Joyce is one of two Team Coordinators at WVCADV. Joyce has worked with WVCADV since January, 1999. Her experience includes mental health services, home health and foster care social work, direct service advocacy in a shelter based non-profit and statewide systems advocacy with WVCADV. Joyce has provided training and meeting facilitation at numerous state and national conferences and events. Her favorite superhero is the ever ‘humble and loveable’ Underdog.
Meet our Team
Tonia Thomas is one of two Team Coordinators of the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In 2004, Tonia joined the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence team where she has focused on building a strong statewide domestic violence network. Tonia’s work includes raising public awareness about the prevalence and prevention of abuse and violence in intimate relationships, training professionals in their response to domestic violence, providing technical assistance to licensed domestic violence programs, and expanding leadership capacity within the statewide coalition.
Tonia received both her Bachelor and Master Degrees from Marshall University. Tonia is a lifelong resident of West Virginia and currently lives in Eastern Kanawha County.
Fun fact: Tonia has not had her natural hair color since the age of 17.
Kenyatta Coleman Grant continues to be a rising voice, community organizer and coordinator in the domestic violence movement since 2001. She is an active participant in the social justice movement and is committed to advocating for social change and equality. She is employed with the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV). For five years, Ms. Grant was the Criminal Justice Specialist at the WVCADV where her role focused on statewide coordination of the Batterers Intervention Prevention Programs (BIPPs), collaborating with law enforcement agencies and coordinating statewide trainings. She is currently the Community Organizing Coordinator. As the Community Organizing Coordinator, she is responsible for educating and raising awareness of domestic violence in marginalized communities such as communities of color and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQQI) community. She coordinates and facilitates culturally specific trainings on anti-oppression, diversity, cultural competency and awareness to statewide domestic violence advocates, law enforcement and other non-profit agencies.
Ms. Grant also represents the WVCADV as a member of the statewide Civil Rights Task Force, Call to Action for Racial Equality Coalition, YWCA Racial Justice Committee and the West Virginia Women’s Commission. She is passionate in advocating for justice and equality through community organizing and promoting cultural accountability and awareness.
Ms. Grant received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Marshall University with a minor in Criminal Justice. She also received her Masters of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall Graduate College with a minor in Sociology. She resides in Charleston, West Virginia with her partner, Derrick Grant and three children, Savannah, Victor and Kenleigh.
Brittany Humphreys is a project support coordinator at the coalition. She joined the staff in April of 2017. She has been a victim of domestic violence and brings that survivor voice into her work. Brittany handles the VOCA Emergency Requests for clients of advocates throughout the state in need of urgent assistance. She is also involved with the statewide collaborative work being done such as Interagency and state planning. Brittany is more than thrilled to be a part of such a strong network of individuals who educate, represent and support survivors of Domestic Violence. Brittany is also a movie fanatic and in her downtime, enjoys relaxing at home with her family, popcorn and a good flick.
Stefani Keys is a native of Lewisburg, WV, and has been actively involved in the movement to end violence and homelessness. She began her journey working at Family Refuge Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence in her community, as a weekend shelter specialist. Throughout her four years there, she held the roles of Shelter Director and interim Executive Director, where she worked closely with the West Virginia Coalition to end Homelessness and the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Stefani holds a Bachelor’s Degree from West Virginia State University in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology from Walden University.
Stefani started working for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence in December of 2019 as the Human Trafficking and Housing Coordinator, where she is responsible for the coordination of the statewide, interagency WV Human Trafficking Task Force and developing a comprehensive and coordinated program for enhancing the delivery of services through licensed domestic violence programs to victims of human trafficking. She also works collaboratively with organizations and agencies addressing homeless and housing services to build capacity for housing advocacy with survivors. Since 2015, Stefani has been an active member of the Advocacy of Color Network, an organization that seeks to empower victims and domestic violence advocates that identify as a person of color by enhancing the quality of culturally specific services provided by the statewide licensed domestic violence programs.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching sports – especially her favorite basketball team, Duke Blue Devils, listening to different music genres, creating music playlists, and journaling.
