As the Director of Crime Victim Services, Terri brings extensive experience in victim advocacy, crisis intervention, case collaboration, and professional leadership. Her dedication to victims, justice, and advocates spans more than 15 years.
Following a career as a public librarian, Terri began her victim advocacy work with ten years at New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services in Owensboro, Kentucky, where she first served as a volunteer rape crisis advocate. She was promoted to the agency’s first full-time advocate position and ultimately to Advocacy Coordinator. That foundation led to roles as Grant Director for a U.S. Department of Justice Campus Program Grant at Brescia University and Court Services Supervisor at OASIS Intimate Partner Violence Shelter.
In addition to supporting victims in emergency departments, law enforcement agencies, and courts, she has trained police, prosecutors, forensic nurses, and child protection professionals and facilitated the Green River Regional Sexual Assault Interagency Council. Terri has provided training statewide as an adjunct instructor with the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training, and the Kentucky Victim Assistance Academy.
Terri earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and a certificate in trauma and resilience from Florida State University. She has been credentialed in Kentucky as a sexual assault advocate and a domestic violence advocate. She is a nationally credentialed victim advocate through the National Organization for Victim Advocacy.
She completed citizens’ police academies with the Owensboro Police Department and Kentucky State Police Post 16 and was honored to receive the 2023 Voice for Change Award from New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services.
She is proud to serve the victims of Fayette County and honored to be part of the Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, putting victims first for the betterment of our community.