News

Kirsti Mouncey Recipient of National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s Visionary Voice Award

April 29, 2016

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) and the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) are pleased to announce that Kirsti Mouncey, Chief Program Officer at CRCC, is the recipient of the 2016 Visionary Voice Award for Ohio.

CRCC Kirsti Mouncey

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) offers the Visionary Voice Award, in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) each April, to recognize the creativity and hard work of individuals around the country who have demonstrated outstanding work to end sexual violence. Each year, state, territory, and tribal coalitions select an outstanding individual to nominate for the awards. Nominees may be partners from a local community or other outstanding individuals that have worked to end sexual violence.

“Kirsti is a phenomenal leader who has positively impacted the lives of countless survivors and the sexual violence field, both in northeast Ohio and nationally,” stated Katie Hanna, Executive Director of OAESV, Ohio’s statewide sexual assault coalition. “Kirsti’s expertise in trauma-informed responses, as a clinician and advocate, is visible in any interaction you have with her. She embodies a supportive, trauma-informed individual and system response and it is with great joy that we present Kirsti with this year’s Visionary Voice Award.”

Kirsti Mouncey has worked at CRCC for more than 10 years and previously served as Trauma and Addictions Therapist and Vice President of Programs and Clinical Services. As the current Chief Program Officer, Kirsti provides leadership and supervision for the organization’s program directors, leads systems change efforts to ensure comprehensive services for survivors of sexual violence, and develops innovative programming for the expansion of rape crisis services in Northeast Ohio. Kirsti successfully led Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s first CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) Accreditation and has transformed the organization’s clinical services into a national model program for trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment.

“Kirsti is a tireless advocate for survivors of rape and sexual abuse and we are proud that she is receiving this recognition from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. “Her work at the Center over the past 10 years has assured that survivors of rape and sexual abuse in our community receive the support and assistance they need to heal and thrive.”

Kirsti will be presented with the Visionary Voice Award at OAESV’s annual conference, June 14-15, 2016, in Columbus.

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center supports survivors of rape and sexual abuse, promotes healing and prevention, and advocates for social change throughout Northeast Ohio. Each year, more than 28,000 people, one-third of them youth, find support by participating in the Center’s counseling, advocacy and education programs. To learn more about Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, visit www.clevelandrapecrisis.org.

As Ohio’s statewide coalition, OAESV advocates for comprehensive responses and rape crisis services for survivors and empowers communities to prevent sexual violence. To learn more about the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, visit www.oaesv.org.