2015 Presenters
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Jennifer Eyl
Jennifer Eyl is an Attorney and Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked in the fields of domestic and sexual violence since 1994. Jennifer is the Director of the Domestic Violence Program at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, providing guardians ad litem to children in civil protection order cases in Denver County court. Jennifer’s legal expertise includes domestic relations law, civilTamara Kuennen
Tamara Kuennen is a tenured professor at the University of Denver (DU) Sturm College of Law Before joining the faculty, Prof. Kuennen was a Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center where she taught the Domestic Violence Clinic. Prior to teaching, she practiced at Legal Aid Services of Oregon for five years, representing survivors in a variety of cases, including protection orders, domestic relations, public benefits, immigration and civil rights litigation.Allison Watt
Allison Watt graduated from CSU with a degree in History Education and has been an advocate since she was 16. Intermixed throughout her working career have been experiences where she taught young children, managed employees, and most significantly created the exhibit that is the hallmark program of Breaking Silence. In 2014, she moved into the postion of Executive Director for Breaking Silence and was invited by Robert Hammond, the Commissioner of Education, to be the representative for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) on the Sex Offender Management Board. For the past year, she has ...Allison Boyd
Allison Boyd is the Director of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit at the District Attorney’s Office in the 1st Judicial District in Colorado. She has provided services to crime victims at the DA’s Office since 1995. Allison is an appointed member of the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB) which creates and implements state standards for the supervision and management of adult sex offenders and juveniles who have committed sexual offenses. She also chairs the Victim Advocacy Committee for the Board.Jeffrey S. Bucholtz
Jeffrey S. Bucholtz is co-director of We End Violence and president of the San Diego Domestic Violence Council. Jeff has worked extensively in the fields of sexual violence, masculinity, relationship violence, popular culture, stalking, bullying, working in alliances, collaboration, and the intersectionality of oppression. Jeff also teaches a course about popular culture and identity at San Diego State University and various communication courses at Southwestern College.JP Butler
JP Butler has over ten years of experience in youth programming and over nine years of experience in public speaking. JP has a wonderful wealth of knowledge when it comes to educational best practices and constructing presentations that really speak to youth. He is also the coordinator of the Teens Ending Relationship Abuse (TERA) Youth Leadership Program in Longmont, CO. He has his master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Colorado - Denver.Lonnie Erskine
My name is Lonnie Erskine, I have a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling and have been working with Estes Valley Victim Advocates for three years. I have experience as a voluneer advocate, paid safehouse evening advocate then was hired on as the part-time Safehouse Manager and part-time Counselor. I have enjoyed my work as a crisis advocate/counselor helping women and children through empowerment and healing. As the group counselor, I have implemented the Healing Trauma curriculum which has helped women ground themselves and become more aware of how to grow from an unhealthy relationship...Amber Urban
Amber Urban has worked in various positions in law enforcement since 1995. She promoted to Detective in the Crimes Against Children Unit at the Aurora Police Department in June 2006. In May 2012 she was joined by her current partner, Pella, who is a Canine Companions (CCI) facility dog. Together they participate in criminal investigations and prosecutions to make better cases while minimizing the trauma to all those involved in the legal processes.Gary Dawson
Gary Dawson was a prosecutor in Upstate New York from 1996 to 2008 working mostly Special Victim's cases. He came to Colorado and joined the 18th Judicial District DA’s office in October 2008 and is now a Senior Deputy in the Special Victim’s Unit. He has prosecuted cases in all facets of criminal law but specializes in the prosecution of crimes involving children, child and adult sexual assaults, and domestic violence.Kari Knutson, MA
Kari Knutson, MA, is a speaker, trainer, and consultant. Her company, Knutson Consulting, focuses on helping people transform their organizations through developing interpersonal skills and bridging cultural and communication divides. Kari is an energetic speaker who is passionate about connecting with people. Kari has traveled solo to 13 countries. She has a vast knowledge of different cultural practices and perspectives, as well as different signed and spoken languages. She is fluent in American Sign Language.Alex Castro
Alex Castro is currently a Bilingual Diversion Officer for Denver's District Attorney's Office-Juvenile Diversion Program. He manages and provides services to female youth, survivors of sexual abuse/exploitation and victims of human sex trafficking. He also has a private practice, where he provides bilingual EMDR services to victims of sexual abuse, child abuse and sexual exploited adult females. He currently is an Adjunct Professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver in the Human Services Department. He is completing his Ph.D. program in Depth Psychology (Jungian/Archetypal Studies) at...Lynee Sprague
Lynne was born and raised in Texas and moved to Colorado ten years ago. Lynne became political around her own experiences with intimate partner violence which set her on a course of doing anti-violence work for many years. Moving to Colorado and working with community groups with intersectional frameworks helped shape Lynne's deep commitment to doing broader community work that is rooted in anti-oppression and social justice values. CAVP is near and dear to Lynne's heart, as it is a place where there is a strong desire and commitment to develop new models for supporting communities struggling ...Pamlea Maass
