Team

Cassandra Aho, Director of Health Equity

Cassandra (pronouns: she/her) is driven by her lived experiences as a survivor, midwife, and advocate, to draw attention to the intersectionality of gender-based violence during the perinatal period. she is passionate about investigating stakeholder responses and their impacts on sexual, reproductive, and overall health outcomes. Her work is informed by an inclusive and anti-oppressive lens to identify responder-inflicted harms, barriers, and facilitators to help-seeking and health equity.

She is passionate about initiating innovative strategies that narrow gaps in access to culturally sensitive responses to gender-based violence. Cassandra believes in survivor autonomy and seeks to decrease revictimization, morbidity, and mortality using survivor-centered approaches in tandem with trauma-informed practices that emphasize the complexities of gender-based violence. She is a blissfully happy military spouse and mother of 4 incredible children who inspire her daily. Cassandra has her Masters in Maternal-Child Health Systems from Bastyr University, is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and NACP Credentialled Advocate (CA).

Heidi Anderson, Director of Organizational Advancement

Heidi Anderson (pronouns: she/her) was born, raised, and continues to live in the Upstate of South Carolina, where she passionately supports social justice and anti-racism work in the American South. With a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and almost 30 years of experience as a nonprofit professional, Heidi has dedicated her career to working with underserved populations through fundraising and operations. Heidi excels in grant writing, program development, and strategic planning, driven by her belief in the power of community and evidence-based practices to drive social change. She has a strong background in data management, having implemented systems to track program performance and enhance service delivery. Her commitment to anti-racism and equity is central to her approach, ensuring that all efforts are inclusive and impactful. Outside of her professional life, Heidi is the proud mother of two young adult sons and three cats. She loves riding her electric tricycle all over downtown Greenville and enjoys fixing up her old house.

Husna Azizzada, Office and Program Coordinator

Husna was born in Afghanistan. Upon graduating from school, Husna studied at a medical university to become a doctor for two years. She was working as a social activist, but due to the collapse of the republic government of Afghanistan, she left her homeland and migrated to the United States of America in November of 2021. Since April of 2022, Husna has worked at NRCDV. She loves everything about her job and she is passionate about defending the rights of vulnerable people. She is a servant of the people, proud of the society we are building together, and wants to make her family proud. She likes traveling.

Dr. Oyesola Oluwafunmilayo Ayeni, Director of Research and Evaluation

Funmi is a community-engaged researcher and evaluation expert with several years of demonstrated experience developing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in gender-based violence prevention and response and conducting process and outcome evaluations in diverse contexts. Funmi’s work focuses on mixed-methods evaluations of community interventions for survivors, improving the community response to domestic and other forms of gender-based violence, evaluating victim/survivor service programs, and policy advocacy. She has deep knowledge and use of participatory, empowerment, and equity evaluation/culturally responsive approaches, and is proficient in using data-driven, learning, and innovation-focused evaluation and assessment methods. She is also an experienced facilitator and trainer in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and program management. She is passionate about improving the well-being of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities and focuses on elevating and centering the values and voices of those most impacted by research and program work. She brings her demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion to her work at NRCDV. Funmi has a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from Michigan State University.

Drew Bowling, Senior Program Specialist

Drew (he/him) is a licensed social worker with multiple years’ experience working in the intersection of housing and gender- based violence. Prior to joining NRCDV, Drew worked in housing advocacy supporting communities to fight back against illegal housing practices used by landlords. He previously held a leadership role at a civil rights office investigating discriminatory housing practices of landlords and corporate housing providers. During that time, Drew collaborated with the Department of Justice as well as multiple interstate fair housing coalitions in lawsuits against real estate companies, national property management firms, and local landlords. Drew has several years of experience creating and providing presentations on fair housing rights to service providers and landlords, leading renter workshops for survivors of domestic violence, and has co-facilitated numerous anti-white supremacy workshops for community groups, nonprofit agencies, and social worker professional organizations. Drew has also worked with the Kentucky state coalition against domestic violence and was, for a short stint, the shelter manager at a regional domestic violence shelter. Although currently living in Central Kentucky, Drew grew up among the Appalachian hills of Northeastern Kentucky.

Patty Branco, Director of Training and Technical Assistance

Patty (pronouns: she/her/hers) has been a social justice advocate for over 20 years. Drawing upon her lived experiences as an Afro-Latina immigrant, her work is informed by an anti-oppression and intersectional lens. With NRCDV since 2003, she currently provides expert leadership and oversight to NRCDV’s training and technical assistance efforts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender-based violence and racial equity, ensuring that trainings and technical assistance are delivered effectively and are meeting the needs of the intended audiences. Patty has responded to 5,000+ requests for information and referrals on a full range of topics related to gender-based violence from a broad-based constituency, including advocates, survivors, students, policy makers, media representatives, faith leaders, social services, and health care providers, and more. She also engages in the identification and development of resources to support NRCDV’s capacity-building efforts and has been the lead staff in the development of several NRCDV publications. Her background includes anti-violence work in Brazil at the intersections of anti-Blackness, poverty, and police brutality. She has a Master’s in Community Psychology and Social Change from Pennsylvania State University. Her favorite titles, however, are Tia and Godmother.

