ORTNER CENTER ON VIOLENCE & ABUSE

The Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse is a collaborative effort of faculty and students at the University of Pennsylvania who research issues related to violence and abuse against women & girls.

The Center is a vital resource for policy makers, agency directors, researchers, and educators as they search for ways to end violence and abuse against women and girls. In addition to publishing research findings in scholarly journals, Center affiliates teach related graduate and undergraduate courses at Penn. We also testify before policymakers, collaborate with community-based organizations, and reach the general public through various media outlets.

Students working together in class

Our Mission

Safe Daughters. Confident Women. Strong Society.

Our Vision

The mission of the Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse in Relationships is to

  • Investigate the correlates and consequences of violence and abuse against women and girls in domestic and intimate relations
  • Educate the next generation of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers
  • Translate research findings to policy and practice
  • Engage community and university stakeholders to prevent violence and abuse, create conditions for health, well-being and flourishing for women and girls and, thus, make society stronger.
PENN FACULTY FELLOWS

Penn Faculty Fellows

SCHOLARS

Scholars

FELLOWS

Fellows

RESEARCH

Research

ISSUES

Issues

Faculty and students who are part of the Ortner Center study the remarkable range of abuse and violence against women and girls, the context in which it occurs, and how best to help those who have been victimized and survived. These succinct summaries provide a glimpse into some of the issues.

The Endemic Amid the Pandemic: Seeking Help for Violence against Women in the Initial Phases of COVID-19

The Endemic Amid the Pandemic: Seeking Help for Violence against Women in the Initial Phases of COVID-19 shows that things are not as straightforward as many might think.

Firearms and Intimate Partner Violence: Scope and Policy Implications

Firearms and Intimate Partner Violence: Scope and Policy Implications reviews policy levers by which to reduce risks posed by abusers with firearms.

Q&A with Erin Hartman

Q&A with Erin Hartman, Penn graduate and Ortner Center alum, on the Ortner Center being a hub for her launching a career in reducing gender-based violence.

From Cell to Home

From Cell to Home is a project of the Ortner Center and Penn Law’s Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice. Penn students are helping secure the release of women incarcerated in Pennsylvania.

No Visible Bruises

No Visible Bruises is the title of a compelling 2019 book. It also is a hallmark of particularly pernicious form of abuse, strangulation.

Parents and Campus Sexual Assault

Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C)

Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) in the U.S. is the focus of pioneering Ivona Percec, Penn Medicine faculty and Ortner Faculty Fellow.

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Student Opportunities

RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

The Ortner Center offers competitive seed grants to support student-developed research projects. The purpose of the funding is to support independent, innovative, student-initiated research projects that will contribute to the knowledge surrounding intimate partner violence and will enhance the research skills of students so as to better prepare them for their future work as scholars. Awards range from $1000-$4000 and are contingent upon the budget justification provided by the applicant. Proposals from students at all levels and in all Schools are considered. Priority is given to applications from doctoral students. Application guidelines can be found below.

TRAVEL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

The Ortner Center conference travel grant program supports doctoral students attending professional conferences that will advance their careers. Students are encouraged to apply to present their research at the conferences although being a presenter is not a requirement.

Eligibility & Allocation

Doctoral students enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply to the Ortner Center for a travel grant if they do not have other funding available to them through their own School or elsewhere. If the costs of attending a conference exceed those available through other sources, students may apply to the Ortner Center for supplemental funding. Funds will be made available taking into account the number of students applying, the availability of other travel funds, the amount requested, and previous travel funding from the Ortner Center.

Guidelines

Travel grant money may be used for transportation to the conference site, conference registration, lodging, and meals. For students who are presenting their work in a poster session, funds also may be used to cover costs of poster printing.

Priority will be given to applications for travel to conferences that include content related to violence within families or intimate relationships.

Applicants should consider the most economical options in developing the proposed budgets (the most economical form of travel, sharing accommodations when possible/appropriate, early student registration when available, etc.).

For conferences in the United States or Canada or Mexico, students can apply for grants of up to $1000. For other conferences, students can apply for grants of up to $1500. Faculty and students associated with the Ortner Center will review all applications and make final determinations about awards.

A commitment for travel support will be made by the Ortner Center prior to the conference. Funds will be made available on an actual cost basis (i.e., receipts).

Students presenting at a conference are asked to acknowledge the Ortner Center in their presentation materials (e.g., posters, handouts, slides).