Pamela joined the Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center in September 2014. she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado Law School in 2010 after earning her Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering and Master’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Arizona State University in 2004 and 2006 respectively. While at the University of Colorado Law School, Pamela advocated on behalf of victims of violent crime as a law clerk for the Gang Unit of the Denver District Attorney’s Office and again as law clerk for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Pamela served as a Felony Depu...Kathryn Woods MSW MPA LCSW
Kathryn Woods MSW MPA LCSW is the Assistant Director for Victim Services at the Women and Gender Advocacy Center at Colorado State University. Kathryn is also a Regional Specialist with CCASA. Before moving to CO, Kathryn spent 8 years coordinating crisis and victim services for a non-profit agency. Kathryn moved to Colorado in 2007 and began her work at CSU. She is also involved with CCASA on the Inclusiveness Team and Survivor Task Force.Ashley Riley Lopes, MPA
Ashley Riley Lopes, MPA, has been the Executive Director of Tu Casa, Inc., a dual domestic and sexual violence program in the rural San Luis Valley,since 2009. Under Ashley's leadership, Tu Casa recently created the Children's Advocacy Center of the San Luis Valley (SLV CAC) Program, to provide CAC services to the 6-county region. Ashley manages Tu Casa extensive network of over 24 regional partners and has extensive experience building collaborative relationships, both through her previous work as the Alamosa County SART Coordinator, and currently as the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Facilita...Janice Holman
Janice Holman is an original founder of the San Luis Valley Victim Response Unit (SLV VRU). Janice is a FLETC certified instructor for domestic violence; has extensive training in CISM, Colorado Victim Rights Amendment, Sexual Assault, Cultural Competency, and Death / Grief. She also is an instructor at Trinidad State Junior College for the CLETA program where she teach the Victim Rights Amendment, Domestic Violence, and Stress Management. In 2010, she became a P.O.S.T. certified officer and in 2011 became a National Children’s Advocacy trained Forensic Interviewer. She currently conducts fore...Emma Bielski
Emma Bielski is the Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator for the Advocate Safehouse Project with over two years experience working in prevention education. Emma is the first person to implement CBIM in the state of Colorado and has learned a great deal through the process. Emma will receive her Masters in Social Work from the University of Denver in June of 2015 and got her start working on a grassroots, community organizing level.Michelle Wolff
Michelle Wolff 17th JD SART Coordinator will speak briefly about how SART membership can support program changes as well as CCASA RTAP training available to agencies who would like more information on sexual assault. Sgt Matt Domenico and Det Justin Moor from BPD will also speak briefly however Kim Messina will be handling the majority of the presentation.Jean Solis, M.A.
Jean has worked at The Arc of Aurora with and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) for 22 years. For the past 12 years she has coordinated the organization’s work raising awareness about the incidence and prevalence of the perpetration of crimes, including sexual assault, against people with I/DD, as well as developing and implementing education opportunities for responders to those crimes. Jean is a CCASA Regional Specialist.David Welch, M.A., LPCC, NCC
David Welch, M.A., LPCC, NCC David is the Child and Family therapist at DIFRC. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in the State of Colorado. He is originally from Cherokee, North Carolina, and is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. David earned his Master of Arts in Counseling and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Counseling Military Families from Regis University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Professional Counseling at Liberty University. As part of his post-graduate work, David received extensive training in worki...Sarah Nelson, LSW, MSW, MPH
Sarah Nelson, LSW, MSW, MPH Sarah is the Project Supervisor at DIFRC. Sarah is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan Tech University as well as a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Health Education with American Indian Populations from Washington University in St. Louis. Sarah has been trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy at the Indian Country Child Trauma Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. S...Diana K. May
DIANA K. MAY Senior Assistant County Attorney, El Paso County Diana K. May has been practicing law since 1994. She previously was a Deputy District Attorney and Chief Deputy District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for fourteen years and a Deputy District Attorney for the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for three years. Ms. May focused her prosecution career on homicide, sexual assault and domestic violence cases. Some of Ms. May’s community service includes volunteering with the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) Project, Teen Court, Safe2Tell and TESSA....Abbie Johnson, Esq.
Abbie Johnson, Esq. Children’s Program Managing Attorney Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network Abbie Johnson has served as an attorney at RMIAN since 2011, working in both the detention and children’s programs. Within the Children’s Program, Abbie specializes in representing child survivors of crime, domestic violence, and human trafficking and their families. Abbie earned her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 2010. Abbie also has a Master's degree in Childhood Education from City University of New York and a dual degree in Spanish Lite...Ashley Turner Harrington, Esq.
