Staff & Board
The Coalition focuses the combined expertise, passion, and energy of our members and allies to support survivors and prevent gender-based violence. The Coalition staff and board are charged with providing the leadership and structure to collectively move our mission forward and make our vision of safe and just communities a reality.
Staff
Our committed staff bring wide-ranging expertise to support our member organizations and the work they do.
Lea Aromin
Pronouns: She/Her
Co-Executive Director, Programs
Meet Lea
Lea has worked in the gender based violence movement for over 15 years in various roles as a volunteer, advocate, manager, and director. She received her MSW from the University of Washington in 2010 with a concentration in Community Practice. She first came to the Coalition bringing her expertise and enthusiasm for housing justice and safe, affordable housing for all survivors. As a 1.5 generation Filipina immigrant with a sassy 5-year old daughter, Lea is actively working towards building a world that her mixed daughter can safely thrive in. Outside of work, she will give you a recommendation on anything in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, and will happily sit in a quiet corner to read obscure gothic horror fiction.
Kate Bovitch
Pronouns: They/Them
Finance & Operations Director
Meet Kate
Kate is often the first person you’ll speak to at our office. As a seasoned operations and finance professional, they tackle problems from tech support to finance statements to snack shortages. Kate believes strongly in coalition work. They are a third culture kid, have a MA from NYU, and once flagged down a limo instead of a cab. When they aren’t wearing all the hats at the Coalition you can find them crafting, snuggling their cat, or DJing for Rain Country Dance Association.
Nykki Canete
Pronouns: She/They
Gender Based Violence/Behavioral Health Training and Collaboration Manager
Meet Nykki
Nykki specializes in creating equitable survivor-centered, trauma-informed systems and services; and brings with her over a decade of experience in direct service, behavioral health, cross-systems collaboration, consultation, coaching, and nonprofit leadership. She is deeply committed to ensuring safe and sustainable environments for folks with lived experiences of GBV and the people working to support them. Nykki is a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional, and holds an MSW degree with a concentration in Administration and Policy Practice and an additional graduate certificate in Transformative Nonprofit Management. Before moving to Seattle, Nykki was employed as an anti-violence educator at UC Berkeley and founded a survivor-led/ran organization that works to support survivors and dismantle the normalized culture of violence. UC Berkeley is also where she earned her double B.A. in Psychology and Social Welfare, specializing in sociological solutions to the neuropsychological impact of survival and trauma. Outside of work, you will likely find Nykki practicing self-care in the form of karaoke and dance battles with her daughter.
Paris Chapman
Pronouns: They/Them
Transformative Justice & Prevention Manager
Meet Paris
Paris aims to create environments for communities to have generative conflict and discourse so that we can interrupt racism and gender violence systemically and interpersonally. They bring over a decade of experience intersecting their skills in discourse facilitation, workforce development, homelessness and violence prevention with a transformative, inclusive, and equitable lens.
Paris‘ experiences working within and consulting across social service industries has been a cornerstone of their passion for transforming how we do justice work… “If we aim to end racism and gender violence, we have to seek transformation from within the movement and adjacent organizations as well… we are not exempt just because we want to help.” As a Black, Multi-ethnic, Non-binary, Survivor, Artist, Social Service Provider their goal is to help us co-create liberation and wellbeing at all intersections. On a personal note, they play and coach volleyball, practice hula, and can’t resist pastries, stories, people… don’t be shy, say “hi.”
Jenn Dela Cruz
Pronouns: She/They
Domestic Violence Housing Systems Manager
Meet Jenn
Jenn leads with an open heart when sharing space with folks and welcomes the vastness of the human experience and all that comes with it. She has a background in domestic violence advocacy, housing case management, and triaging acute mental health and substance use crises in outpatient settings. Jenn’s work is guided by a racial and social justice lens and challenging societal norms from a place of curiosity. She completed her Master of Social Work at the University of Washington with a concentration in Integrative Health-Mental Health Specialized Practice in June 2023 and is also an associate licensed clinical social worker/therapist. Outside of professional stuff Jenn loves going on walks with her Corgi-Jindo dog Poppy, trying out new restaurants and bars, and watching travel and food docu-series & K-dramas.
