WVCADV Awards

Ashley Williams (MSW, LSW, LGSW) has worked with Wheeling’s Upper Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Center since 2019. A Licensed Graduate Social Worker, she’s a Therapist providing trauma-informed care. She graduated with a BS in Sociology, Multicultural, Class, & Gender Studies from Murray State U, and Master of Social Work from the University of KY.

Driven by a strong commitment to healing and mental health awareness as social justice, she has developed a profound interest in exploring the interconnectedness of race, gender, and class in the context of trauma experienced through oppression and violence. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities, she’s dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and ensuring equitable access to healing resources for all survivors.

Rita Allender has been a Victim Advocate for over 20 years, but many others may not be aware of her work because she is often unseen as she works weekend nights at FRC’s shelter. The shelter, however, is a place where Rita is not unseen. She has touched countless lives throughout her years of advocacy, and those she has helped remember her fondly as they’ve left the shelter to pursue lives free of violence.

It is not uncommon to have a person donate items to the FRC office and ask, “Is Rita still here?” She is! And as she states, she “will be until they drag her out.” Her ability to connect with survivors is truly unmatched. She is the best listener and their biggest cheerleader.

At Branches, Amber Ross-Chapman has been revolutionary in streamlining effective advocacy services and finding solutions for clients. Amber’s fierce determination to find these solutions drives her every single day.

In her first year at Branches, as an Evening Advocate, she created a stoplight system to help hotline and office workers communicate needs and arrange drop-offs for donors. Last year, Amber brainstormed and implemented a streamlined digital documentation method. And in response to the new challenges of COVID-19, she created the first hotel shelter handbook of policies and procedures to ensure clients received the best advocacy possible even if they were sheltered in a hotel.

Amber is not an advocate that sits still during a crisis; she advocates with new solutions and strategies.

Sara Blevins O’Toole is a certified domestic violence advocate at Branches Domestic Violence Shelter where she works as the Director of Development.

Sara has a long history of community organizing, collective impact, and prevention work in the non-profit sector with both United Way of the River Cities as well as Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown & Pittsburgh. She is a graduate of Marshall University and a lover of cats, old books, and great food. She lives with her patient husband and brilliant bonus children in Huntington, WV.

Heather Dawn Grimmett was born and raised in Putnam County, WV. She spent 10 years in the United States Marine Corps before moving home in 2013 and being hired with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

She has worked as the domestic violence/sexual assault officer since 2021. She is the wife to Sgt. Jason Grimmett, who is a road patrol Sgt at Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. Together, they have three children: Deputy Ryan Moses, PCSD, and Hayden and Elliot Grimmett. She is also the proud dog mom to three Labrador Retrievers.

For many years, Henry Hatfield has focused on civic and community engagement with organizations throughout WV. A housing and rights advocate for special populations, it’s his passion to make the greatest positive impact possible for marginalized communities in our state.

Henry is Housing Programs Manager for the Community Advancement and Development division of the WV Department of Economic Development. He’s also a graduate of Marshall University, a dad to an 11-year-old Great Dane, Lily; and a resident of Dunbar, WV.