Executive Director
Stephanie L. Walsh, MSW, LSW

Stephanie has a total of 30 plus years in social services and non-profit management. Her career has been dedicated to working with those who have been impacted by abuse and violence. She has served as the clinical and operational director for a variety of programs including: emergency shelter and community-based residential care for adolescents, in-home family therapy and family based mental health services. She has been with The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime (CVVC) since 1997, first as Associate Director, and since December 2001, as the Executive Director. She is also the immediate past president of the Coalition of Pennsylvania Crime Victim Organizations (COPCVO) and has served on numerous local and statewide coalitions, committees and projects.



Associate Director
Tracey L. Provident

Tracey Provident has dedicated 16 years to the victim assistance field. As the Associate Director of The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime, Tracey is responsible for the overall direction of the administration and daily operations of the agency, including program planning and implementation, development for specific program funding, and quality assurance.

Her broad range of experience also includes management and coordination of direct services in a variety of roles. Tracey has provided legal and medical advocacy and crisis intervention and support services to victims and witnesses of all types of violence and crime. She also conducts education and training programs on the impacts of victimization and Victims’ Rights. Tracey obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice at Duquesne University and is also trained in crisis response by the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). She is a member of Leadership Pittsburgh, Class XXIII.



Director of Client Services
Mary Jo Harwood, MSW, LSW

Mary Jo Harwood has served as the Director of Client Services since 2002. She is responsible for overseeing the day to day delivery of services to clients of the Center for Victims for Violence and Crime. Responsibilities include, providing leadership and overall direction of direct service departments and staff, clinical director, and crisis response coordinator. More recently, Mary Jo assumed leadership responsibility for providing trainings and developing curriculum which addresses the impact of trauma on individuals, communities and organizations. She also oversees Mediation Services, and Restorative Justice practices such as Victim Offender Conferencing. Her broad range of experience includes 21 years as a social worker providing therapy services to individuals, youth, adults and families, impacted by trauma and crisis. Other practical experience also includes positions as a special education teacher, school social worker and adjunct professor. Mary Jo obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Special Education, and continued on to complete a master's degree in Social Work. Mary Jo has served on numerous committees across the Commonwealth including the Homeland Security Crime Victims Response Committee and the Crisis Response Organizational Subcommittee for the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team. Mary Jo is a certified trainer and crisis responder for the National Organization of Victim Assistance. She is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team.



Director Community Education and Outreach
LaVerne Baker Hotep

As Director of Community Education and Outreach, LaVerne Baker Hotep oversees school and community-based violence prevention programs. LaVerne and her staff have developed community training and education programs unique to the violence prevention landscape, which include producing and hosting “Peace It Together Pittsburgh"TM, a radio talk show focusing on issues of peace building.

Over the past 16 years, LaVerne has channeled her expertise and creativity toward promoting women’s health and wellness. First, she served as Minority Outreach Specialist for the American Cancer Society, and then on the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation‘s National African American Advisory Council. In 1998, she founded SisterTeach Council, an organization that designs and publishes culturally relevant health education materials and programs for women of color. In addition, she is creator, producer and host of “WellWoman Radio Retreat"TM, a program which focuses on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health of women.

Ms Baker Hotep sits on the board of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, the South Pittsburgh Peace Coalition, and the steering committee of the Girls Coalition of Southwestern PA. Recognized by the New Pittsburgh Courier as one of Pittsburgh’s 50 African American Women of Influence, Ms Baker Hotep has received numerous awards including the coveted Women in Communications Matrix Award and the YWCA 2004 Racial Justice Award for her work as a community outreach specialist and educator.



Director of Human Resources
Nancy Simpronio, PHR

Nancy Simpronio is the Director of Human Resources for the Human Resources Collaborative (HR-C) an innovative arrangement of three non-profit organizations to collectively share a human resources professional. Ms. Simpronio is shared by Bethlehem Haven, Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery (POWER) and The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime. In 2006 the HR-C won the Pittsburgh Human Resources Association’s, People Do Matter Award in the Work Structure and Processes category.

Nancy has a bachelor's and a master's degree in Social Work and has spent the last twenty-two years working at various social service agencies. After earning a master's degree in Human Resource Management, Nancy now draws on her many years of social service experience as she provides human resources services for both profit and non-profit organizations. She has also earned the Professional Human Resources certification.


The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime Staff

LaVerne Baker Hotep, Director of Community Education and Outreach
Devin Baldwin,, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Susan Brassart, CVA, Counselor Advocate
Mary Beth Collins, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Cristine Corbett, Victim Offender Mediation Program Coordinator
Ellen DeBenedetti, Training Coordinator
Danielle Diamond, Administrative Assistant, Fiscal Department
Valerie Dixon, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Darnell Drewery, Community Education and Outreach Supervisor
Patrice El-Wagaa, MSPL, CVA, Advocacy Manager
Melissa Ferraro, CVA Advocacy Supervisor, Juvenile System
Carolyn Frank, Victim Witness Counselor Advocate
Elizabeth "Betsy" Gamrat, CVA, Counselor Advocate
Margaret "Peggy" Gierczynski, MBA, Victim Witness Counselor Advocate
Stephanie Gyke,, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Maureen Hanley, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Martha Harty,, Intake Coordinator
Mary Jo Harwood, MSW, LSW, Director of Client Services
Jennifer Hileman, Victim Witness Counselor Advocate
Timothy Horgan, Counselor Advocate
Paula Ilochi, Program Coordinator
Toya Jones, CVA, Counselor Advocate
Dawn Lehman, Trainer/Community Education Advocate
Bill Lindsay, B.S.L.S., Counselor Advocate
Ashlee Lynn, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Michael Manns, Victim Witness Counselor Advocate
Geraldine Massey, Counselor Advocate
Deborah McManus, Manager, Grants & Contracts Reporting
Linda McNally, Data Entry Specialist
Bridget Moffatt, Counselor Advocate / Therapist
Tammi Patterson, CVA, Counselor Advocate
Tracey Provident, Associate Director
Brenda Sakala, M.Ed., CVA, Juvenile Court Counselor Advocate
Nancy Simpronio, PHR, Director of the Human Resource Collaborative
Vaughn Tarrant, Community Accountability Panels Project Coordinator
Valentina Tsysar, Accounting Manager
Charmaine Tyler, Receptionist
Rhonda Urquhart, CVA, Advocacy Supervisor, Adult System
Mary Volkar, M.Ed., Therapist
Stephanie Walsh, MSW, LSW, Executive Director
Carol Westwood, MSEd, MPM, Victim Witness Supervisor/Therapist
Lisa Wimbs, Counselor Advocate