Question 1: How does it feel to havespent 25-years at Crisis Center North?

Answer: One thing can be said for sure: It goes faster than you think! Working at CCN has been a true opportunity to have a position where you can make a difference by transforming peoples’ lives. During my tenure, I have enjoyed a supportive board and organizational culture supportive of creativity. The opportunity to be creative is what has kept me at CCN for so long. It’s rare to have a position where you can treat the work as if you were in a science lab, always experimenting to make better outcomes for survivors!

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Question 2: What is your favorite memory from CCN?

Answer: I don’t have a specific favorite memory, many are interwoven. What I can say is that the favorites aren’t about any milestone or awards or what people would define as the “big” moments. The best memories surround the smaller moments and daily triumphs of our team. From the little girl who donated all her birthday money to the Center to help others to watching people reclaim their freedom, I have a long list of “favorites”.

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Question 3: What do you think makes CCN special and how have you helped to make it so?

Answer: I think what makes CCN special is our focus on quality work. I never wanted us to be the biggest or brightest star in the firmament. I just wanted to know every day we made a difference in the lives of those we touched, and that we did so to the best of our abilities. Concerning how I helped to shape the Center, our founders told me that I took the organization to heights and places they never thought it would go when they formed the organization with a budget of $13 around their kitchen tables. I think my greatest contribution is in believing in the organization’s potential and possibility. I’m certain I will continue to believe in its possibility long after I leave. CCN is an often-overlooked jewel. Our clients share this repeatedly on evaluations. Our focus is where it should be, on the clients. Not many people get to see what their work looks like over a span of 25-years.  Most professionals change jobs frequently and while there is nothing wrong with that, I wanted to set down roots and watch our organization grow over time. Watching an organization grow from a budget in the thousands to a budget in the millions has been deeply satisfying.

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Question 4: What did you accomplish at CCN that you never expected?

Answer: Many things! Every day is unexpected at CCN. For example, I never thought I would serve as a domestic violence expert for the Depp v Heard trial. I also never thought I would meet two different U.S. presidents and advocate to them directly for nationaldomestic violence funding. I never thought I would find shelter dogs and trainthem as working dogs, giving their lives new meaning. I also never thought Iwould have the opportunity to research at CCN. I didn’t want to “think” we madea difference, I wanted to “know” we made a difference. Working with Penn StateFaculty to create a collection of research documenting our program efficacy wasvery exciting. It was in this space that I could pose questions and work tofind real answers. I learned much through that process. I really enjoyed my researchpartnership with Pennsylvania State University. There just isn’t enoughresearch being done in victim services and the field could do a better job ofengaging research partners in the work. Overall, I guess you can say it hasbeen 25 years of unexpectedness!

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Question 5: What has been yourbiggest accomplishment?

Answer: To get an honestanswer, you would need to ask survivors to see what they felt the impact of my workwas on their lives. As a self-assessment, I would say I have challenged theboundaries of domestic violence services. I believe I opened new avenues forthe field to pursue such as research initiates and utilization of canines as atrauma informed tool.

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Question 6: What has changed at CCN since you started, and what has stayed the same?

Answer: I have had the rareopportunity to see both the grassroots beginnings of the Center and its future.I came to the Center at an interesting time, as it was transitioning from grassrootsto a professional organization. Both sides have their positives and negatives.I miss the grassroots though. There I met the women who did the work withoutpay and at considerable personal sacrifice to their families. Those womencarried a passion for helping survivors that was unmatched. Professionalizationhas allowed survivors a much greater menu of services, but sometimes the workis viewed more as a profession than a calling. This is seen within every facetof the domestic violence field. Though much has changed at the Center, what hasnot changed is the Center’s commitment to survivors and breaking the cycle ofviolence. That has remained a constant.

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Question 7: What would you tellnew advocates who want to make a career in the DV movement?

Answer: Take your interest and dosomething real with it. For plants to grow, you have to put your hands in thesoil. You need to do more than talk. We need more people to put their hands tomaking their community a better, safer place. It's harder than you think itwill be, but if you stick with it, the rewards are greater than can beimagined. It’s just a matter of what you want to do with your life and thelegacy you want to leave.