About us

Venita Garvin, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, has a Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health from Tennessee State University.

Her career spans thirty years in Executive and Senior Leadership roles in Vocational Rehabilitation, Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Child Advocacy, Workforce Development, and Homelessness. During her career, Venita has honed the following competencies: Grant Writing, Resource Development, Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Community Organizing. She has a proven record of securing over forty million dollars in federal, state, and private foundation funding. Venita is registered and serves as a grant reviewer for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) federal grant programs and non-profit program funding.

Venita is the inaugural/first Executive Director of the Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. Venita was selected as the Executive Director of the newly formed and federally recognized statewide sexual assault coalition for Delaware in October 2020.  In her role as Executive Director, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations wearing several hats, including but not limited to governance, fundraising and development, strategic planning, creating and implementing community education programs, and providing training and technical assistance to rape crisis and sexual assault centers. She also advocates for policy changes to support victims and survivors of sexual assault while building a coalition of committed Delawareans on the issue of sexual assault and violence.

Venita has experienced a lot of firsts in her lifetime. She was the first African American Director for the battered women’s program of the YWCA in Cincinnati, Ohio, and YWCA of Richmond, Virginia. She was the first African American Chief Executive officer of the Domestic Abuse Shelter of the Florida Keys, the first African American President of the former Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the first African American Female President of Blue Ridge Institute for Southeastern Executive Leaders in 2017 since the Institute’s inception in 1927. 

Past honors have included Woman of the Year, Employer of the Year, the President’s Award from the Southernmost Homeless Assistance League, and the Diversity-First Award from the National Diversity Council for her commitment to diversity, equity,  and inclusion. 

Venita is the mother of sons Garvin and Joshua Valdez. She has co-authored two books, “Becoming Your Own Best Friend” and “Life is an Attitude, the Power of Positive Living.” She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

Cora relocated to Delaware in November 2022. She joined DAASV as the Sexual Violence Prevention Specialist in October 2024. Cora graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. She has since worked in various fields, including refugee services, community mental health, workforce development, and sexual violence prevention. Outside of work, Cora enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and their dog, Ollie.

Rian, a long-time and passionate advocate for sexual violence survivors, comes to the Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence with clinical, macro, and direct service experience in human services. Originally from New Jersey, Rian received her Bachelor's in Child Advocacy from Montclair State University. She is passionate about advocating for survivors, educating on the intersections between sexual violence and systemic oppression, and partnering with like-minded individuals and organizations to work toward tangible changes for sexual violence survivors. 

Rian’s motivation for this work is rooted in survivors' resilience. She finds inspiration in community connections, continuous learning, and Delaware’s mighty advocates. 

In her personal time, Rian enjoys spending time with her three children, planting plants, traveling, and trying new restaurants. She loves a good adventure, an eclectic music playlist, podcasts, and books. 

Shelby Statham has been involved in the sexual and domestic violence movement for 10 years. Her experience spans initiatives such as campus sexual violence advocacy, supporting survivors as a sexual assault victim advocate, and prevention initiatives at both the state-wide domestic violence and sexual violence coalitions in Delaware. 

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She is currently a candidate for her Masters in Social Services at Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research.  A commitment to trauma informed and anti-oppressive practice is central to Shelby's work. Her motivation for advancing systemic change is driven by the stories of hurt, hope, and healing that survivors have trusted to share with her. She seeks to honor these experiences by helping build a world where prevention of all sexual violence is possible.