Sharon M. Aaron, M.S.W., has been the Director of the FIU Victim Advocacy Center since 2001.  She is the former Director of a national initiative of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention aimed at identifying and intervening in cases of intimate partner violence in health care settings.  Previously, Ms. Aaron served as the Advocacy Director of the Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family Violence, also a national demonstration program, supported by a U.S. Department of Justice grant to Miami’s Juvenile Court.  Designed to identify and meet the needs of abused children and their battered mothers in the child protection system, the program has been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences Research Council.  Ms. Aaron was part of the team that planned, developed and implemented the program.  In addition, she designed and supervised the intensive case management and intervention protocol.  Further, Ms. Aaron is engaged in coordination efforts within the community; she is past Chair of the Dade County Alliance Against Domestic Violence, and the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council of Greater Miami. Ms. Aaron has served on the Dade County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, and currently serves on the Domestic Violence Oversight Board of Miami-Dade County.

Lourdes Martin, MSW, LCSW is Associate Director of the Victim Advocacy Center. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the FIU School of Social Work and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in 2005. Lourdes has been working in the field of Victim Services since 2002, when she was first hired at VAC as Victim Services Coordinator. In her current position, Lourdes serves as clinical supervisor to the advocacy staff, develops programming and training curriculum, and provides administrative support to the Center. Lourdes enjoys teaching and training and holds an academic appointment as an adjunct faculty member with the FIU School of Social Work, as well as serving as Field Instructor to students completing their graduate practicum in Social Work. Aside from her expertise in victimization and trauma, Lourdes has extensive clinical experience working in the area of mental health with children and adolescents diagnosed with severe emotional disturbances and behavioral issues, as well as adults with chronic psychiatric illness. She is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and is a member of the Florida Crisis Response Team. Her personal and professional interests include: human rights and equality, LGBTQA issues, cultural diversity, trauma, interpersonal violence, mental health and animal rights.

 

Elika A Nerette. M.S.W., has been a Victim Services Coordinator at Victim Advocacy Center since 2007. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work from Florida International University. She is currently working on becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida. She previously worked with the agency MUJER as an advocate/counselor for victims of sexual assault. Her professional interests include advocacy, domestic violence prevention and education and sexual assault awareness.

 

Dina L. Asis, M.S.W., has been a Victim Services Coordinator at the FIU Victim Advocacy Center since 2007.  She is a graduate of Florida International University from where she received both a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Social Work. She is also a Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern in the State of Florida. Ms. Asis is a member of the FIU Alumni Association and the National Association of Social Workers. Her professional interests include women’s rights, diversity issues and domestic violence prevention and education.