement plays in gathering on-scene risk information. This workshop will also provide multiple strategies for all system partners on how to incorporate risk information into decision making for high-risk cases. Additionally, the workshop discusses how risk information is used in Cuyahoga County’s High-Risk Domestic Violence Court and examines the roles of the specially-trained, multidisciplinary team members who support it. Participants will learn practical steps they can take immediately to manage high-risk domestic violence cases.

Workshop 20 | A New Framework: Using CARE to Address Brain Injury, Mental Health, Substance Use and Domestic Violence

Dr. Julianna Nemeth, Ohio State University
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Cheryl Stahl, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

This workshop examines how substance use, mental health, brain injury and domestic violence intersect. Participants will be equipped with practical tools, strategies and approaches to assess and address these issues in survivors and have an opportunity to discuss challenges and opportunities to make services more accessible. The presenters will discuss the research partnership between the Ohio Domestic Violence Network and Ohio State University that led to the development of a first-of-its-kind evidence-based health intervention called CARE, short for Connect, Acknowledge, Respond, Evaluate. Presenters will also discuss resources that advocates can use to implement CARE, including materials to address brain injury and substance use. This trauma-informed training will focus on application of CARE with survivors from diverse backgrounds, and will look at the impact of historical trauma and implicit and explicit bias within systems where survivors seek help.

Workshop 21 | Stewardship of Survivor Stories

Nicole Kass Colvin, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
Dr. H. Louise Davis, Miami University

Telling their stories can give survivors a sense of healing and empowerment while at the same time raise awareness and promote social change. But victim advocates -- concerned about survivors’ safety -- are sometimes reluctant to have them relay their trauma. This workshop focuses on the value of providing space for survivors to share their stories and explains best practices so neither they nor their audience is traumatized.

5:15 - 6:15 p.m. | Association meetings as scheduled

8 - 9 a.m. | Coffee and tea service in the lobby, and Ohio Attorney General drop-in sessions for VOCA/SVAA and Crime Victim Compensation

9 - 10:30 a.m. | Keynote

Keynote | Promoting Healthy Manhood and Gender Equity

Tony Porter, author, educator and CEO of A Call to Men, a national nonprofit that promotes healthy, respectful manhood in order to prevent gender-based violence and discrimination and to advance a culture of equity and inclusivity.

With 20-plus years of experience in the preventing violence against women movement, Tony Porter talks about how men are socialized to define what it means to be a man and some of the implications impacting race, gender, and gender identity. He calls on men to step outside the Man Box and the traditional gender roles that society has assigned to them. His teachings offer a unique perspective on men's responsibility to prevent gender-based violence. Along with discussing violence prevention, he will help us start our never-ending allyship journey and foster a sense of community for future advocacy.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | WORKSHOPS

Workshop 22 | Critical Conversation: A Space to Heal and Redefine Masculinity

Rosa Beltré, (She, Her, Ella), Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
Jayvon Howard, (He, Him), Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
Tony Porter, (He, Him), A Call to Men

Continuing from his morning keynote address, Tony Porter will engage a smaller group in critical discussions centering on how to be intentional in the movement of healthy masculinity and how to change the dynamics that so often lead to domestic and sexual violence against women. This will be a deeper dive into the narrow gender role that society assigns to men and, through discussion and a Q&A, the workshop will help build allyship to end violence and to focus on how the notion of masculinity intersects with our lives. This workshop is open to all genders.

Workshop 23 | Ethics in Advocacy (Part 1 of 2)

Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Wendy Ricks-Hoff, Ohio Victim Witness Association

The first in a series of two interactive workshops on ethics in advocacy, this presentation discusses the NOVA Code of Ethics, which governs the conduct of victim assistance providers. The workshop examines issues such as client rights, privacy, confidentiality, reporting responsibilities, and relationships with colleagues, other professionals and the public. The presenters will review the Code of Ethics while providing interactive case examples and opportunities for discussion. (Workshop 30, 2 - 3:30 p.m., takes a closer look at special ethical considerations.)

Workshop 24 | Collaborative Advocacy for Immigrant Survivors: Strategies for Attorneys and Advocates to Improve Safety

Dr. Shantha Balswamy, Ohio State University
Stephanie Corcoran, Legal Aid Society of Columbus
Amy Harcar, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
Stuart Y. Itani, Legal Aid Society of Columbus

Immigrant and limited English proficient (LEP) victims seeking safety and stability often need a variety of support: trusted community or family members, culturally sensitive and informed advocates, and accessible legal counsel. To create the best pathways to safety, these resources often need to be coordinated and need to work collaboratively. This training brings together perspectives of civil legal aid attorneys and culturally informed advocates to review issues, challenges and strategies when working collaboratively to empower immigrant survivors, improve their outcomes, and support the community.