Ashley Turner Harrington, Esq. Senior Staff Attorney, Children's Program Ashley Turner Harrington joined RMIAN's Children's Program as a part-time Staff Attorney in February 2014. Within RMIAN's Children's Program, Ashley provides "Know-Your-Rights" presentations at the Immigration Court's monthly Children's Docket and she represents immigrant youth in front of both the immigration court and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Prior to joining RMIAN, Ashley worked as an Associate Attorney for over three years at the private immigration law firm, Lichter Immigration. During law school at...Elisabeth Almond, RN SANE-A SANE-P
Elisabeth Almond, RN SANE-A SANE-P is the Violence Prevention Coordinator at Penrose St. Francis Hospital, building a public health/ community based violence prevention initiative. She has worked as a registered nurse since 2001 in the fields of women's health and most recently as the manager of the Forensic Nurse Examiner team at Memorial Hospital. Elisabeth has cared for patients experiencing violence for over 9 years and is excited to be working on the spectrum of prevention.Avi Haimowitz
Avi Haimowitz has been with Deaf Overcoming Violence through Empowerment (DOVE) for three years, and recently transitioned from the Outreach Coordinator to Program Director role. As Program Director, Avi oversees the agency's various programs, including the Volunteer Victim Advocates program, Survivors Teaching Empowerment Program (STEP), Youth Advocacy & Prevention (YAP) program, and all individual advocacy and outreach efforts. She also provides direct advocacy to Deaf community members who experience abuse, and facilitates trainings to service providers and criminal justice personnel ar...Cayenna Johnson
Cayenna Johnson has worked in the refugee community providing crisis management services, ESL, and program coordination since 2005. She came to work in victim services after providing restorative justice programming for offenders. She has an MA in Conflict Resolution and makes use of conflict resolution strategies to bridge the refugee community to service providers in the Denver Metro Area. Cayenna lived in Morocco and speaks Arabic.Heather Imrie
Heather Imrie received her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2008 and is currently working towards her PhD in Educational Psychology. She has created and presented trainings on sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, hate crimes, systems of oppression, victim blaming and bystander intervention to crisis centers, universities and military installations around the world. She is the creator of various anti-violence programs most notably Got Your Back/The Hook-Up. She is the co-creator of the Force of Awesome Institute, a pr...Dr. Gail Stern Ph.D.
Dr. Gail Stern Ph.D. is an educator and curriculum developer with over 20 years of experience in violence prevention education and advocacy. She is the Co-Owner and Chief Academic Officer of Catharsis Productions, and is the co-author of the non-stranger rape prevention program, SEX SIGNALS, which is presented over a thousand times at universities and military installations each year. Dr. Stern is the co-creator of the 40-hour intensive training initiative, The Force of Awesome Institute.Pat Tessmer
Pat Tessmer is the CCADV Program Director, providing training, technical assistance and advocacy. Before joining CCADV in 2010, Pat spent nearly 20 years as the executive director of a rural community-based domestic violence/sexual assault organization. Pat provides CCADV’s board training and strategic planning for members and is one of those rare people who actually like reading by-laws and discussing strategic planning, organizational structures, and board models.Maggie Conboy
Maggie Conboy is a Chief Deputy District Attorney supervising the Family Violence Unit, a specialized unit which prosecutes sexual assaults on children and felony domestic violence cases, including DV sexual assaults. From 2009 to 2012, Ms. Conboy worked under an EVAW grant to better the prosecution of sexual assaults. This grant encompassed community outreach, training within the District Attorney’s office as well as outside entities, and working in partnership with community agencies and law enforcement.Brie Akins
Brie Akins is the Executive Director at CCASA. She has over 16 years of experience in the sexual assault and domestic violence fields providing direct services as well as program and organizational management. Prior to joining CCASA, Brie was the Director of Financial Management and Support at a community-based non-profit sexual assault advocacy organization. Brie has a Masters degree in Sociology and a Graduate Certificate in Non Profit Management.Kristiana Huitrón
Kristiana Huitrón, has been developing bi-cultural/bilingual programming and curriculum in rural and urban areas for 15 years. She works from a cultural perspective using simple visual markers for community education on the journey of cultural community engagement, and to show the empowering narrative of the people. Having started as a Promotora in rural Nebraska, and spent years working with youth in DV/SA education; in her work with Latina survivors and advocates she weaves together the various strands of culture, practice, art, and advocacy – all those things that remind us how our work mak...Linda Olsen
Linda Olsen is the Housing Program Coordinator with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is responsible for the coordination of the DV Housing First pilot project. Linda has worked in the field of domestic violence for 29 years, serving in the roles of volunteer coordinator, shelter director, and executive director at two domestic violence agencies. She facilitated the opening of two domestic violence emergency shelters and developed a transitional housing program for survivors with drug/alcohol treatment needs. She has graduate degrees in theology (Pacific Luthera...