In
2004, Judge Mary Helen Maley (Santa Cruz County Justice Court),
in collaboration with Dr. Linda Mills (New York University’s
Center on Violence and Recovery), decided to develop a program
that would meet the needs of underserved family violence victims
in Santa Cruz County in a holistic, culturally sensitive manner.
Maley convened a diverse group of fifty community leaders from
law enforcement, health and social services and faith based
communities to craft a program. The result was the establishment
of Circles of Peace. Since then, Circles of Peace has been successfully
treating families affected by domestic violence as well as mobilizing
the community into action around this issue. Circles of Peace
now represents a model for discussion and replication across
the nation.
The
Center on Violence and Recovery at New York University was awarded
a grant in 2004 by the National Science Foundation to study
the Circles of Peace program in comparison to the local Batterers
Intervention Programs. The study has been completed. Please
call our office for more information.
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| Judi
Lopez serves as the Interim Director at Circles of
Peace. She received her bachelor’s degree in Educational
Psychology from Prescott College. She is a member of the Santa
Cruz County Coordinated Response Team and Task Force Against
Domestic Violence dedicated to educating and advocating for
the reduction of violence in the community. She continues her
mission by working at Circles of Peace where she provides direct
services to families, facilitates community trainings and actively
volunteers in Santa Cruz and Pima County. She is proud to work
alongside extraordinary individuals who share in a steadfast
commitment to reduce violence in the community.
Deena
Stewart serves as Clinical
Director for Circles of Peace. Deena Stewart graduated from
Arizona State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology,
and later earned two Master's Degrees from Ottawa University,
focusing on Developmental, Forensic, and Clinical Assessment.
Ms. Stewart has over 20 years of experience in the field of
domestic violence counseling, helping people with co-occurring
substance abuse, mental health, trauma, and developmental concerns.
She has also conducted research on Organizational Development,
Gender Issues, and Offender Treatment, while serving as the
chair of Pima County Domestic Violence Task Force Committees.
Ms. Stewart is the Clinical Director for Old Pueblo Counseling's
and for Circles of Peace.
Zarina
Hernandez is a Circle
Keeper at Circles of Peace. Zarina has been conducting Circles
since September of 2007. She has a Bachelor's degree in Human
Services from the University of Phoenix and an Associates degree
in Early Childhood Education
from Central Arizona College. Zarina is also a teacher and has
worked for Child Parents Centers: Head Start for almost 15 years.
Zarina is a native from Nogales, Arizona, married with three
children.
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Blanca
Acosta is a Circle
Keeper at Circles of Peace. She has been working in the Social
work field since 1999, serving as a Health Promoter in various
programs providing education, training and advocacy for low
income families. She also has over two years of experience
as a facilitator for non-violence programs. Her main interest
is preventing domestic violence in order to strengthen individuals,
families and the community. Along with serving as a Circle
Keeper, Blanca works for Child Parent Centers: Head Start
as a Health and Nutrition Specialist for the past 4 years.
She was born in Mexico and has lived in Arizona for 19 years.
She is married and has three teenagers. Blanca is working
towards a Bachelors degree in Human Services.
Peggy
Delgadillo is a Circle Keeper at Circles of Peace.
She has a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology and multiple
teaching credentials. She is finishing her doctorate in Clinical
Psychology at Saybrook Graduate School, where she also completed
a certificate program in Expressive Arts with Natalie Rogers,
the daughter of Carl Rogers, one of the founders of Humanistic
Psychology. She has studied with a number of other well known
art therapy experts. For two years she was a teacher in Nogales,
Arizona at Pimeria Alta Academy, an accommodation junior high/high
school. And her Ph.D. dissertation project involves designing
a curriculum for equine assisted therapy/learning for her
former students and other at risk adolescents.
Executive
Director to be announced.
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Circles
of Peace has been chosen as one of Harvard Kennedy School's
Ash Institute Top 50 Innovation in Government! considered the
nation's premier public sector honor, the innovations in American
Government Awards program is annual award that recognizes exemplary
models of innovative government in all domestic policy areas.
Specifically,
Circles of Peace was one of eight semi-finalists for the Annie
E. Casey Innovations Award specifically for children and Family
System Reform in 2008.
For
more information about these awards, visit the following links:
•
Top
50 Innovations in Government
•
Children
and Family System Reform Semifinalists
* Please contact
us to find out the next date of our community member
orientation or click on Events.
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