Hope & Healing Leadership
Together we can make a change.
Hope & Healing Leadership
Together we can make a change.
Teresa Stafford
CEO OF BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER & RAPE CRISIS CENTER
Teresa M. Stafford is the Chief Executive Officer at Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center, the home of the Battered Women’s Shelter and Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina Counties. Teresa’s experience includes more than a decade of leadership at a Northeast Ohio rape crisis center and establishing a witness victim unit for one of the largest county Prosecutor Office’s in Ohio. She has over 25 years of experience in strategic leadership, organizational development, coaching, consensus building, operations management, program development, and system advocacy. She recently shared her expertise as a contributing author for the book, Sexual Assault Kits and Reforming the Response to Rape. Teresa advocates for the systemic change needed to create a trauma-informed and culturally responsive climate for all survivors and staff. She is a social justice activist committed to eliminating factors that marginalize survivors to increase their ability to access services.
Teresa approaches this work through her own lived experiences as a survivor of incest, rape, and teen dating violence. Teresa’s passion and dedication to serving survivors and leading systemic change have been recognized across Ohio and nationally. She is the recipient of the Ohio Attorney General’s Robert Denton Special Achievement Award and Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resources Center. Teresa has partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to enhance law enforcement’s response to gender-based crimes and the Law Enforcement Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee to institute a cultural competency certification program for law enforcement. She expertly creates safe spaces encouraging individuals to lean into discomfort and seek self-awareness.
Teresa is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., graduated from Tiffin University with a master’s in Criminal Justice Administration, and is an Intercultural Development Inventory® Administrator.
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”-Maya Angelou
Ashley Kline
CPO OF BWS & RCC
Ashley Kline serves as the Chief Program Officer at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. In her role, Ashley leads program development, operations, and evaluation to ensure the delivery of high-quality services grounded in trauma-informed and culturally responsive care for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. Her expertise in program development has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission and expanding its comprehensive program offerings for survivors. Her career includes nearly a decade of extensive experience in providing trauma-informed crisis intervention, advocacy, and therapeutic services to survivors.
Additionally, Ashley has held pivotal leadership roles in numerous community coalitions, task forces, and advisory boards dedicated to enhancing systemic collaboration and improving community responses to survivors. She is also a 2024 Leadership Ohio Fellow, a recognition that demonstrates her commitment to leadership excellence and her impact on advancing the mission of ending power-based violence in our communities.
Ashley earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Kent State University and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervision designation (LPCC-S). She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Conflict Resolution.
“Daring leaders who live into their values are never silent about the hard things.” – Brené Brown
Janet
Director of Human Resources
Janet joined the Battered Women’s Shelter and Rape Crisis Center in August 2022. She has a BS in Human Resources and Business Management and maintains her CP-SHRM certification, Certified Professional from the Society of Human Resource Management. After providing HR guidance with a for-profit Fortune 50 company for ten years, Janet shifted her focus to non-profit. She has now worked in the non-profit world for more than 15 years in the Akron area.
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” Dalai Lama
Marya Simmons
Director of Services, Battered Women’s Shelter
Marya L. Simmons provides technical assistance and training on a national level to diverse audiences on sexual assault, trauma-informed and victim-centered best-practice approaches, domestic violence, victim advocacy, human trafficking, strengthening multi-disciplinary teams and leadership techniques, and supporting families of homicide victims.
Ms. Simmons obtained a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University with honors. In her current role as the Director of Services at the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center, she oversees the daily operations of the Battered Women’s Shelter and provides leadership and management to all programs and services provided by the agency.
Previously, Ms. Simmons was the Victim-Witness Unit Supervisor at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, where she supported victims and witnesses throughout the judicial system process. Prior to joining the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, she was a Justice System Advocate for victims of sexual assault at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Marya is adept to working with diverse populations, providing crisis intervention, and supporting individuals who are diagnosed with chemical/alcohol dependency and mental health illnesses.
Ms. Simmons is a Registered Advocate with Senior Standing with the State of Ohio, and she received the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s Award for Distinguished Contributions to Victim Advocacy.
Favorite Quote: “Be the Change You Want to See in the World” – Mahatma Gandhi
Sarah Krieger
Director of Donor Relations & Community Engagement
Sarah has over 15 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, including executive leadership roles at Teen Leadership Corps and Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center. Sarah has been with Hope & Healing since 2018 and in her current role as Director of Donor Relations & Community Engagement at Hope & Healing, she is responsible for increasing funding by cultivating donor relations, brand building, and event management.
Sarah graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in Political Science, and also holds a leadership role at Mission Possible – Dominican Republic. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her dog Winter, volunteering with refugee organizations, the Cleveland Guardians, and traveling to new places.
“Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.” – Maya Angelou
Megan Vermillion
Director of Services, Rape Crisis Center
Megan Vermillion is the Director of the Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina Counties at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. Megan earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from The University of Akron. Joining the Rape Crisis Center in January 2018, Megan believes in building a strong continuum of care for survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Her passion lies in disrupting cycles of trauma and breaking down barriers that prevent survivors from accessing vital support services.
Megan holds leadership roles as the Chair of the Summit County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and serves as the Chair of the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Coalition in Medina County.
Actively engaged in combating human trafficking in Ohio, Megan sits on the Attorney General’s Public Awareness Committee for Human Trafficking and Hope and Healing serves as the lead victim service provider for the Summit Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, serving Summit, Medina, Stark, and Portage Counties. Through these efforts, Megan aims to strengthen community connections, advocate for systemic change, and educate the public alongside her dedicated team at Hope and Healing.
“We owe future generations a world free of sexual violence. I believe we can build that world. Do you?” Tarana Burke
Kate Robbins, MPH
Director of Grants & Public Policy
Kate Robbins, MPH, is passionate about the intersections of policy, community, art, equity, and health. Born and raised in Akron, OH, she earned her B.A. in English Literature and minored in Management & Information Systems at Kent State University. She graduated with her master’s in public health from Columbia’s Mailman School for Public Health in 2014. She lived in New York City for over a decade, advocating for universal healthcare as Executive Director of Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro and Director of the Campaign for New York Health. She’s excited to bring her expertise in policy and grant writing to serve the mission of the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center.
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair.” -Shirley Chisholm