She received her MBA at West Virginia University, her BBA at Marshall University in accounting and is currently a licensed CPA. She began working at the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1997 when a part-time position was posted for the job. She continues to be excited about the work and enjoys the changes that come along with the different initiatives and work that the coalition does.
In her spare time Helen loves games and puzzles. She says she can spend hours putting together jigsaw puzzles and playing word games on the computer.
Samuel “Raymie” White is the Legal Services Coordinator at the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where he provides direct legal services to victims of domestic violence and domestic violence advocates. Prior to joining the Coalition, Mr. White worked as Prosecutor, Assistant Prosecutor, and Assistant Public Defender in Nicholas County, WV. While there, he was recognized both for his work on domestic violence teams and his work prosecuting child abuse cases. Mr. White holds a Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University College of Law.
Laurie Thompsen, MSW, is the Weave WV Coordinator with the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where she has worked for 22 years. She facilitates the WVCADV Health Partnership and the Behavioral Health and Domestic Violence Initiative.
Her work involves collaborations with a variety of public health programs, and clinical and non-clinical healthcare agencies. She is on the WV DHHR Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, the WV ACES Coalition, the Futures Without Violence Health Workgroup, the WV AWARE Project Lead Team, and other committees and initiatives that focus on the health and behavioral health issues of DV for adults and children. Laurie is on the Advisory Boards for The WVU Centers for Excellence in Disabilities Traumatic Brain Injury Program, and the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health.
Laurie trains extensively both locally and nationally, with a focus on strategies that utilize trauma-sensitive approaches to addressing domestic violence.
Jessica is a Psychology graduate of Concord University in southern West Virginia. She began working at Family Refuge Center (FRC), a dual domestic and sexual violence service organization, in 2016 as the Community Coordinator.
Throughout her employment with FRC, she became the Director of Community Education and also held the role of Co-Interim Director. Jessica joined the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 2021 as the Training and Event Coordinator, and now holds the position of Outreach and Prevention Coordinator. She also serves as the Co-Chair for Allies Aspiring for Equity Co-Chair and is a member of the Rainbow Justice League.
In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring West Virginia with family and friends, and watching scary movies.
Lissa Lucas is a professional with a track record of distinction in communication, project management, and advocacy. With a Bachelor’s Degree from Marietta College where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa society—not to mention her graduate work at WVU—she combines academic excellence with hands-on experience to drive impactful change.
She’s honed her leadership skills over two decades as her career spanned diverse roles before her dive into advocacy and coalition-building. Prior to her current role at the Coalition, Lissa served as a Project Manager at Starry Eyes Media and as a Curation Manager at Small Planet Institute, where she showcased her ability to lead and execute projects with precision and creativity. Lissa also gained valuable experience as PR Manager for a national manufacturer, where her work included brand development, tracking media metrics, managing an online presence, and designing and directing national PR campaigns.
Her passion for community-building is longstanding seems evident when looking at her work as Director of Communications for various local, statewide, and federal political campaigns. Whether breaking state records for fundraising or garnering earned media coverage from top-tier outlets like The New York Times, the BBC, and the Washington Post, Lissa has always had a knack for producing strategic communication that gets favorable media coverage. And her commitment to education and cross-cultural exchange also shines through in her experience as an English as a Foreign Language teacher in Chengdu, China.
Now, she applies this extensive expertise at the Coalition in numerous ways, including content generation and management; producing press releases; video editing; Search Engine Optimization (SEO); media relations; and managing various other projects that advance the organization’s mission. Because she’s a survivor of an abusive marriage, working to protect parents and children from what her family endured is particularly important to her.
In all her endeavors, she embodies a tireless work ethic, a passion for driving positive change, and a dedication to fostering understanding that transcends borders. Her collaborative style and blend of strategic thinking and creative problem-solving makes a meaningful impact in every cause she undertakes.
She lives with her loving husband and two cats on a beautiful ridgetop in rural WV. Her hobbies include renovating a couple vintage RVs, crocheting, cooking, gardening, canning, brewing beer, nerding out, and running/playing in several Dungeons and Dragons campaigns.
Amparo Ripley Charlie Varela is the Training And Events Coordinator for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Ripley has four years of advocacy, serving as the Programs Coordinator for WV FREE before joining the Coalition.
