Join JWI’s National Alliance to End Domestic Abuse for a virtual community Town Hall exploring best practices for domestic violence prevention and response during COVID-19. Learn from professionals nationally who are implementing innovative solutions and adapting services. The Town Hall aims to increase understanding of the challenges coronavirus poses for survivors and highlight ways organizations are shifting to meet current needs.
There is no cost to attend this event, but registration is required.
Guiding Questions
How can we best support survivors during COVID-19? What are best practices? How can we use technology effectively and safely?
What are ways domestic violence prevention and response programming and services are adapting?
Has your organization created new protocols or services as a result of COVID-19? How will that inform your work moving forward?
How can domestic violence organizations continue to adapt and be responsive to new challenges that arise? What have we learned from COVID-19?
Objectives
Explore how COVID-19 has impacted domestic violence prevention and response
Identify new practices, approaches, protocols, and services to address current survivor needs and circumstances
Discuss what changes should be adopted long term
Speakers
Anthony Keedi: Masculinities Technical Advisor, Abaad: Resource Center for Gender Equality, Beirut, Lebanon
Elizabeth Abdur-Raheem: Executive Director, CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, Columbus, Ohio
Em Jackson: Director of Peer Engagement & Support, FreeFrom, Los Angeles, California
Jeannine Lisitski: Executive Director and President, Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kristen Herman: Director of Prevention, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Madeline Hahn: Dating Abuse Prevention Program Manager, JBWS, Morristown, New Jersey
Pat Acosta: Support Services Director, La Casa, Inc., Las Cruces, New Mexico
Randi Bregman: Executive Director, Vera House, Inc., Syracuse, New York
Shari Bloomberg: Clinical Director, Jewish Family Services MetroWest and The Rachel Coalition, Livingston, New Jersey
Tonya Harris: Executive Director, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Warwick, Rhode Island
Pat Acosta
Pat Acosta serves as the Support Services Director for La Casa, INC. Domestic Violence Comprehensive Program in Las Cruces; she was the former Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) Coordinator and Facilitator. She is responsible for the day to day functions of the following departments, Offenders (BIP Program) Legal/Immigration Services, Children Services, South Valley Outreach Satellite Site, Community Education and Awareness. In the early 80’s she also worked as the Program Director for the El Paso Shelter for Battered Women better known as CASFV. Before accepting a supervisory position with La Casa, Pat served as the National Lead Trainer for ENCUENTRO LATINO National Institute on Family Violence (collaborative between NMSU School of Social Work and La Casa, Inc.). Pat has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from NMSU and other certifications in the areas of Public Housing, Parenting and teaching Curriculums of Intimate Partner Violence. As a survivor of domestic violence, she managed to raise her four daughters as a single mother and credits her ability to becoming self-sufficient after making the decision to pursue secondary higher education. Prior to coming to La Casa, Inc., Pat worked with Jewish Family Services in Los Angeles (JFS) and for 10 years she oversaw their Emergency and their Transitional Housing Domestic Violence Programs. She also served as the Bilingual Batterer’s Intervention Instructor for offenders at the Valley Family Center in San Fernando California. She has also worked in the El Paso State Center MHMR, El Paso Community College, YWCA, Housing Authority in El Paso, The City of El Paso Community Development SAFE 2000 & Los Angeles Adult Protective Services. In 1997 she was the recipient of the Presidential Silver Medal Award presented to her by President Bill Clinton. She has been appointed to serve on local, state, national and international advisory boards almost always having to do with human rights, domestic violence and teen issues.
Anthony Keedi
He has been working in Lebanon for his past 13 years piloting and promoting the concept of Engaging Men in Ending Violence Against Women and Masculinities. He is a psychologist who is also certified in conflict resolution and non-violent activism. In his work thus far, he has: Created local forums of men standing to end Gender Based Violence in Lebanon; Oversaw the 1st ever White Ribbon Campaign in MENA; wrote Gender Equality workbooks and manuals on with children, adolescents, and adult men and women; worked with Refugee men on Masculinities; established the 1st psychological rehabilitation clinic for men with abusive behaviors in MENA; He participated in expert panels for the CEDAW commission as well as on the 1st Human Rights Council Resolution for Engaging Men and Boys to end GBV.
