Intensive Session: Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Probation, Parole, and Pretrial Supervision

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Michelle Toledo Cainas holds a bachelor's in criminal justice and a master's in Forensic Psychology. Throughout her career, she has been committed to designing, developing, and delivering high-impact training programs to empower professionals and communities working with survivors of domestic violence. Her experience includes developing a range of training, including in-person, workshop, multi-day training seminars, webinars, and e-learning courses. In addition, her commitment to promoting cultural responsibility was evident when she founded the Georgia Latinos Against Domestic Task Force (now a program for Ser Familia) to support advocates working with the Latino community. She has spoken at national conferences such as the Conference on Crimes Against Women and the National Training Institute. She has sat on the board of directors for the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ahimsa House, and Arte Sana. In her current role, Michelle provides technical assistance to sites across the United States who are looking to implement or enhance intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessments.

Julie M. Olomi, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Montana and director of the RISE (Responding to Intimate violence and Systems Experiences) research group. Her research focuses on system responses to intimate violence and associated risks for revictimization. She uses a mixed methods and community engaged approach with the goal of advancing scientific knowledge while also informing policy and practice. In addition, Dr. Olomi is a clinical psychologist specialized in working with trauma exposed, system-involved (e.g., child welfare, legal) families.

Cindene Pezzell, Esq. is the Director of the National Defense Center for Criminalized Survivors at BWJP (formerly known as the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women). Cindene oversees the Defense Center, where she and her colleagues provide specialized technical assistance to defense teams, including attorneys, expert witnesses, advocates, and criminalized survivors. Cindene is an experienced trainer who designs and conducts programs around the country on topics related to advocating for and defending charged and incarcerated victims of intimate partner violence. Cindene also develops legal materials and resources related to defense-based advocacy, and consults on policy and legislation impacting criminalized survivors. Cindene is also a former assistant public defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, where she focused primarily on trial work. During her final year as a public defender, Cindene practiced exclusively in family court, providing criminal defense to people accused of crimes related to alleged violations of civil protection orders.

Jennifer Waindle joins BWJP with extensive experience in domestic violence prevention and law enforcement. She has spent more than 18 years in various leadership roles in DeKalb County in metro Atlanta, helping protect victims and investigate and prosecute offenders while advancing lifesaving law enforcement programs throughout the state of Georgia. Most recently, she was a Senior Investigator in the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office where she co-led a newly formed Firearm Violence Prevention Unit focused on firearm assaults and homicides by serial offenders with an extensive domestic violence or felony background. The unit engaged in public outreach and education programs in firearm safety as well as collaborating extensively with federal law enforcement agencies. Earlier in her career with the District Attorney’s Office, she was part of the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault unit that investigated and prosecuted felony cases involving intimate partner violence, intimate partner homicide and adult sexual assault. Prior to Jennifer’s work with the District Attorney’s Office, she was a Supervisor for DeKalb County State Court Probation. There she developed and implemented the policies and procedures for Intensive Supervision of Domestic Violence Probationers. Additionally, she mentored other probation and parole agencies in Georgia to develop specialized domestic violence units aimed at offender accountability while also assisting survivors and their families.