Previous to working for WV FREE, Ripley worked for four years as an educator for the Hampshire County school system. They received their BA in English from West Virginia State University, where they also studied sociology and history. Ripley is passionate about advocacy and social justice, and aims to use their skills and experience for whatever the gaps or desired information may be. They have created and facilitated trainings on multiple subjects ranging from racial justice to reproductive options, and even once held a training for a national network during the early days of covid on how to design and conduct virtual trainings. Ripley is also the recipient of the 2022 Purple Ribbon Award.
Outside of their work, Ripley loves film, comics, literature, video games, the paranormal, and playing Dungeons & Dragons with their friends.
Sara Fincham has worked for the past 12 years in the field of violence response and prevention. A graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College, Sara worked at community-based domestic and sexual violence centers for seven years, and at the state sexual assault coalition for five years before coming to Shoulder to Shoulder.
Prioritizing intentional, trauma-informed, victim-centered, culturally-specific advocacy and prevention solutions for victims from marginalized communities and helping to implement strategies that meaningfully respond to interconnected modes of violence and oppression and address the root causes of violence are just two of Sara’s passions. Others include eating chocolate and camping with her family.
Kimberly Tyler-Stirling is a proud native of West Virginia who returned to her home state in 1997 after completing her education at West Virginia University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her unconventional career path is driven by her studies in Art and her passion for the anti-violence movement. As a young artist, she explored themes of family, relationships, communication, and violence in her art. In 1996, she presented a paper titled “Dreaming is Grueling Work” to the Southern Graphics Art Council at the WVU Creative Arts Center, which detailed her art and upbringing in Richwood, West Virginia. That experience would become the driving force for her decision to return home and dedicate her life to the anti-violence movement and the families who live in West Virginia.
Kimberly began her career in the field of domestic violence in 1997, where she worked as a volunteer advocate for one of the fourteen-member programs. Her passion for providing direct survivor-driven services is evident in her work. Kimberly has comprehensive knowledge of the intersections between health, behavioral health, and domestic violence. She finds inspiration in working with survivors and is motivated by research around incarcerated survivors, survivors in recovery, individuals with cognitive disabilities, and mental illness.
For more than twenty years, Kimberly has worked tirelessly to build partnerships with allied agencies and stakeholders in the criminal justice system to ensure a victim-centered response in cases of domestic violence. Her dedication and hard work in this field have earned her recognition from her peers. In 2019, she was honored with the Diane Reese Advocacy Award, a significant achievement in her career. In 2016, the STOP team, for which she was an advocate and leader, received recognition from the US Attorney’s Office for their successful prosecution of domestic violence-related crimes. In 2017, Judge James Rowe named her Nicholas County’s Champion for Children. Upon her departure from AWAY in 2022, she received the Incite Hope Award for her outstanding contributions. She is a leader in her community, a skilled forensic interviewer, and an expert mediator.
In her spare time, Kimberly enjoys exploring her artistic side through photography and filmmaking. She is also an avid birdwatcher and snow skier. Kimberly is the proud mother of Elias Stirling, a highly skilled auto body technician, passionate fly fisherman, and aspiring stream conservationist.
Andrea Brown Riley joined WVCADV as Protective Services Coordinator in 2023 after 6 years of direct service victim advocacy with the Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center. She holds a BA in Psychology from Mary Baldwin University, and brings her passion for understanding and serving others to WVCADV.
While working for EPEC, Andrea employed a compassionate and trauma sensitive approach first as a victim advocate, and then as a domestic violence specialist, she served and advocated for families involved in the CPS system. She also coordinated the Berkeley County Domestic Violence Task Force, organizing the community and allied professionals to action to better serve victims and survivors of domestic violence. From there, she went on to run EPEC’s emergency shelter for another 3 years, implementing survivor-centered, trauma sensitive policies, especially in the arena of harm reduction and substance use disorder. In her current role, Andrea continues to anchor her work in this approach.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Andrea can be found chasing after very energetic twin toddlers. In brief moments of relaxation, she enjoys getting lost in a good book, immersed into a creative craft project, or simply unwinding with a captivating Netflix series.