Workshop 25 | Marsy’s Law: A Legislative and Case Law Update

Latina Bailey, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Chloe Greenawalt, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Catherine Harper Lee, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center
Elizabeth Well, Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center

In November 2017, Ohio voters overwhelmingly passed Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment for crime victims. In the five years since the law went into effect, in February 2018, House Bill 343 was drafted to implement the amendment, and numerous cases have been decided interpreting its provisions. This workshop will examine legislative updates and case law concerning Marsy’s Law and what these changes mean for Ohio’s crime victims.

Workshop 26 | Trauma Recovery Centers: Empowering Survivors Through Healing

Brenda Glass, Brenda Glass Trauma Recovery Center
Stephen Massey, CitiLookout Trauma Recovery Center
Geneva Sanford, OhioHealth Trauma Recovery Center
Megen Simpson, MetroHealth Trauma Recovery Center
Candace S. Williams, Alliance for Safety and Justice

The Alliance for Safety and Justice’s July 2022 report “Scaling Safety: A Roadmap To Close America's Safety Gaps,” identifies how Trauma Recovery Centers (TRC) meet the needs of a diverse community of crime survivors. This workshop explains the TRC model, which combines assertive outreach, trauma-informed mental health services, and help with practical needs that support stability after victimization. Participants also will learn how Trauma Recovery Centers provide coordination and partnership across numerous, complex systems and multidisciplinary teams in a culturally responsive framework that helps break cycles of violence, removes barriers to care, and addresses trauma so people and communities can heal.

Workshop 27 | Bridging the Gap: Meaningful Access for Victims with Mental Illness

Emily Kulow, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Leah Stone, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

Although there is a well-established link between mental illness and trauma, stigma and misinformation about mental health often create barriers for crime victims seeking services. Through lecture, group discussion and hands-on activities, this workshop explores the impacts of ableism -- the discrimination or prejudice against people who have disabilities. Participants will be able to define meaningful access and identify best-practices for serving survivors with mental illness. Advocates, law enforcement representatives and those working in the legal system are encouraged to attend this workshop.

Workshop 28 | An Introduction to Post-Conviction Services

Kristen Arapp, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Jennifer Conkle, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Thomas King, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Tracy Tyson-Parker, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

This workshop, centered on the vision and mission of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections’ Office of Victim Services (OVS), discusses the services provided to crime victims through several different types of post-conviction hearings. The presentation also provides information about OVS victim-centered programming and how the programs serve to help victims while also assisting offenders with their rehabilitative efforts.

12:30 - 1:45 p.m. | Awards Luncheon

2 - 3:30 p.m. | WORKSHOPS

Workshop 29 | Rewire for Resilience

Cindy Kuhr, Ohio Attorney General’s Office/BCI

Join this workshop for a little R&R. Rewire for Resilience will help you identify how your work can impact your well-being, in ways both good and the bad. There are so many rewards to this work, and many ways to get the self-care that is needed. Participants will learn about new tools to assist them while working in this field, and walk away feeling empowered and purposeful.

Workshop 30 | Ethics in Advocacy (Part 2 of 2)

Elyse McConnell, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Wendy Ricks-Hoff, Ohio Victim Witness Association
Rachel Ramirez, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

This workshop is the second in a series of two interactive workshops on ethics in advocacy. The second session examines special ethical considerations including boundaries, oppression, accessibility, social media and technology. Presenters will review the Code of Ethics while providing interactive case examples and opportunities for discussion. (Workshop 23, 10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., examines the NOVA Code of Ethics.)

Workshop 31 | Ohio Heals: A Vicarious Trauma Organizational Toolkit

Sonia D. Ferencik, Ohio Domestic Violence Network

In this workshop, leaders and supervisors will explore the Ohio Heals Vicarious Trauma Organizational Toolkit, created to help agencies support a culture of healing and balance. Vicarious trauma can be part of a helper’s experience in working with youth and adult victims of assault and harm, the effects showing themselves in staff turnover, excessive sick days and a sense of being overwhelmed.This workshop explores a series of 12 guided discussion modules, resources and activities designed to promote fulfillment in one’s professional calling, foster a supportive organizational community, and offer tools for preventing and mitigating vicarious trauma.