STUDENT FELLOWS

Student Fellows

2023-2024

Elizabeth Weise
The Wharton School

2022-2023

Lena Burleson
School of Social Policy & Practice

Elizabeth Weise
The Wharton School

2021-2022

2020-2021

Dana Barnes
School of Social Policy & Practice

Nikita Bastin
School of Arts & Sciences

Lauren Ferreira Cardoso
School of Social Policy & Practice

Paige Fishman
School of Arts & Sciences

Connor Scarlett Hardy
School of Arts & Sciences

Heta Patel
Health & Societies

Angelina Ruffin
School of Social Policy & Practice

Lordess Shabazz
School of Social Policy & Practice

2019-2020

Caitlin Axtmayer
School of Social Policy & Practice

Emily Grace Berkowitz
School of Social Policy & Practice

Clare Choi
School of Arts & Sciences

Sarah Fortinsky
Political Science

Tanya Jain
Health & Societies

Natasha Danielá McGlynn
School of Arts & Sciences

Sonia Reardon
School of Arts & Sciences

Aminat Balogun
Health & Societies

Ana Michelle Bowens
School of Social Policy & Practice

Madison Dawkins
School of Arts & Sciences

Alison Fedoris
School of Social Policy & Practice

Ally Johnson
School of Arts & Sciences

Payal Pal
School of Social Policy & Practice

Adina Pomeranz
School of Social Policy & Practice

2018-2019

Mira Bajaj
Cognitive Sciences

Rachel Benjamin
School of Social Policy & Practice

Blanca Castro
School of Social Policy & Practice

Samantha Daniels
School of Social Policy & Practice

Michelle Donnelly
School of Social Policy & Practice

Tugce Ellialti
School of Arts & Sciences

Anna Estep
School of Engineering and Applied Science

Erin Hartman
School of Nursing

Nia Kaudo
School of Arts & Sciences

Danielle Kennedy
Perelman School of Medicine

Linda Lin
School of Arts & Sciences

Xochitl Luna Marti
Perelman School of Medicine

Meghana Nallajerla
School of Arts & Sciences

Makayla Reynolds
School of Arts & Sciences

Kelly Sagastume
School of Social Policy & Practice

Leticia Salazar
School of Arts & Sciences

Kate Sohn
Health & Societies

Isabel Taccheri
School of Social Policy & Practice

Greta Yucong Lu
School of Arts & Sciences

Abbie Zislis
Health & Societies

2017-2018

Isabella Auchus
Psychology

Irtiqa Fazili
Health & Societies

Sydney Giller
Graduate School of Education

Travis Labrum
School of Social Policy & Practice

Eleanora Mei
School of Arts & Sciences

Elizabeth Novack
School of Nursing

Robyn Oster
School of Arts & Sciences

Devan Spear
School of Arts & Sciences

Roshani Waas
School of Nursing

Olivia Webb
Heatlh & Societies

Jenny Wolff
School of Social Policy & Practice

2016-2017

Aliya Hamid Rao
School of Arts & Sciences

Rebecca Schut
School of Arts & Sciences

Rui Shi
Annenberg School for Communication

Havian Vidal Nicholas
School of Nursing

Jingwen Zhang
Annenberg School for Communication

2015-2016

Alexander Izydorczyk
Economics and Statistics

Su Kyung Kim
School of Nursing

2014-2015

Maryam Akbari
Perelman School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine

2011-2012

Lizzie Sivitz
School of Arts & Sciences

2010-2011

Matt Amalfitano
Health & Societies

Manisha Joshi
School of Social Policy & Practice

Kristie A. Thomas
School of Social Policy & Practice

Tiffany Dovydaitis Kim
School of Nursing

EXECUTIVE PROGRAM

Executive Program

The Executive Program in Leadership Strategy for Violence & Abuse Prevention, was the first and only executive program for people and organizations working to end violence and abuse. Whether you’re just starting out or the Executive Director of an established agency, this program will enhance your strategic leadership and management skills for more effective social impact work.

The executive program in Leadership Strategy for Violence & Abuse Prevention was put on hold during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic which reverberated across the globe. We are pausing, gathering information, reassessing, and adapting. Whatever emerges from our reboot, we remain steadfast in the Ortner Center vision – Safe Daughters, Confident Women, Strong Society.

