VAVP has a small staff of driven, skilled workers committed to advocacy, outreach, and casework aimed at freeing marginalized groups from oppressive circumstances.
Staff:
Ebony Clark
(she/her/hers) — Executive Director
Ebony Clark was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She comes from a large family and always felt that it was important to stay connected to her roots and close to her support systems. She is a mother, a partner, and a member of a LGBT Greek service sorority. Ebony comes to serve Virginia Anti-Violence Project with 20+ years of administration and coordination experience and a Masters of Nonprofit Studies degree. After working within a private university setting for over 12 years and volunteering countless hours of her time within her own LGBTQ+ community, she determined that it was time to use her voice and body to work towards change. Being a survivor of violence, Ebony felt that her skills, experiences and networks would best serve a community of her own friends, family, and colleagues. Ebony Clark previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for VAVP for 2 years, then moved on to Board President for 3 years. Ebony pursued the role of Executive Director in an attempt to become fully integrated into the work, values and community of Virginia Anti-Violence Project. She is passionate about her role within the organization as well as what the future holds for the work and mission of VAVP.
Tasha Smith
(she/her/hers) — Survivor Community Specialist
Tasha is a Survivor Community Specialist, and her preferred pronouns are she, her, and hers. She is a first-generation American black bisexual woman. She identifies as a survivor of childhood domestic violence and sexual abuse. The communities she belongs to intimately inform her work. Having been marginalized in several areas of her life, she has come to understand how fundamental it is to approach activism from an intersectional, multicultural lens. Her previous experience centered on youth in urban districts and high school retention. This work allowed her to engage with young people on the needs present in their community. Thus far, she has really enjoyed learning and training to be better equipped for the advocacy role, and is looking forward to making a connection with clients and community.
Cat Lamb
(she/her/hers, they/them/theirs) — Survivor Community Specialist
Cat uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. She is non-binary, queer, and a survivor of violence. She has spent most of her life coming to terms with her place in these communities. That journey to herself is what brought her to VAVP. She also carries with her many other intersecting identities — both privileged and marginalized. In this role, she is grateful for the freedom she has to grow and learn in the ways we know are most urgent to us. One way
that shows up for her is through continuously seeking out resources to recognize and unlearn the ways she may participate in systems of oppression. At Virginia Commonwealth University, Cat studied Sociology and Spanish and took classes directly related to this position. Before starting as a Survivor Community Specialist at VAVP, she also worked with multiple non-profit organizations in the Richmond area that offer resources to underserved
populations. In the future, she looks forward to working and learning in the community while contributing to VAVP’s shared mission of an end to violence.
Austin Laingen
(they/them/theirs) — Communications Coordinator
Austin currently serves as VAVP’s Communications Coordinator, and identifies as Nonbinary, Queer, and as a survivor of IPV (intimate partner violence). These identities and lived experiences have shaped their work and ethos, and drew them to the important work that VAVP does. They graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in International Social Justice and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. In the past, they have volunteered for community organizations such as local Planned Parenthood chapters, local food pantries and more, which align with their belief in intersectional, grassroots justice. Within their role they handle interpersonal and organizational communications, create graphics, and help manage VAVP’s site and social media. They currently live in Richmond, VA with their cat, Sushi.
Board:
Jackie Robinson Brock (she/her) – Interim Board Chair
Jackie has volunteered with VAVP since 2016 and is passionate about ending violence against and within LGBTQ communities. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a concentration in Social Work Administration, Planning, and Policy Practice (SWAPP). She also obtained a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from VCU’s Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. She is employed at the VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities. At the Partnership, Jackie serves as a Program Specialist in Early Childhood and Health and is a director on a variety of prevention oriented projects. Before working at the Partnership, Jackie worked with children and families in a transitional homeless shelter, and as a lead teacher in childcare settings. Her interest areas include disability justice, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, early childhood, and the justice of Indigenous people. Jackie primarily engages in advocacy and research to promote environmental systems change.
Nancy Grim Kells (they/them)
Nancy Grim Kells aka Grim serves as both a member of VAVP’s Board and a Facilitator/Manager at Grimalkin Records in Richmond, Virginia, which is a trans and queer led mutual aid-oriented record label and collective created to support and foster connections between queer artists (with priority to QTBIPOC), listeners, and their local communities and grassroots organizations. Grimalkin releases music of all genres by people of all ages and is forging alternative paths for artist development and support, especially for marginalized creatives. They identify as Non-binary, Agender, and fluidly trans. Grim has a BFA from Tyler School of Art and a MS in Special Education and was a public middle school teacher for 14 years in both Los Angeles and Virginia. They also were a Vocational Counselor for 7 years, and they are currently a Certified Workforce Development Practitioner and Work Incentive Specialist Advocate (WISA). As a disabled person, disability advocacy is part of the work they do in and out of Grimalkin. They also make music as Spartan Jet-Plex and have a variety of music and artistic collaborations.