Workshop 32 | What Makes a Monster?: Sexual Violence Perpetration, Responses and Justice

Nicole Kass Colvin, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence
Sarah Ferrato, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

This highly interactive workshop explores what we think we know about sexual violence perpetration versus the actual dynamics of sexual violence. Participants will explore how monster stories shape our understanding of sexual violence, and learn more about survivor-centered advocacy and how to begin building community strategy plans. The workshop will provide participants with resources and ongoing opportunities to continue learning about expanding options for survivor justice.

Workshop 33 | Trauma Recovery Centers: An Unconventional Approach to Advocacy

Sara Ghiloni, Stress, Trauma, and Resilience Trauma Recovery Center (STAR TRC), Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Bridget Henebry, STAR TRC
Christy Walters, STAR TRC

When working with survivors of crime and those impacted by homicide, essential concepts of empathy, empowerment and advocacy must be applied across systems for effective and authentic healing. This workshop will discuss the Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) model of care, and the role of an advocate embedded within the therapeutic milieu of a TRC. Through the lens of a case study, we will discuss the value of advocacy work for clients and clinicians. The workshop examines what it means to use a person-centered approach to advocacy by highlighting the supportive elements, the education elements, and the power of agency and choice when engaging in systems.

Workshop 34 | Elder Abuse: Mandatory Reporting, Statute Review and Case Updates

Sylvia Pla-Raith, Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Heidi Turner-Stone, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

The National Council on Aging estimates that 5 million older adults are abused each year. However, one study estimated that only one in 14 cases of abuse are reported to authorities. Making a report in instances of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation is the right thing to do, and creates the opportunity to eradicate and correct the bad behavior. To live up to our ideal of justice for all, we need to work to address the social issue of elder abuse and exploitation. This workshop reviews Ohio’s adult protection laws and limitations, and shares case scenarios, interventions and strategies for successful community partnerships to combat elder abuse and exploitation.

Workshop 35 | Islam in America: Shattering the Myths and Misconceptions in Advocacy

Sarah Shendy, Ohio Department of Public Safety

The Middle Eastern culture is growing in the United States and has a presence in each of our communities. Gaining knowledge and awareness about the people we serve and work with and practicing mutual respect helps to increase advocate legitimacy and develop positive relationships. The session addresses common myths and misconceptions associated with Middle Eastern culture. Topics include the Muslim religion, culture, barriers to communication, interview and interrogation techniques, effective advocacy, recruitment, negotiating with difficult personalities, and implicit and explicit bias.

Keynote Presenters Bios

Ruth M. Bowdish, MSPsy, LICDC, CEAP, SAP

Ruth Bowdish is the managing director for On Demand Healthcare, a published author and a successful life coach. After earning her master’s degree in psychology, she became a certified employee assistance professional and a substance-abuse professional and is currently a licensed independent chemical-dependency counselor. She has more than two decades of experience working with individuals in various capacities, including leadership initiatives. substance-use disorders and life coaching personal ordeals.

Bowdish began to establish a unique foundation of safety compliance, employee motivation and addiction awareness. Eventually, using her experience and knowledge, she moved into the role of a nationwide consultant, trainer and public speaker. As a consultant, she has provided invaluable information to create strong teams with strong leaders; as a substance-abuse professional, she has provided a deeper understanding of addiction and drugs in the workplace; and as a counselor and coach, she has provided guidance to navigating personal difficulties that are holding people back from being the success stories they can be.

Bowdish shares details of her personal ordeals with abuse, poverty, domestic violence and raising a special needs child to conferences and industries across the country. It is her knowledge and passion that create a distinction as she continues to help increase awareness and understanding on some of the toughest topics plaguing our society today.

Tony Porter, author, educator and CEO of A Call to Men

Tony Porter is an author, educator and activist working to advance gender and racial justice and create a more equitable society. He is internationally recognized for his efforts to prevent violence against women while promoting a healthy, respectful manhood. He is a leading voice on issues of manhood, male socialization, and preventing violence against all women and girls. Porter’s 2010 TED Talk has been named by GQ Magazine as one of the “Top 10 TED Talks Every Man Should See. He is sought after for his in-depth understanding of the collective socialization of men; healthy manhood/masculinity; the intersections of oppression, diversity, equity and inclusion; and promotion of gender and racial equity.

Porter serves as an adviser to the National Football League, providing policy consultation, working extensively with player engagement, and facilitating violence prevention and healthy manhood training. He has also provided training to the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, and Major League Baseball. He is an international lecturer for the U.S. State Department, having extensive global experience (including in Brazil, India and Africa) and has been a guest presenter to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. He also has worked with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.

Porter is the author of Breaking Out of the Man Box and the visionary for NFL Dads: Dedicated to Daughters.

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