Teresa is the Director of Grants & Training for OCVS and has been with the team since April 2019. Previous to her work with OCVS, she practiced as a social worker in both systems and community based social work programs and then went on to serve as executive director for PAVE, a community victim service provider. Teresa has been working with and for victims and survivors for nearly 15 years and brings a strong leadership and strategic vision to this work. She values collaboration with OCVS sub-grantees and partners and believes the key to comprehensive victim services is working together. In addition to her work, she enjoys spending time with her husband Rex, dogs Darwin & Lola, and cat Baxter All five of them enjoy playing outside, going for walks, and sitting in the sun.

 Amanda is a Grant Specialist and the VOCA Grant Administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services (OCVS). Initially joining the WI DOJ in 2011, she supported the VOCA grant administrator and assisted Spanish speaking applicants for Compensation. In 2013, Amanda became the VOCA Grant Specialist and Administrator. She is a member of the Budget Subcommittee of the Wisconsin Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse and the Co-Chair of Housing Workgroup for the OCVS Advisory Committee. Prior to joining OCVS, she graduated from Carthage College with a BA in History and Spanish. During her time at Carthage, she spent a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina studying the Methodology of Genocide and interning at AMIA an Argentinean Jewish community organization.

Leah is the Grants Support Specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services (WI DOJ OCVS).  Initially joining the WI DOJ in 2016, she supported the VAWA Grant Administrator as the VAWA Grants Support Specialist and assisted callers on the OCVS Toll-Free line. In 2018, Leah became the OCVS Grants Support Specialist, supporting all the grants programs in OCVS. Prior to joining OCVS, she graduated UW Madison with a BA in Women’s Studies, was a stay-at-home mom for several years, and volunteered exclusively at her children’s Islamic elementary school.

Justin is a Financial Grants Specialist at the Office of Crime Victim Services in Wisconsin as a Financial Grants Specialist, he focuses on expense allowability, grant budgets, reviewing fiscal reports, and processing reimbursement requests. He joined the team shortly after graduating from UW-Platteville with a BA in English. He has been a part of the team for three years now. He enjoys hearing about the amazing things agencies are able to do for victims with the grant funds he helps provide. When he is not at work, he enjoys playing video games while his cat naps on his lap.

Michelle is a new member of the OCVS Grants and Training team and was hired in February 2022 Prior to coming to OCVS, she served victims in the Menominee community for 13 years in a variety of roles as the Family/Domestic Violence Program Manager and as an Administrative Planner.  Michelle is excited about her new adventure with OCVS, because it allows her to support victim service agencies statewide. 

Mary is a Grant Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Justice (WI DOJ) Office of Crime Victim Services (OCVS). Mary joined the WI DOJ in 2014 as an LTE Paralegal in the Criminal Division at DOJ.  Prior to coming to DOJ, Mary was a Paralegal at the Dane County District Attorney’s Office for over 12 years. At Dane County, she drafted Criminal Complaints, and dealt with defense Attorney’s and defendants to settle civil traffic cases. She graduated from UW- Whitewater in 1990 with a BS degree, double major, in Psychology and Political Science. She was a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Countryside Nursing Home in Jefferson County for over 30 years prior to, and during her employment at both Dane County, and DOJ.  Mary’s dream was to become a veterinarian, but says she wasn’t good in math.  However, she did have an opportunity to work with large animals whiles she was in college. She had the pleasure of working on a farm, milking cows, administering shots, helping to deliver calves, and bailing hay. Mary says that cutting hay is one of her favorite jobs.