TEACHING FELLOWS

Katie Marshall

Katie Marshall

Katie Marshall was in the inaugural cohort of the Ortner Center’s Executive Certificate program in Social Impact Strategy in 2019.A guiding intention throughout her career has been supporting college students in developing more healthy and productive lives. She is a licensed professional counselor and founded StandforState, Penn State’s bystander intervention initiative. She spearheaded its inception, development, and implementation from 2013-2019. Since launching university-wide in 2016, 250+ instructors have been certified; 7000+ students, faculty, and staff have been trained; and 36%of students at the main campus can articulate steps to intervene in risky situations. She has held positions in Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Health Promotion and Wellness offices at Penn State. Marshall earned degrees in Education and Psychology from York College, Nebraska. She completed a dual-title ME.d. in Counselor Education and Comparative & International Education from Penn State University. She provides consultation and mentorship on developing initiatives around social impact as well as bystander intervention.

Lisa Quattlebaum

Lisa Quattlebaum

Lisa is an activist, innovator, and changemaker. Her professional leadership path has neither been linear nor without obstacle, particularly as a GenXwoman of color and single mom. Television network publicist, children’s book designer, restaurant business manager, and educator are a few of her past career iterations. A native Philadelphian, Lisa lived in Asia for 12 years and holds advanced degrees inArt, Education and Social Impact Strategy. As the founder of The Homesteadista, she’s missioned to leverage narrativerich media, including solutions-based journalism, to explore the intersection of women’s leadership and urban revival.

Through safe and highly collaborative spaces, she hopes to position women as instigators or social justice and vital partners in the movement to create safe, thriving, and inclusive cities.

Lordess Shabazz

Lordess Shabazz

Lordess Shabazz is a first year graduate student of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice Nonprofit Leadership Program. She currently works as the Job Development Regional Manager of Avanzar’s Displaced Homemaker and Self Sufficiency Services Program in both Atlantic and Mercer Counties of New Jersey. She advocates for the economic security and financial self sufficiency of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors. She is passionate about exposing and combating the often hidden effects of financial abuse, especially within marginalized groups. She most recently participated in the Rutgers University School of Social Work’s New Jersey Victim Assistance Academy where she further developed core competencies in serving and supporting persons in crisis. As both a student fellow and teaching fellow of the Ortner Center on Violence and Abuse, she is elated to engage with the current and next generation of violence prevention practitioners.

Lindsay Young

Lindsey Young

Lindsay is the founder of the SisterGirl Collective, an organization that celebrates black women’s tradition of intergenerational gathering through storytelling. She has a passion for advocating for women and girls and sees storytelling as an effective tool for community healing, inspiration, action and understanding. She has over ten years of professional experience that includes serving as legal counsel for financial institutions, acting as Executive Director of a literacy and youth development non-profit supporting students in Ghana and advising startup companies in strategy and operational matters. Lindsay holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, a BA in Political Science from Spelman College and an Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from University of Pennsylvania.

PROGRAM GRADUATES

2020

Margaret Ackerman

Samina Ahsan

Maria Altonen

Katie Amber

Shannon Dunne

Kira-Lynn Ferderber

Sarah Fitzgibbons

Alicia Fuller

Dorislee Gilbert

Sara Giza

Cindy Gross

Nayanika Guha

Laurel Soleil Lyla Lambkin

Nicole Lawrence-White

Ivette Izea-Martinez

Danielle Moore

Luisa C. Murillo

Nwando Ofankansi

Allison O’Malley

Suzannah Rogan

Alana Sacks

Khnuma Simmonds

Jackie Strohm

Natalie Teague

2019

Genevieve Berrick

Artaga Carey

Gabrielle Crowley

Vicki Francois, Esq

Michelle Hickman Harrington

Monique Howard, EdD, MPH

Nicole Kelner

Melodie Kruspodin

Lauren Lockwood

Johnna Marcus, LSW

Katie Marshall

Lisa Quattlebaum

Sarah Sullivan

Darlene Szeles

Azucena Ugarte

Alyasha Walker

Student Fellows

2020-2021

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2019-2020

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2018-2019

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2017-2018

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2016-2017

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2015-2016

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2014-2015

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2013-2014

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2012-2013

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Contact us

Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse

Engage, share, and discuss the latest news from the Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse

ortnercenter@upenn.edu

Address

Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse

University of Pennsylvania

3815 Walnut St.

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Apply

Apply to become a Fellow with the Center.