Carolyn Carson, Vice President of Finance and Operations

Carolyn is a financial management professional with an extensive background in the nonprofit sector. She is passionate about contributing to mission-centered work and helping organizations build financial resiliency. Carolyn holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and Accounting and will soon complete a Master's degree in Accounting in 2024. Additionally, she holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts, which contributes to her love of museums of all kinds. Carolyn lives in Arizona and takes pride in being the guardian of Goldie, a Sonoran desert tortoise. She appreciates the Sonoran desert and enjoys birding and astronomy.

Lynne E. Dillard, Administrative Specialist

Lynne joined NRCDV in June, 2020 as a part-time administrative specialist. She has over 30 years working in the non-profit arena in the areas of fundraising, special events coordination, and administering various non-profit programs. At NRCDV, Lynne provides administrative support to the Transformation Team and the Board of Directors. She also provides assistance to the Operations Team with Grants coordination and Fund Development. Lynne graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in Business Administration.

Brittany Eltringham Director of Safe Housing Initiatives

Brittany Eltringham (she/her) joined the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) after several years of working at the local level. She draws upon her experience as a feminist, Native Hawaiian woman and maintains a deep commitment to aloha ‘āina, transformation, and liberation. Brittany brings her experience with community engagement, facilitation, racial and reproductive justice, and shelter advocacy to her work at the intersection of gendered violence, housing, and homelessness with NRCDV’s Policy and Research Team and the Domestic Violence and Housing Technical Assistance Consortium (DVHTAC). She has a BA in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Hawai’i and is currently based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Breckan Erdman Winters, Communications Manager

Breckan (pronouns: she/her) is proud to be an advocate, a cat lady, and a mother to one amazing kid. Breckan has served in various roles at NRCDV since 2017. In her current role as Communications Manager, she is responsible for the development and implementation of NRCDV’s communications and public awareness initiatives. Guided by her belief that connection and community building are vital to our collective liberation, Breckan is excited to grow relationships and expand the reach of NRCDV’s critical programmatic and policy work. Her background includes court and shelter-based domestic violence advocacy and community organizing, and she recently trained as a full-spectrum doula. Breckan has a BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and French from Washington University in St. Louis.

Yeliani Flores, Research & Evaluation Manager

Yeliani Flores, BS, MSW, RA, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA before moving to the Midwest. Yeliani Flores is a dedicated researcher, educator, and advocate specializing in gender-based violence, with a particular focus on the experiences of immigrant and Latina survivors. Her hands-on experience navigating systems with survivors of IPV has strengthened her commitment to community-engaged research.

Yeliani brings extensive experience managing research projects that have informed policy and practice, including studies on intimate partner violence, service access disparities, and the intersections of trauma and public health crises like the opioid epidemic and COVID-19. Her work has been presented at national conferences, reflecting her commitment to disseminating findings that inspire action. As a registered victim advocate and an experienced educator, Yeliani combines a deep understanding of survivor-centered approaches with a talent for translating complex data into actionable insights. 

Youstina George, Fiscal Director

Youstina (Tina) George (she/her), Fiscal Director, is originally from Egypt, and is a wife and mother of two wonderful children who are junior advocates. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a MBA. She is passionate about the nonprofit accounting field, and has not only managed financial operations but also mentored and taught numerous young accountants, empowering them to take on leadership roles within the sector. Tina lives in Florida with her husband, kids, and their rescued Beagle.

Pamela Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer

Pamela Jacobs, JD, joined NRCDV as our new Chief Executive Officer in March 2024. Pamela is a passionate and experienced leader who has served in the field of sexual and domestic violence prevention and advocacy for over 20 years, most recently as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence. She is an attorney, advocate, author, and trainer who has provided extensive training to multidisciplinary professionals nationwide on how to improve our response to, and ultimately prevent domestic and sexual violence. Her career has included training military leadership on transforming their response to survivors; providing legal services to survivors in immigration and family law proceedings; and advocating for survivors in court, the media, and the legislature. Pamela has published several articles as well as a book, The Empowered Advocate, on these topics. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating inclusive and equitable spaces for survivors and advocates. As a survivor of abuse and homelessness herself, Pamela is committed to ensuring all survivors – especially those who are the most marginalized – have access to the resources and support they need and deserve. Pamela holds a Juris Doctorate from Washburn University School of Law in Kansas and a bachelor’s from Lincoln University in Missouri. Her daughter grew up in this movement and recently graduated from Eastern Carolina University. Pamela lives outside Philadelphia with her partner and their rescued pets.