Tracee Parker
Pronouns: She/Her
Justice for Families Grant & Project Manager
Meet Tracee
Tracee strives to increase awareness and understanding of the experience of surviving intimate partner violence and post-separation abuse. Her work at CEGV is focused on developing tools and training to improve outcomes for survivors and their children who are engaged in family law matters. Tracee’s background includes survivor advocacy, supervised visitation for domestic violence cases, domestic violence perpetrator treatment, training and consultation, mediation, and nonviolent conflict resolution training. Her doctoral research focus was post-separation battering via access to children and working with men who are abusive. She contributes a strong understanding of the nuances and impacts of domestic violence and the challenges survivors face when trying to achieve safety and stability.
Amarinthia Torres
Pronouns: She/Her
Co-Executive Director, Policy
Meet Amarinthia
Amarinthia’s professional experience over the last 20 years has been rooted in upholding the self-determination of survivors of gender-based violence and supporting survivors from QTBIPOC, bi+, and queer communities. Her early work in the anti-sexual violence movement in the rural South informs much of her lens on patriarchy, oppression, bodily autonomy, and building community. Her work over the years includes survivor advocacy, support group facilitation, program management, grant writing, policy, and training to the anti-violence field. After living most of her life in small towns in the South, Amarinthia moved to Seattle in 2010. She remains in awe of the PNW mountains and enjoys feminist comic books, bubble tea, camping, and the Planet Earth series. Amarinthia is deeply honored to work with the team at the Coalition and is excited to get to collaborate with the diverse and dedicated community of folks working in the gender-based violence field.
Abby Graber
Pronouns: She/Her
MSW Intern 2023-2024
Meet Abby
Abby approaches her work from a community-oriented, anti-oppressive framework, and is passionate about housing and gender justice. Abby has experience working with individuals and families in the criminal justice, child welfare, and housing systems. This experience has included work rooted in principles of restorative justice and the Housing First model. Abby received her BSW from Goshen College in Goshen, IN in 2019. She is currently an Advanced Standing MSW student at the University of Washington specializing in Community-Centered Integrative Practice. Abby is working with Jenn Dela Cruz in the Housing and Homelessness program, and is excited to bring her direct service experience to coalition work. Outside of work and school, you can often find Abby working on creative projects or caring for and propagating her many houseplants.
Sabrina Springer
Pronouns: She/Her
MSW Intern 2023-2024
Meet Sabrina
Sabrina graduated in June 2023 with her BASW degree from the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. Now she is continuing her studies as an Advanced-Standing graduate student in UW’s MSW program specializing in Community-Centered Integrative Practice (CCIP). Previous social work field experience
includes tutoring immigrant elementary school students from the Horn of Africa organization (2021-22); publishing qualitative research about teenagers in recovery; and creating an asset map that provides resources to support youth and adults with
substance use disorder (SUD) for the Pierce County Recovery Coalition through the Washington Recovery Alliance (2022-23). As a survivor of IPV, Sabrina is heartfelt in her commitment to support those with similar experiences.
Board
Our board represents our community and coalition, with at least 50% of members affiliated with organizational membership.
Board Officers
- Jamie Whalen, Co-Chair
Community Impact Operations Manager, evo - Cristina Johnson, Co-Chair
- Operations Director, Threshold Philanthropy
- Kate Francis, Treasurer
- Staff Attorney, King County Bar Association’s DV Legal Advocacy Project
Board Members
- Madesyn Cramer- Martinez, Director
- CSO/Community Advocate, DAWN
- Sam Harkness, Director
- Confidential Survivor Advocate, University of WA Bothell
- Whitney Thoren, Director
- Executive Development, Zillow
- Jennifer Nguyen, Director
- Programs Impact Coordinator, API Chaya
Board Members
- Ally Jurkovich, Director
- Language Access Program Manager, King County DSHS
- Kyunghee Lee, Director
- Mental Health Counselor, Lake WA Institute of Technology
- Sara Coates, Director
- Legal Advocate, DAWN
Want to support our movement by becoming a board member?