About the Training:
Join us for MCASA's Virtual Campus Training Session #4, featuring expert trainers -- Kimberly Henry, LMSW and Dr. Ava Ramirez-Ene -- from the National Organization for Victim Advocacy!
This training session provides actionable strategies for campus professionals to support military-connected survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) while addressing the unique challenges within the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Participants will explore the prevalence of DVSAS in the DMV, the implications of service in a population concentrated with military-connected individuals, and the cultural and systemic barriers survivors may face when seeking help. This session will equip attendees with tools to develop or strengthen their Coordinated Community Response (CCR) Teams and implement culturally competent and trauma-informed approaches tailored to the distinctive needs of military-connected students in this high-density region.
MCASA’s Virtual Campus Training Series is a 6-part webinar series, hosted every year from September to April. These training sessions are tailored to college and university staff, as well as community advocates and other service providers, who do sexual assault prevention and response work with college and university students. Facilitated by a combination of MCASA staff and national experts, these workshops explore important and trending topics impacting student sexual assault survivors. You can find past Virtual Campus Training sessions on MCASA's website or YouTube Channel.
Meet the Trainers:
Kimberly Henry, LMSW is a distinguished Licensed Master Social Worker with over 14 years of expertise in military and public health settings, focusing on crisis intervention, victim advocacy, and the development of programs addressing military sexual trauma (MST) and interpersonal violence. Kimberly’s career is marked by her dedicated active duty service in the U.S. Navy and federal service in the U.S. Air Force as a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate, where she significantly enhanced support systems for MST survivors.
Holding a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California, Kimberly specializes in military policy and programs. Her advocacy extends beyond individual cases, contributing to broad policy development and program enhancements that prioritize dignity, safety, and recovery for survivors. Kimberly’s expertise in program evaluation has ensured that her initiatives deliver measurable outcomes.
She also is an Adjunct Professor at Simmons University in the Master Social Work program instructing graduate students on Social Work policy and policy analysis. Her community work includes advocacy for disability rights and culture change in mental health stigmas of disabled veterans, as she is a female veteran living with non-visible disabilities who uses a service dog.
At NOVA, Ava provides military and community CCR consultation and Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) on domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) for an Office on Violence (OVW) Grant Project for victim advocates and allied professionals.
Ava Ramirez-Ene, Ph.D., RYT-500 is a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, with almost nine years of service, including a deployment to Afghanistan. She discovered her passion for advocacy while serving as a Uniformed Victim Advocate (UVA) for military sexual assault survivors.
Ava has over 13 years of diverse experience in victim advocacy, prevention and intervention, case management, and military service. Prior to NOVA, Ava worked in the community non-profit sphere conducting prevention and intervention education for youth and young adults, and in the community, while also volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for youth in foster care.
Ava earned her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology, with a specialization in Victimology in 2021, with past academic achievements to include a Masters of Philosophy in Forensic Psychology, a Masters of Arts in Human Behavior, and a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. Ava is also a RYT-500 certified yoga instructor, with specialty in Trauma-Informed and All-Body Accessible practices. She is currently in training to obtain her 850-Hr Yoga Therapist (IAYT) Certification.
At NOVA, Ava provides military and community CCR consultation and Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) on domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) for an Office on Violence (OVW) Grant Project and a Department of Defense (DoD) contract.
Altogether, Ava believes in advocacy, education, and empowerment for all!
Important Notes:
CEU credit hours are subject to change based on the length of the training.
