OVP - Sexual Assault Council

Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, President
Rancho Los Amigos Patient Advisory Committee, Chair
PUSHRIM Foundation, CEO
Southern California Resource Services Independent Living Center, Board Member

Carlos Benavides provides information to individuals with disabilities about their human rights and how to recognize instances of discrimination. Mr. Benavides engages organizations to raise awareness of human rights and assists individuals with disabilities in navigating complaints processes and legal actions. Mr. Benavides uses his voice to identify situations where people with disabilities have been treated unfairly. He advocates for social change by speaking to the media, and by lobbying the government to make meaningful changes that protect the rights of all people with disabilities.

Clinical Supervisor, Antelope Valley Partners for Health
Jill Blanks, MA, LMFT (she/her/hers) has worked in the Antelope Valley for over 35 years providing mental health services. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in trauma and family child health. Ms. Blanks works at Antelope Valley Partners for Health (AVPH) as a Clinical Supervisor for home visitation programs and has taken the lead in identifying gaps in mental health services, collaborating with partners to build services around those gaps. She has a passion for empowering those she works with to thrive. Ms. Blanks brings reflective processing/supervision to the leadership of AVPH, which changed the organization's culture.

Executive Director, Young B.O.S.S.
Jerry Cobb (he/him/his) is the founder and Executive Director of Young B.O.S.S (501 c3), an organization that provides mentoring for at-risk youth and their families. The 52 year-old Los Angeles native is passionate about education, prevention and intervention.

VA Long Beach Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Ms. Danielle A. Daniels is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over twenty years of professional experience in behavioral health and public administration. For the past seven years, Danielle has worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. In this role, she serves as the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program Coordinator. With a strong background in administration and program development, Danielle is most passionate about serving the needs of our veterans, their families and caregivers, and VA staff who experience or use intimate partner violence. A proud graduate of the University of Southern California, when Danielle is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and in the garden.

Senior Director, Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House
Dr. Jane Halladay Goldman is the Senior Director of the Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House, where she oversees comprehensive services for child and adult victims of sexual assault. A nationally recognized expert in trauma-informed care, she previously led systems change efforts at the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. Her work spans clinical leadership, prevention, law enforcement training, and policy. She developed the Trauma-Informed Organizational Assessment and has advised the OVC, OJJDP, and NCJFCJ. Dr. Halladay Goldman is committed to improving care and outcomes for survivors of sexual violence and child trauma through advocacy, education, and systemic reform.

CAC Director, Inner Circle Children's Advocacy Center
Susy Flores, M.S., (she/her) is the Director of the Inner Circle Children's Advocacy Center and a Bilingual Forensic Interviewer with over 18 years of experience, having conducted more than 2,700 interviews of children, and adults with developmental disabilities. With 19 years in the field of child abuse prevention, she serves as a Peer Review Facilitator and is an Advisory Committee Member for the Childrens Advocacy Centers of California. A former mental health clinician, she specialized in working with child victims and their non-offending family members. Recognized for her advocacy, she has received multiple awards, including Woman of the Year Advocacy Award.

Assistant Head Deputy, Sex Crimes Division, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
Rachel Greene (she/her/hers) has been a Deputy District Attorney for over 25 years and currently supervises DDAs handling sex crimes cases in the Alhambra, Antelope Valley, Norwalk, Pasadena, and Pomona courthouses.As a trial DDA, she vertically prosecuted cases involving sex crimes, domestic violence, and cold case murders for more than half her career.She has been recognized for her expertise in handling multiple victim, intra-family sexual abuse and forensically complex cases. Prior to joining the LADA's Office, Rachel received a fellowship to research survivors' definitions of success for the Family Violence Division of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and volunteered as a hotline advocate.

Executive Director, East LA Women's Shelter
Barbara Kappos, LCSW (she/her) currently serves as the Executive Director of the East Los Angeles Womens Center in Los Angeles, California.
Ms. Kappos has over 30 years of experience working in the Greater East Los Angeles communities providing services to vulnerable families. Ms. Kappos has established a variety of service models based on best practices and culturally relevant interventions. Ms. Kappos is a licensed social worker with experience in the field of social work and has been influential in the areas of child welfare, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, sexual violence and substance abuse recovery.

