Leadership Team
Executive Director
Director, National Crime Victim Bar Association
Renée Williams
Renée is the executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime. She also serves as the director of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, an affiliate program of the National Center. Before taking the helm of the NCVBA, Renée was the executive director of a legal services organization in Pittsburgh, which focused on the legal rights of victims of domestic violence and other indigent clients. Renée is seasoned in nonprofit leadership, also serving as a board member for Athena International and Voices in Action.
Renée is passionate and stays connected to the community as well. She mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters, volunteers at Children’s National Hospital, and advocates for children as a court-appointed special advocate. For these efforts, she has been recognized as an Athena Young Professional Finalist, named one of Pittsburgh’s 40 under 40, and received a Jefferson Award. Renée completed her undergraduate studies in theatre arts at Point Park University and subsequently received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Law.
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
Deidre Watford
Deidre Watford is the chief marketing and communications officer at the National Center, bringing over 35 years of experience in strategic planning, project management, creative direction and project budgeting. She worked at several local and national advertising agencies in New York and Richmond, Virginia, before deciding to harness the power of the relationships she had built over the years. In 2005, she founded JosMar & Associates where she became known for being flexible, diverse, independent, and dedicated to her clients. She quickly became the go-to resource for many diverse clients in the Richmond area. In 2013 she founded and still operates as president of The MJW Foundation, which was founded in honor of her mother, a trailblazer for the marginalized communities of the South Bronx. The MJW Foundation is an early childhood development organization which serves the underserved communities in the South Bronx by introducing cultural experiences and educational support to our young children. She has a passion for service and puts that passion to work at the National Center by helping to guide the messaging to our victim communities and advocates.
Chief Programs Officer
Iva Rody
Iva Rody is the chief programs officer at the National Center for Victims of Crime. Iva brings over 26 years of victim services leadership, program development, and management in both government and nonprofit sectors. She leads solutions-based programming that emphasizes the importance of holistic wellness for victims, families, and communities and regularly mentors victim service professionals and organizations. With extensive experience in victim services programming, she has led innovative technology-based initiatives that promote access to critical resources. Iva has been recognized by the Arizona attorney general for distinguished service and innovative practices and the International Association of Chiefs of Police for excellence in victim services. She is a faculty member at Arizona State University and serves as a subject matter expert for various national initiatives. Iva is a peer reviewer for the U.S. Department of Justice, a longstanding member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Victim Services Committee, the FBI Victim Services ELEVATE Workgroup, and a board member for the National Center for Prevention of Community Violence. In these roles, she advocates for safety, justice, and healing for crime victims and communities.
Directors
Senior Director, Events and Special Projects
Katy Maskolunas
Katy Maskolunas is the senior director of events and special projects at the National Center, where she oversees the planning of the annual National Training Institute and manages the National Center’s work related to victim involvement in criminal justice reform, including the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge. She has worked in many different roles during her years at the National Center, including on the National Crime Victim Bar Association, National Compassion Fund, and DC Victim Hotline. Before joining the National Center, she worked as a graduate intern at the Arlington County Police Department in Virginia, specializing in homeland security. Katy holds a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Marymount University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Georgia.
Deputy Director, Center of Victims and Survivor Services
John Kemp
John Kemp is the deputy director of the Center of Victims and Survivor Services, overseeing both the national VictimConnect and local DC Victim hotlines. He brings over 10 years experience in the social services field including an extensive background in housing services, ranging from roles as a case manager on an assertive community treatment team to an assistant director of permanent supportive housing. John is an avid supporter of the arts, donating his time to serve on the board of directors for a local arts agency and frequently volunteering his time to support artists at theater shows and community events.
Deputy Director, Center for Victim Service Professionals
Daniel Torrez
Daniel is the deputy director of the Center for Victim Service Professionals at the National Center. Before this, he served as the victim offender dialogue (VOD) coordinator with the Arizona Department of Corrections. He helped establish the first VOD program in Arizona and conducted several dialogues where he experienced firsthand the restorative justice and healing effect on all participants. Daniel served 21 years as a military police officer in the U.S. Army and participated in humanitarian/disaster relief, United Nations peacekeeping and combat operations. He served as a patrol supervisor, sexual assault victim advocate, SRT (SWAT) member, non-lethal weapons instructor, master trainer, and was a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, The Old Guard. Daniel also served as a federal law enforcement officer and university director of public safety. He is the former board vice-chair for the National Association of Victim Assistance in Corrections and a current member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. Daniel holds a master’s degree in business and organizational security management from Webster University, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and criminology and a certified public manager designation from Arizona State University. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Institute through the National Victim Assistance Academy.