Elizabeth Abdur-Raheem
Elizabeth Abdur-Raheem came to CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence in Columbus, Ohio as the Executive Director in January of 2020. Since 2000 she directed a number of social service programs in New York City serving individuals and families in need. Most recently Elizabeth directed a series of family homeless shelters for CAMBA. Domestic violence is the single most common reason families enter the homeless services system in New York City. Elizabeth earned her Master's in Nonprofit Management from the Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment at The New School and her MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Em Jackson
Em Jackson (They/Them), received their Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences and Master’s degree in Gerontology from Eastern Illinois University. Upon graduation, they were given the opportunity to work from the ground up within Chicago’s first LGBTQIA+ Affordable Senior Housing Complex, Town Hall Apartments. After relocating to California, their focus has continued to revolve around purpose driven work. Em’s journey has taken them from working with folks in the LGBTQIA+ community to working with youth, adults and families in personal and professional development, education, mental health, affordable housing and overall well-being. They have provided trainings around various subjects as well as financial capacity building throughout their career. Em continues to use their voice to advocate on behalf of the most underserved communities and has a deep connection to the Domestic Violence Movement. Em joined FreeFrom in February 2019.
Jeannine Lisitski
Jeannine L. Lisitski, Ph.D., has been the Executive Director and President of Women Against Abuse, Inc. since 2009. Women Against Abuse is the leading domestic violence advocate and service provider in Philadelphia and the largest in Pennsylvania. Women Against Abuse has a two-pronged mission of providing life-saving services to people experiencing domestic violence while leading the struggle to end domestic violence. Ms. Lisitski has worked for more than 26 years in the nonprofit sector, focusing on issues of poverty, violence, behavioral health and homelessness. Ms. Lisitski has a Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College in Social Work and Social Research, as well as a Master’s Degree in Psychology. In addition, Ms. Lisitski has a certificate in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School as well as one in Non-Profit Executive Leadership from Bryn Mawr College, where she co-facilitated their Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute for two years. Prior to Women Against Abuse, Ms. Lisitski worked as the Vice President of Operations for Project H.O.M.E., where she was responsible for an annual operating budget of $11 million and oversaw the agency’s multiple supportive housing and homeless service programs, including 418 supportive housing units as well as the human resources function. Currently, Ms. Lisitski supervises all executive level staff at Women Against Abuse, as well as the Evaluation and Learning and Policy directors, and provides leadership and strategic direction for agency functions and initiatives. Under Ms. Lisitski’s leadership, the agency has grown exponentially, doubling its emergency safe haven facilities, expanding its transitional housing capacity by 25%, creating 60 opportunities for permanent affordable housing with supports, quadrupling the number of clients receiving attorney representation, and reaching thousands of high-risk victims that were previously unaware of available supports and resources. In addition, Ms. Lisitski led the creation of a citywide initiative to coordinate the community response to domestic violence. This effort, Shared Safety: Philadelphia’s Response to Relational Violence, involves all health and human service agencies in the city and involves the collaboration of more than 60 individuals and groups. In 2017, Ms. Lisitski was awarded the Social Innovations Journals’ Human Rights Innovator Award for pioneering Shared Safety. In 2015, Ms. Lisitski was recognized as one of the finalists in SmartCEO Magazine’s Circle of Excellence in the Non Profit Category. In 2013, Women Against Abuse was the recipient of the H. Craig Lewis Good Governance Award by The Philadelphia Foundation. In 2011, Ms. Lisitski was awarded the 2011 Brava! Women Business Achievement Award in recognition of her leadership skills.
