News & Announcements

Oct 14 2024

Join us in Welcoming VFC New Board of Directors

We’re thrilled to announce two exceptional additions to the Violence Free Colorado Board of Directors this fall! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Olivia García (Hoppe) and Dr. Nicole Ferguson. In their bios below, you’ll learn about the depth of their expertise and unwavering commitment to supporting survivors and ending gender-based violence.

As fall approaches, we are reminded that this season of transformation invites us to shed what no longer serves us, making way for new growth. As stewards of Violence Free Colorado, we embrace this process of change, creating space for collective progress and renewal.

Recently, our board came together for a retreat led by Deb DeBare from the National Network to End Domestic Violence. With Deb’s insightful guidance, we engaged in meaningful discussions on how we can remain responsive to the evolving needs and landscape of our work in Colorado. We explored questions of representation, how we can build sustainable work, and fostering successful board succession planning through shared leadership. We are confident that Dr. García and Dr. Ferguson will join our current board in driving these efforts forward, helping us grow in ways that will strengthen the Coalition and the communities we serve.                                          

                                               
Nicole Castillo, VFC’s Board of Director Co-Chair
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Olivia Garcia (Hoppe) Ph.D., Esperanza United

 

Olivia García (Hoppe), Ph.D. has worked as a freelance consultant for Colorado nonprofits like Voces Unidas de las Montañas providing support in strategy, research, policy advocacy and coalition building. Some of her successes in Colorado include facilitating a community conversation with Senator Hickenlooper and presenting at the UnidosUS annual conference in Las Vegas, NV to discuss working with a divided Congress. Prior to moving to Colorado, Director of Public Policy at Esperanza United, which is a Latina organization that grew from a small domestic violence program to a national organization focused on the prevention, intervention, and advocacy for gender-based violence survivors. Some of her recent accomplishments include managing a small team of professionals in monitoring federal and state legislation related to domestic violence, human trafficking, and crime victimization. Some of the shared victories include the passage of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Dr. García also served as an American Political Science Association (APSA) 2021-2022 Congressional Fellow with Senator Cortez Masto’s office from Nevada. In this capacity, two of Dr. Garcia’s initiatives were introduced as legislation. She received the honor of a William A. Steiger Fund for Legislative Studies from the APSA. Dr. García has a background in advocacy, training and research related to gender-based violence that spans 10 years and an additional five years in higher education administration. She completed her doctorate in Political Science from UCLA with an emphasis on Race and Ethnicity Politics, Gender Studies and Political Theory. Her research focuses on the Violence Against Women Act and the ways in which the theory of intersectionality is absent from policy, although it is a necessary consideration when on-the-ground advocates are helping survivors of intimate partner violence. Dr. García is an affiliate lecturer for the University of Texas at El Paso’s Criminal Justice and Chicano Studies Departments. She has taught American Government and Public Policy courses at various universities across the United States. Dr. García also contributes to a pipeline mentoring program for students interested in public policy.

Dr. Nicole Ferguson, Mariposa Center for Safety 

 

Dr. S. Nicole Ferguson is the current Executive Director of Mariposa Center for Safety, formerly the YWCA of Pueblo. Mariposa assists Pueblo County and surrounding areas with resources and support for victims of domestic violence, family violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. Prior to her arrival at Mariposa, Dr. Ferguson served as the Director of Compliance/Title IX Coordinator/ADA Coordinator at Colorado State University Pueblo. Dr. Ferguson holds a PhD in Leadership and Policy from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, a master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and a bachelors in Psychology. Dr. Ferguson’s career has been largely based around behavioral intervention and the development of policy around behavioral intervention and support. Throughout her career, Dr. Ferguson has had the opportunity to work in the fields of mental health, law enforcement, the judicial system, and higher education. Dr. Ferguson serves on a number of Boards and Commissions within Pueblo County including the mayor’s Energy Commission, City Streetscapes Committee, the City/County Commission on Housing and Homelessness, among others. Dr. Ferguson lives in Pueblo with her two dogs, Belle and Ariel, who love to adventure into the mountains, rivers, and lakes in Colorado. You can often find her and her dogs on a paddleboard at Lake Pueblo.
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