ABOUT

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Advocates’ Values:

Compassion – Empowerment – Collaboration – Boldness – Equity

Founded in 1983, Advocates began providing services for victims of domestic violence. Since then, Advocates launched a 24/7 crisis hotline, established a confidential safehouse for victims fleeing abusive situations, expanded services to victims of sexual assault, and developed a robust social change program to prevent violence before they happen.

The devastating impacts of violence on individuals and the community cannot be overstated. Beyond providing support for victims and survivors as they navigate healing, medical, and legal processes, Advocates also collaborates with schools, businesses, and organizations throughout the community. With greater awareness and developing necessary skills together, we can improve equity and make everyone safer.

Meet Our Team

Advocates of Routt County has assembled an extraordinary team of professionals with a dynamic range of experience. Beyond the immense compassion they bring to this work, their efforts also draw upon their time in government, legal, business, technology, education, juvenile justice, media, service, creative, and other sectors as well.

MARK FITZGERALD

MARK FITZGERALD

Executive Director

“Nothing endures but change” – Heraclitus

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Mark’s varied experience as a business owner, nonprofit board member, analyst, and software developer — across trades ranging from banking, healthcare, craft brewing, and the resort industry – has provided him a diversity of experience instrumental in helping Advocates improve processes, formalize procedures, and assist with a wide assortment of tasks. Approaching problems with creativity and a business perspective while guided by our mission is helping build a foundation for a stronger, more efficient organization that will endure for years to come.

MILENA MUNAR

MILENA MUNAR

Bilingual Advocate & Shelter Manager

“When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on” – LL Cool J

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Milena Munar is the Shelter Manager and Bilingual Victim Advocate for Advocates of Routt County. When she started at Advocates, she also began serving as an Interpreter and Translator for Integrated Community. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 2013, Milena taught English as a Second Language at Universidad Libre in her home country of Colombia and taught grade school students as well. Milena is passionate about helping our community and working to support local immigrant populations through their unique challenges. To become as effective as possible, she is also pursuing a degree at Colorado Mountain College to become a paralegal. In her free time, Milena loves travelling and enjoying time with her family.

GRAHAM HACKETT

GRAHAM HACKETT

Social Change Program Manager

“The world owes us nothing. We owe each other the world.” – Ani DiFranco

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Graham Hackett serves as the Social Change Program Manager for Advocates of Routt County. A lifelong educator and justice advocate, Graham spent years working with juvenile inmates as part of a regional gang violence initiative in North Carolina, which instilled a deep understanding of social conditions, impacts of trauma, and the roots of toxic masculine behavior. In 2014, he designed and led a touring program Culture of Consent serving colleges across the United States, before becoming Director of Prevention Programs for Our Voice, the rape crisis center for Buncombe County, NC. In his current position with Advocates Graham designs and leads original workshop programs and events for schools, businesses, and the community.

JULIA LUCIANO

JULIA LUCIANO

Youth Advocate

“…think of those flowers you plan in the garden each year. They will teach you that people too must wilt, fall, root, rise in order to bloom.” – Rupi Raur

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In Julia’s current role, she provides ongoing support, resources, and education to child and teen victims impacted by domestic violence or sexual assault. Julia’s previous experience includes serving as a Victim Advocate for Advocates of Routt County and the Community-Based Mentoring Manager at Partners of Routt County. She also previously worked as the Prevention Education Manager at the SAVA Center in Fort Collins where she developed and facilitated sexual assault prevention groups and presentions for school-aged youth as well as assisted in implementing Sexual Assault Resource Team (SART) Peers, a peer-to-peer education program. Julia currently sits on the Colorado Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee providing recommendations to colleges and universities adapting to the new Title IX regulations.

CHELSIE HOLMES

CHELSIE HOLMES

Confidential Advocate

“Leave your pain here and go out and do your magnificent things.” – Judge Rosemarie Aquilina (Larry Nassar case)

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Chelsie has years of experience working with survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. She became passionate about this work as a volunteer first responder in college. Later, she supported survivors with finding safe housing and accomplishing other goals as a case manager in a domestic violence shelter in metro Detroit. After a couple of years, she transitioned into court advocacy, supporting survivors through every stage of the legal process. Chelsie also has experience educating teen girls on the topics of healthy relationships and consent. She has traveled extensively among several Latin American countries and speaks Spanish fluently. Chelsie recently moved to Steamboat Springs, and is now a Victim Advocate with Advocates of Routt County.

HANNAH SROOR

HANNAH SROOR

Confidential Advocate

“We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it… if only we’re brave enough to be it.”

– Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb

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Hannah currently serves as a Victim Advocate with Advocates of Routt County. Within this role she is dedicated to helping survivors navigate the many challenges and feelings that arise after a violence experience. She is also passionate about collaborating with staff and the community to find innovative ways to reach the most underserved populations within Routt County.

Hannah‘s previous experience as an advocate includes her time as a Shelter Advocate and Art Program Coordinator at The Willow Domestic Violence Center in Lawrence, Kansas. While at The Willow, she also served as the Rural Outreach Coordinator where she worked to provide awareness about domestic violence and human trafficking to rural communities.This included providing healthy relationship support groups both in the community and the jails, facilitating trainings about trauma informed practices for community agencies working with survivors, and one-on-one support to folks who had experienced domestic violence or human trafficking. She also served as a member of The Willow’s Policy and Procedure Team where she collaborated with staff advocates to reimagine policies and procedures that were trauma-informed and survivor-centered. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid, trained in Applied Suicide Intervention, and has been a certified trainer through the Traumatic Stress Institute for their Risking Connection Curriculum.

She loves the outdoors no matter the season, and some of her favorite activities include biking, hiking and kayaking! She is very passionate about social justice, and believes Black Lives Matter.

Board of Directors

BETTER TOMORROW BOARD

Alyssa “La La” Cartmill

Board President

Brie Neppl

Board Vice President

Justin Keys

Board Treasurer

Bryce Martin

Board Secretary

Jordan Beall

Cecilia Escobar-Ceballos

Jennifer Przymus

ADVOCATES STEERING COMMITTEE

Carla Portigal

Maria Paula Gonzalez

Pamela Serna

Chelsie Holmes

Graham Hackett

Interested in joining our Board or Steering Committee?

Contact mark@advocatesrc.org

Confidentiality

Racial Justice Commitment

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