Fatima Jayoma, Training and Technical Assistance Specialist

Fatima (she/her) is the Training and Technical Assistance Specialist at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV). She brings over ten years of experience in the anti-violence movement. She started as a mobile multilingual advocate at Monsoon, where she supported Asian and Pacific Islander victims/survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence in Iowa. She then served as the Community Prevention Education Coordinator at the University of Iowa (RVAP) and developed community prevention programming in eight counties in Iowa. More recently, she was the Rural Project Coordinator at the Sexual Violence Justice Institute at the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, where she provided training and technical assistance to rural communities nationwide on SARTs, systems change, and community collaboration approaches. Fatima holds an MSW and a BA in Social Work and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and thrifting.

Casey Keene, Director of Programs & Prevention

Casey Keene (she/her) believes that social change is both possible and necessary. A survivor of childhood trauma and mother to two inspiring children, her passion is nurturing resilient and equitable communities where all children can thrive. With more than 20 years of experience in gender-based violence advocacy, Casey knows that our work must be grounded in and guided by the needs, priorities, and leadership of those with lived experience at the intersections of violence and oppression. As the Director of Programs & Prevention at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV), Casey works to advance the special projects and resource development initiatives of the Programs & Prevention Team. These include PreventIPV, VAWnet, the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, and the Adult Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (ACE-DV) Leadership Forum. Casey is a lifelong learner and Licensed Social Worker who earned her Master’s in Social Work from Temple University.

Sharita Lewis, Events Manager

Sharita's start date was in August 2023, and she came to NRCDV through the Professional for Nonprofits staffing agency.  In addition to the admin support for operations, her duties include being the point of contact for the GBVRN meetings and all other external meetings and events. Sharita was responsible for contracts until the Contract Specialist was hired and provided support for our fund development efforts. Sharita brings a wealth of knowledge to NRCDV in event planning and admin support as she has served as an administrative liaison and operations communication professional in the nation’s capital for nearly two decades.
 
Prior to joining NRCDV, Sharita strengthened administration and communications efforts at area non-profits including the American Lung Association, The Fuller Project, the National Teachers Association, the Families Forward Project and Tech Congress: The National Coalition for the homeless client relations and case management. Key elements of her position included a focus on advocating and supporting efforts to end homelessness while teaching self-sufficiency.  
 
Sharita studied Business Administration at Ashworth University, and hold certificates such as case management, database administration, event planning, captain of special police, certified firearms instructor, and a member of the American Society of Administrative Professions. Sharita has a deep passion for social justice and loves all things comedy.

Shenna Morris, Vice President of Policy and Systems Change

Shenna (Black/African American; pronouns: she/her/hers) joined NRCDV as the Director of Policy in 2021. In this role she provides policy vision and expertise across NRCDV areas of focus and social justice issues impacting survivors of domestic violence. Shenna has been a social justice advocate for over 15 years with most of her work being in the gender-based violence movement. She has used both her lived experience as a child witness survivor of domestic violence and professional experience, to lead efforts that engage and mobilize communities, stakeholders, and lawmakers in addressing the intersecting issues of domestic violence, homelessness, racism, and oppression. During her time as the Director of Policy and Community Engagement at the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADAV), Shenna led capacity building technical assistance efforts to culturally specific community based organizations, efforts to strengthen collaborations between community-based and mainstream dv programs, worked with system partners to strengthen service provision and housing advocacy for survivors and people experiencing homelessness in HUD housing programs, provided training and support to systems on addressing systemic racism and building equitable response systems, and advocated for responsive public policies that met dv survivors needs. Shenna continued many of these efforts during her time with Collaborative Solutions Inc. where she provided technical assistance to communities’ implementing HUD and homeless system programs.

Lavon Morris-Grant, Director of Community Engagement

Lavon joined NRCDV as the Director of Community Engagement in 2021. Working in close collaboration with the Vice-President of Strategic Partnerships and Systems Change, Vice President of Programs, Prevention and Social Change, the Director of Policy and the Director of Housing and Economic Justice, she is a bridge to people with lived experience in communities most impacted by housing insecurity to guide and inform the work of NRCDV’s housing capacity center and across all initiatives. Lavon has been a social justice advocate for over 25 years, where she founded and was the Executive Director of MACOSH Healing Network in 2013 – 2021. It is the first culturally specific, holistic African American non-profit, domestic violence organization providing resources through the Arts in the State of Georgia. She is a gifted international and keynote speaker and dedicated political activist on vital social and psychological issues including; homelessness, domestic violence, sexual assault, mental illness, trauma recovery, suicide prevention and gun control.

Ivonne Ortiz, (She, her, ella) Vice President of Programs, Prevention and Social Change

Ivonne is a human rights activist with more than 25 years of experience working to end gender-based violence. She is nationally recognized as an advocate, community organizer, and racial justice advocate. In 2005 Ivonne received the Arte Sana’s National Comadre en la Lucha Award for her advocacy efforts on behalf of the Latinx communities. As a member of the NRCDV family since 2013, Ivonne has been responsible for coordinating specialized technical assistance, training, and resource development on a wide range of subjects and issues that intersect with domestic violence like dynamics, prevalence, intervention, prevention, and public awareness. She is an orgullosa Puertorrican thrifter mother of three who continues to advocate for social change in her homeland of Puerto Rico and the US. Ivonne has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico.