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AG Yost honors victim advocates, past and present, at Two Days in May Conference

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

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

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.

Watch the video

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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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.