Community Advocate and Assistant to Program Development, Native Development Network (NDNz.org)
Patricia Lopez (no pronouns) was born in Bureau of Indian Affairs American Indian Relocation Housing in downtown L.A. (Aliso Village) of parents who migrated to California from their Indian Reservation in Taos, New Mexico because of the Federal Indian Relocation Act in the early 1950s. Patricia worked for L.A. County Department of Health Services from 1976-2004 in various locations and positions including as a Staff Nurse and the OB/GYN Clinic.
Patricia is a member of the Association of American Indian Physicians, American Society for Cervical Cancer Prevention, California Nurse Practitioners Association, and a Member of SEIU Local 720, Women's Caucus.

Deputy Executive Drector, Peace Over Violence
Yvette Lozano (she/her) is a veteran leader in the fields of sexual and domestic violence (IPV) prevention, with over 25 years of service at Peace Over Violence. As Deputy Executive Director, she oversees prevention and intervention programs including the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART), case management, 24/7 hotline and emergency response, and training services.
Her statewide impact includes previous leadership roles with VALOR and the Los Angeles Domestic Violence Alliance, as well as providing training and technical assistance.Yvettes decades-long commitment to prevention, advocacy, and empowerment continues to shape stronger, safer communities across Los Angeles County.

Chief Program Officer, YWCA Greater Los Angeles
Lisa Hirsch Marin (she/her/ella) is driven by a vision of a world where women and girls have equal opportunities and are free from racism and violence. She is the Chief Program Officer at YWCA Greater Los Angeles, leading strategic partnerships, government grants and operational execution for five empowerment program teams, including Survivor Empowerment Services (Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence/Human Trafficking), Early Child Development Centers, Senior Empowerment, Youth Empowerment and Economic Advancement.
Ms. Hirsch Marin has double masters degrees in social welfare and Organizational Development and Leadership, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and has received the Los Angeles County Commission for Women Woman of the Year award.

Acting Captain, Special Victims Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department
Lt. Dianne Moreno, a 27-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department has spent much of her career in investigations and currently, serving as the Acting Captain of the Special Victims Bureau.
Prior to the Sheriffs department Lt. Moreno received a bachelors degree in criminal justice from SDSD and a masters degree in public administration from Cal State University, Long Beach. She has dedicated her entire adult life to law enforcement and seeking justice for those without a voice.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Watching her childrens sporting events is one of her most enjoyable hobbies.

Director, Center for Advocacy, Prevention & Empowerment, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Mayra Romo (she/her) is the founding Director of the Center for Advocacy, Prevention & Empowerment (CAPE) at CSU Dominguez Hills, where her work reflects the universitys commitment to equity, justice, and community transformation. With over 15 years of experience, she has supported hundreds of survivors, trained more than 100 sexual assault counselors, and built CAPE into a model for survivor-centered advocacy in higher education. Her prevention efforts include the Little Black Dress Campaign, which challenges harmful social norms, and her statewide policy advocacy helped pass AB 1896, which expanded legal confidentiality protections for campus-based advocates across California.

Director of Workforce Development, Jenesse Center Inc.
Yasmin Tarver (she/her) is a seasoned leader and advocate with over 25 years of experience advancing equity for survivors and underserved communities. As Workforce Development Director at Jenesse Center, she leads efforts in housing, economic empowerment, and trauma-informed care. Her work centers on creating sustainable, inclusive support systems. Yasmin is widely recognized for her professional and educational achievements, reflecting a deep commitment to service. She believes in the power of community and sustainability. Above all, Yasmin considers her greatest accomplishment to be being the mother of her two daughters, who are creating impact in their own ways.

Founding Director & CEO, Healing to You
Cari Teran, LMFT (she/her) is the Founding Director and CEO of Healing to You, a comprehensive medical and mental healthcare nonprofit providing trauma-informed services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout Southern California through mobile clinics and a clinic in Wilmington. With 25 years of clinical experience, and as Vice Chair of the California Child Abduction Task Force, she is an expert in trauma, child abuse, sexual assault, and child abduction recovery and reunification. She is recognized for her leadership in trauma-informed program development and cross-system advocacy, with a deep commitment to accessible, compassionate care for survivors.

Dr. Deborah Villanueva (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and organizational leader with over two decades of experience addressing trauma, gender-based violence, and systemic inequities. She has worked extensively across Los Angeles County developing culturally responsive mental health programs for survivors of sexual assault, trafficking, and complex trauma, particularly within underserved communities. Dr. Villanueva brings expertise in trauma-informed care, cross-sector collaboration, and community-based healing. She currently serves on multiple boards and leads initiatives at the intersection of mental health, advocacy, and public policy. Her commitment is rooted in advancing survivor-centered practices and equity in all systems of care.