Creating a community of restoration, empowerment, and healing.
why we exist
Our mission:
We create equitable healing and dignified experiences for survivors of crime. We provide free, trauma-informed advocacy, therapeutic, and legal services in conjunction with strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and education to transform existing responses to harm.
What we value:
Innovation
Volare values community-driven innovation and resourcefulness. Seeking input from the community, we support our staff in ventures to think “outside of the box” to better serve our clients and community members. We recognize that staff, clients, and communities are pools of resources and catalysts for change.
Equity and allyship
Volare values diversity in its many forms. We are committed to reflecting the community within and tailoring our services to meet the unique needs of all crime victims, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, immigrant status, sexual orientation, or ability.
sustainable passion
Volare runs on the energy of our mission-driven services and passion. We actively promote self-care among our clients and with our clients. We dedicate ourselves to operating sustainable and efficient programs by collaborating with partner organizations, being fiscally sound, and building and maintaining community support.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We work toward system accountability, advocating against programs that contribute to future harm.
Volare’s Theory of Change is rooted in the belief that existing systems are inadequate to meet the diverse needs of survivors, particularly those from marginalized communities. Our team is trained in trauma-informed principles—principles we pass on to community members, legislators, and the media. We aim to bring about positive change to the criminal legal system, lobbying for survivor rights and improving collective responses to harm.
WHOM WE SUPPORT
Supporting our community.
Volare welcomes and supports all survivors of crime, firmly believing that there is no hierarchy of victimization. We ensure all survivors are treated with dignity and respect, and maintain fluid services that mold to each unique survivor experience.
We open our doors to all survivors of crime, including those from:
Any income bracket
Any gender identity or expression
Any race, ethnicity, religion, or background
Any immigrant status
Any country of origin
Any ability
How we speak
Words matter—so let’s open the glossary.
Survivor-defined justice
Ser-vai-ver dih-faind juhs-tis: noun
Survivor-defind justice is the pursuit of healing and justice done completely on a survivor’s terms. Choice and agency remains with the survivor, with all tools and pathways reflecting their unique experience.
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Restorative ecosystem
Reh-stor-uh-tiv ee-koh-sis-tuhm: noun
In a restorative ecosystem, systems—including schools, hospitals, and the justice system—support survivors and prevent trauma by addressing the root causes of crime.
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Trauma-informed principles
Traw-muh in-formd prin-suh-puhlz
Trauma-informed principles understand that the journey to healing should be rooted in safety, stability, empowerment, and choice, so as to not cause re-traumatization.
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HOW WE MAKE AN IMPACT
To date, Volare has empowered 11,000+ survivors.
…And we’re just getting started. In 2023 alone, our team showed up for survivor-defined justice in the following ways:
Free and safe rides
Provided to survivors to the hospital.
pro-bono hours
Dedicated to free legal services.
TOTAL CLIENTS
Served in 2023 alone.
hospital hours
Spent with clients.
BRIEF LEGAL ADVICE
Hours spent answering legal questions.
CRIME VICTIMS’ RIGHTS
Cases litigated (225 new, 52 continuing).
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Different paths, same purpose:
Better serve survivors of crime.
Volare was founded in 2012 as Network of Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC). Volare aimed to fill a gap to expand, support, and defend crime victims’ rights. In addition to providing legal and advocacy services, NVRDC provided crisis hospital response to sexual assault and rape survivors, maintaining a 100% response rate year one—advocating for survivors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Grounded in quality, reliability, and innovation, the question, “What else can we do?” quickly rippled throughout every Volare team member. As the continuum of wrap-around services grew, so did the organization itself, with Volare acquiring two nonprofits while launching over a dozen initiatives and special projects to better support underserved communities and/or victimizations. At one point during the COVID-19 pandemic, Volare was the sole organization offering crisis hospital response and advocacy programs for adults.
Today, Volare empowers survivors through one-on-one support and expansion of victims’ rights at the state and federal level. We aim to build a restorative ecosystem through innovative partnerships, trauma-informed education, and public policy advocacy.
WHO WE ARE
Meet our team.
We promote the sustainable passion of our staff, ensuring our team is adequately resourced, receive a living wage, and reflect the diversity of the community we serve.
Our leadership team
Our board
Miranda Petersen, Chair
Attorney, Williams & Connolly LLP
[she/her/hers]
Stephana J. Henry
Associate, Akin Gump
[she/her/hers]
Patrice Sulton
Executive Director, DC Justice Lab
[she/her/hers]
Mona Mittal
Associate Professor, University of Maryland
[she/her/hers]
Julia Gutierrez, Treasurer
Certified Public Accountant,
Graduate Student
[she/her/hers]
Chris Griffin, CPA
Partner, CohnReznick
Aryeh Kaufman
Assistant General Counsel – Executive Director, Wells Fargo Legal Department
Toni Jackson
Partner, Crowell & Moring
[she/her]
Kristin Sharp
CEO, Flex Association
[she/her]
Tracy S. Montgomery
Volunteer Event Coordinator and Fundraiser
[she/her]
Alicia J. Paller
Attorney, Hogan Lovells US LLP
[she/her/hers]
Whitney Case
Associate Director, US Department of Treasury
[she/her/hers]
Molly Levinson
Founder & CEO of The Levinson Group (TLG)
[she/her/hers]
Paulo Pontemayor
Director of Government Relations for the Catholic Health Association of the United States
[he/him/his]
Anne Carpenter, Secretary
Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP
Sulaksh Shah
Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
[he/him]
Stephanie Hales
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
[she/her]
Christa Heilman
Sales Strategy Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois
[she/her]