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M
URIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
November 5, 2025
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section
2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1- 523.01), and pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 16 -1053, I am pleased to
nominate the following individual:
Ms. Leise Gergely
North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(Ward 5)
for appointment as a representative from a domestic violence housing organization member of the
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board , filling a vacant seat formerly held by Crystal Jacobs, for
the remainder of an unexpired term to end July 20, 2025, and for a subsequent term to end July 20,
2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor
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at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment of Leise Gergely to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the "Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Leise Gergely
Confirmation Resolution of 2025".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
Leise Gergely
North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(Ward 5)
as a representative from a domestic violence housing organization member of the Domestic
Violence Fatality Review Board, established by D.C. Official Code§ 16-1052, filling a vacant
seat formerly held by Crystal Jacobs, for the remainder of an unexpired term to end July 20,
2025, and for a term to end July 20, 2028.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
upon its adoption, to the nominee, and to the Office of the Mayor.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
Leise R. Gergely
(she/her/hers)
EXPERIENCE:
My Sister’s Place, Washington, DC
Aftercare, Community, and Exit Specialist, August 2024-Present
• Maintains regular contact with survivors who have exited MSP’s housing programs; offering case
management services, including emotional support, advocacy, and referrals to community-based
services as needed
• Conducts outreach to assist clients in building long-term supportive systems within their communities
• Plans and facilitates twice monthly Peer Empowerment Group, available to all MSP clients
• Arranges and hosts monthly Life Skills Workshops available to all MSP clients
Community Advocate, May 2020-August 2024
• Provided intensive case management services to women and children affected by domestic violence
• Responded to crisis situations and intervened as needed to resolve immediate problems
• Assisted with finding and securing housing, employment, financial assistance, education, etc.
• Offered guidance on financial literacy, life skills, and other applicable topics
FAIR Girls, Washington, DC
Direct Services Manager, May 2019-May 2020
• Provided supervision and support to case management team by identifying and providing experience
and education and supporting daily tasks
• Implemented and facilitated programs, groups, and workshops for clients in the Drop-In Center and
transitional shelter
• Served as liaison to the HOPE Court program; attends Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings,
case reviews, staffings, and hearings
Volare (Formerly Network for Victim Recovery of DC), Washington, DC
Contract Advocate, June 2019-Present
• Provides crisis advocacy and emotional support to survivors of sexual assault at area hospital
o Emotionally supports to survivors during law enforcement interviews as requested
o Sits with survivor during Sexual Assault Nurse Exam to provide support and information
o Is knowledgeable of and able to refer survivors to local and national resources
Senior Case Manager, June 2013-June 2019
• Fulfilled all responsibilities and tasks of a case manager as well as:
o Managed Contract Advocacy program; included training, scheduling, and
supervising 8 part-time advocates
o Provided day-to-day consultation to case management team on programmatic processes, difficult
cases, and resources
o Assisted program director with administrative duties and tasks related to program management
o Organized on-going case management staff education
Case Manager, June 2013-August 2016
• Provided crisis intervention services focused on enhancing client’s ability to independently
problem solve, use effective coping skills, and manage/self-coordinate own needs
• Referred survivors to services including medical treatment, compensation assistance, legal
support, therapeutic services, shelter, social and educational services
• Developed individualized empowerment plans with survivors addressing short and long-term goals
• Maintained accurate case records for project specific grant reporting
Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment, Inc., Washington, DC
On Call Advocacy Program (OCAP) Volunteer, May 2011-November 2014
• Answered calls from police/survivors/advocates on the OCAP line, a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week
crisis response to domestic violence in the DC Area
• Offered support and information about the justice system, social services, and emergency shelters
• Participated in 8-hour police ride-alongs to provide direct, in-person services at crime scenes
American Red Cross, National Headquarters, Washington, DC
Administrative Assistant, Corporate Partnerships, Development, July 2008-June 2010
• Monitored and tracked budget for team of 25+ in Raiser’s Edge and Team Approach
• Collaborated on high dollar grant applications
• Provided Administrative support, including traveling and event planning
The Young Women’s Project, Washington, DC
Teen Women in Action Training Associate, November 2007-June 2008
• Conducted high quality, effective trainings at DC High Schools about self-advocacy and sexual health
• Assessed support needs for individual teens and overall program
• Contributed to management, development, and issue work concerning teen women in DC
• Arranged for and provided support, peer counseling, advocacy, and social service referrals
Population Connection, Washington, DC
Field and Outreach Fellow, July 2007-November 2007
• Organized and provided information and logistical support to over 35,000 members, chapters, and
activists nationwide
• Hired, trained and supervised twelve Field Organizers from around the country
• Wrote and designed training materials
Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Delray Beach, Florida
Youth Intervention Specialist, July 2006- June 2007
• Educated, intervened, and empowered youth in relation to violence prevention through providing
direct services
• Maintained accurate records, grant-required statistics, and implemented program evaluation tools
• Maintained up-to-date program resources and outreach materials for use in the community
EDUCATION:
University of San Diego, San Diego, California
Graduate Level Certificate May 2023, Restorative Justice Facilitation
• Completed 3 required courses including 40-hour skill-building intensive
• Acquired a strong understanding of the philosophy and practice of restorative justice with an ethical
consideration of goals and consequences of various approaches to justice
• Worked with mentor to assure ability to use various applications of restorative justice from a cross-
cultural perspective
Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina
BA May 2006, Women’s Studies, Sociology, and Environmental Studies
•Received merit-based Presidential Scholarship, 2002-2006
•Eric Reid Memorial Award for exemplary campus involvement, April 2005
•Studied abroad in China under prestigious Freeman Foundation grant, Summer 2004
ACTIVITIES/SKILLS:
• DC Office Of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG) Address Confidentiality
Program (ACP) Application Assistant
• Active participant with the DC Coalition to End Sexual Violence (DCCESV)
• Was elected to and served on DC’s OVSJG Victim Assistance Network Leadership Council
• Attended 3-day training on Restorative Approaches to Sexual Harm & the Patriarchy
• Presented at national Conference on Crimes Against Women in April 2018; Survivor Defined
Paths to Justice, Recovery, and Graduation
E
xecutive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Lei
se Gergely
M
s. Leise R. Gergely is an Aftercare, Community, and Exit Specialist at
My Sister’s Place and has been combatting power -based violence since
2006. Before beginning work at My Sister’s Place in 2020, she was the
Direct Services Manager at FAIR Girls, where she worked with a team of
case managers to respond to and combat human trafficking in the DMV.
Before that, Ms. Gergely worked at Volare for six years, where she
provided crisis intervention to sexual assault survivors as well as on-going
case management to survivors of interpersonal crimes to help them
achieve survivor defined justice.
Ms. Gergely previously volunteered with DC Survivors and Advocates
for Empowerment (DC SAFE), where she supported their crisis response
line, providing emotional support and information to domestic violence survivors in crisis and
participated in outreach efforts with the Metropolitan Police Department to provide direct, in -
person services at crime scenes. Ms. Gergely also worked as a Training Associate at the Young
Women’s Project where she conducted high quality, effective training for youth around self -
advocacy and reproductive health. In April 2018, she presented at the National Conference on
Crimes Against Women on the importance of collaboration between campus and local
communities to best serve college survivors of sexual assault.
A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Gergely earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women’s Studies
from Guilford College and her master's level certificate in Restorative Justice Facilitation from the
University of San Diego.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: October 28, 2025
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Leise Gergely as a member of
the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
202-727-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish