Teresa Stafford-Wright, MCJA
CEO OF HOPE AND HEALING SURVIVOR RESOURCE CENTER

Teresa M. Stafford-Wright is the Chief Executive Officer at Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center. 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 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 has 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 interpersonal violence.

Teresa is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and graduated from Tiffin University earning a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and a master’s in Criminal Justice Administration.

“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, LPCC-S
Chief Programs Officer

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 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 safety and well-being of 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

Lydia González Sciarrino, MBA
Chief Financial Officer

Lydia González Sciarrino joined the Hope and Healing Survivor Resources Center in February 2025 as the Chief Financial Officer. She has spent decades in leadership roles in health and human service non-profits throughout the country before returning to Ohio.

Lydia brings to the organization a strong background in financial operations, policy, and procedural leadership, fundraising and grant management, as well as organizational growth and expansion. She advocates a collaborative approach to team development and empowerment, along with a commonsense approach to organizational change and process improvement.

Lydia holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE).

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it” – Maya Angelou

Katherine Robbins, MPH
Chief Development Officer

Katherine (Kate) Robbins brings a passion for equity, community, and health to her role as Chief Development Officer at Hope & Healing. An Akron native, she earned her B.A. from Kent State University and her Masters in Public Health from Columbia University. Before returning home, Kate spent over a decade in New York City leading advocacy and fundraising efforts for healthcare justice. She now oversees Hope & Healing’s fundraising and grant strategy, working to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need to heal and thrive.

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair.” -Shirley Chisholm

Tia Payne
Director of Shelter & Housing Services

Tia Payne is the Director of Shelter and Housing Services at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center serving both Medina and Summit Counties. Tia began her career as an advocate in 2007 as a Crisis Intervention Specialist in the Children Who Witness Violence Program a collaboration between Akron Children’s Hospital, Victim Assistance Program and Hope and Healing known at the time as the Battered Women’s Shelter. Tia has been passionate in focusing some of her work in the area of youth as a survivor of child abuse.

Tia has over 17 years of experience and has worked with many advocacy organizations where she has been able to lend her expertise in operations through a survivor leader focused lens. As a survivor of intimate partner violence in her first marriage, Tia lived in a shelter with her 2 children and has been able to use that experience in her roles within residential settings and shelters. She served as a member of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network board of directors for 8 yrs as part of the finance committee and serving as the vice chair for 2 yrs.

To date, Tia is a published author of “Reflections of a PK” and a co-author in Bloom Vol. 2 where her chapter is titled “She Survived.” Tia published her latest book in November 2024, a devotional titled “Sis, You Have One Job: Be Healed”.

“If I’m going to tell a real story, I’m going to start with my name” – Kendrick Lamar

Megan Vermillion, MA Ed, BWS, CA
Director of Survivor Services

Megan Vermillion is the Director of Survivor Services 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, and Stark Counties. Through these efforts, Megan aims to strengthen community connections 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

Julius Payne
Director of Prevention

Julius Payne is the Director of Prevention at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. Julius has been in the field of prevention for over a decade facilitating conversations about healthy relationships, bystander action, and sexual violence prevention for students from middle school all the way up through college and professionals. He graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in Sociology/Corrections. His start in the field began through the Rape Crisis Center Services as he managed outreach and advocacy services at the University of Akron. From there, he went to work at Kent State University providing prevention programming to the KSU community. He enjoys the work that he does because it has allowed him to create relationships with the youth and young adults in our communities. It also allows him to help shape the culture that these individuals take forward to create safer and more compassionate communities free of sexual violence and relationship violence.

Dawn Butler, SHRM-CP
Director of Human Resources

Dawn Butler is the Director of Human Resources at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. With over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, Dawn has built a career rooted in compassion, integrity, and service. Dawn has a bachelor’s in business administration from DeVry University and recently earned her SHRM-CP certification. Specializing in healthcare environments—including nursing homes, medical offices, and organizations supporting individuals with disabilities—she brings deep expertise in employee relations, talent development, and organizational support. Dawn is driven by a genuine passion for helping others, she works to create inclusive, supportive workplaces where team can thrive. Whether navigating complex HR challenges or mentoring team members, she leads with empathy and a commitment to excellence.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Ari Barrett
Director of Development

Ariana (Ari) Barrett is the Director of Development at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. With an Associate’s Degree in Technical Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies including Leadership, English, and Corporate Communications, Ari is dedicated to publicly sharing survivor stories to grow sustainability and increase available services in local nonprofits. Starting in private tax accounting, Ari followed the deeply personal call to uplift nonprofits that focus on substance use disorders, children’s rights, and survivors of violent crimes. 

“Every day, you have the power to choose our better history by opening your hearts and minds, by speaking up for what you know is right.” Michelle Obama

Whystal Worthy, LSW
Assistant Director of Shelter & Housing Services 

Whystal Worthy is the Assistant Director of Shelter & Housing Services at Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center. With an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Akron, Whystal is equipped and committed to being a voice for survivors, advocating for change, and providing compassionate support to those navigating trauma and crisis. Beginning at the Battered Women’s Shelter in 2017, Whystal all brings a long and diverse background of trauma-informed experience, including working in emergency hospital settings, medical coding and billing, and educational environments supporting non-verbal children in Summit County. 

“A great leader doesn’t demand all the answers — she creates space for voices to be heard, finds strength in compromise, and builds success through collaboration.” -UNKNOWN