Kristen Herman
Kristen Herman (she/her/hers) is the Director of Prevention with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) where she and her Prevention Team are responsible for all things intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention, including training nearly 60 local programs and championing state-level prevention efforts. Kristen is also responsible for leading a statewide leadership team of Pennsylvania stakeholders to draft and implement a 5-year plan toward the prevention of IPV. Prior to her work with the Coalition, Kristen was the Project Coordinator of a local IPV prevention program in Delaware, where she focused on the prevention of teen dating violence, working with both middle and high school-aged youth. With more than eight years in the field Kristen considers herself a “born and bred” preventionist, and believes true prevention is about developing equitable, safe and healthy communities. Kristen holds her Master’s in Public Health from George Washington University and a BS in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Delaware.
Madeline Hahn
Madeline Hahn, MSW is the manager of the Dating Abuse Prevention Program for JBWS whose mission is safety, support and solutions for domestic abuse. She specializes in teen dating violence prevention and education Her middle school, high school, college and community prevention programs reach more than 8,000 students each year in throughout Morris County, NJ. Maddie has pivoted from live presentations to distant learning instruction and is getting high marks from students and teachers alike.
Randi Bregman
Since 1990, Randi Bregman has worked with Vera House, Inc., a not-for-profit human service agency which prevents, responds to and partners to end domestic and sexual violence and other forms of abuse. During her first eleven years at Vera House, she was the Coordinator of the Syracuse Area Domestic Violence Coalition. In August of 2001, Randi began serving as Executive Director of Vera House, Inc. In 2005, she helped to effect a successful merger with the Rape Crisis Center of Syracuse, Inc. In her current role as Executive Director, Randi is responsible for administration and financial management, supervision of staff, fundraising and fund development, community education and professional training and program development. Randi serves on the Steering, Anti-Racism and Advocacy Committees of the Human Services Leadership Council of Central New York, the NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence Legislative Committee and the Syracuse University Task Force Against Sexual and Relationship Violence. In addition, Randi continues to answer Vera House’s 24-hour domestic violence/sexual assault hotline, the “gateway to the agency”. In 1993, Randi developed a three-credit masters level course in family violence which she taught at Syracuse University’s School of Social Work for fifteen years. Randi received her masters degree in social work from Syracuse University in 1990. Randi has received numerous awards in recognition of her work in the community including the Social Justice Award and Distinguished Alumna Award from the Syracuse University School of Social Work, BIZEVENTZ Non-Profit Executive of the Year, the District Attorney’s Award through the District Attorney’s Advisory Council and the Post Standard Achievement Award.
Shari Bloomberg
Shari Bloomberg, LCSW, is the Clinical Director of Domestic Violence Services/Rachel Coalition at Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, serving Essex and Morris Counties. In addition to clinical work and program development, she teaches many of the sessions for the 40-hour domestic violence volunteer advocate training in Essex County. She has served as the co-chair of the Essex County Domestic Violence Working Group on Children Exposed to Violence, on the Executive Directors’ panel for the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence and on the Consortium for Project SARAH, addressing domestic violence in the Orthodox Jewish community. An expert on the topic, she has been working in the field of domestic violence for more than 25 years, receiving numerous awards for her work focusing on the needs of adult victims and children exposed to violence
Tonya Harris
Tonya Harris is the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV). A lifelong resident of Rhode Island, Tonya has decades of experience working to empower others, build relationships, and bring people together. She believes that diversity is our strength and that being kind and patient with one another is essential to creating a culture of respect. Prior to joining the RICADV, Tonya served as the executive director of the Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI. She also held leadership roles at the Providence Black Repertory Company, the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of Rhode Island, and the YMCA of Greater Providence. Earlier in her career, Tonya served as an officer of the Providence Police Department for twenty years, and she holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Roger Williams University. An experienced mediator and conflict resolution trainer, she has used her skills to train police officers and public officials in South Africa and throughout RI. Tonya has an entrepreneurial spirit and embraces change, innovation, and continuous movement. She is devoted to family, is the proud mother of four children, and loves her granddaughter with all her heart. In her free time, Tonya enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her loved ones building lasting memories.