Teresa M. Stafford Named Chief Advocacy Officer

January 14, 2019

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has named Teresa M. Stafford as Chief Advocacy Officer.

As Chief Advocacy Officer and member of the Center’s executive team, Ms. Stafford will provide strategic oversight of the Center’s victim services and advocate for system-level changes needed to ensure all survivors, especially those from marginalized communities, are supported and have access to healing services.

“Teresa is a fierce advocate for survivors of rape and sexual abuse,” said Sondra Miller, President & CEO, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.  “We are proud that she will bring her extensive training and advocacy experience to her new role at the Center.”

Ms. Stafford provides training locally and nationally to law enforcement agencies regarding the dynamics of sexual violence and working with survivors of sexual assault, as well as consultation to communities developing Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs).

In addition to her current role, Ms. Stafford is the Cuyahoga County and Lake County SART Coordinator, serves as a member of the Ohio Attorney General’s SART Training Team, and the Cuyahoga County Untested Sexual Assault Kit Taskforce, and is a former Board President of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence.

Among the many recognitions Ms. Stafford has received for her work are the Gloria Pointer Award for Supporting Families of Victims, the Ohio Attorney General’s Robert Denton Achievement Award, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s Visionary Voice Award, and Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s Peter DeMarco Exemplary Service Award.

Ms. Stafford has served at Cleveland Rape Crisis Center in several roles since 2006, most recently as Senior Director of Victim Services and Outreach.  She has also served the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office as Witness-Victim Coordinator.

Ms. Stafford is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and holds a degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University.