Presenting at 2026 NOVA's 52 Annual Training Event
July 21-23, 2026— Curriculum Developer & Director of Trainer Development, Lee Helmken Cherry, MPH, CHES, will be co-presenting with Kimberly Henry at this years’ NOVA's 52 Annual Training Event - Why We Advocate: Stronger Together. Their workshop for titled Beyond the Installation: How Civilian Organizations Can Assess Readiness to Support Military-Connected Survivors speaks to the conference theme of “Stronger Together” by recognizing that no single system—civilian or military—can meet the complex needs of military-connected survivors alone. Strength comes from shared responsibility, honest self-reflection, and collaboration rooted in mutual respect. When community organizations assess their own readiness and engage intentionally with military partners, survivors experience more seamless, survivor-centered support and access to healing—regardless of where they seek help.
About their session: Community-based advocates play a critical role in supporting military-connected survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS). Yet many civilian organizations have not had structured opportunities to pause and formally assess whether their policies, practices, partnerships, and internal culture truly position them to serve this population effectively.
This interactive 90-minute workshop will introduce participants to organizational self-assessment as a practical, survivor-centered strategy for strengthening readiness, rather than a compliance exercise or critique of military systems or advocacy practice. Co-facilitated by the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) and non-profit organization Soteria Solutions, this session draws from their joint development and implementation of NOVA’s free and publicly available Supporting Military-Connected Survivors of DVSAS Organizational Self-Assessment Tool, created through an Office on Violence Against Women–funded national project.
Participants will explore:
How assumptions, uncertainty, or perceptions surrounding the military can unintentionally shape advocacy responses.
Why organizational self-assessment has historically been underused in military-connected advocacy—and why it matters now more than ever.
How structured self-assessment helps organizations identify strengths, gaps, and plan realistic next steps across knowledge, collaboration, culture, and sustainability.
This session is intentionally designed for community advocates, not military personnel. It emphasizes that effective support for military-connected survivors does not require becoming a military expert; rather, it requires organizational clarity, reflective practice, and intentional partnership-building.
Through guided discussion, case-based examples, and practical application, participants will gain a clear understanding of how to initiate or strengthen self-assessment within their own organization, how to engage staff and leadership in the process, and how assessment can reduce hesitation for community-based practitioners, build confidence, and improve survivor outcomes.
Participants will not be asked to complete the full assessment during the session. Instead they will leave equipped to bring the tool—and the mindset behind it—back to their organizations as a foundation for ongoing planning, learning, and growth.
Find more about this Free Resource toolkit: Building Better Support for Military-Connected Survivors Through Organizational Self-Assessment
Visdit NOVA’s site: Empowering Communities to Support Military-Connected Survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (DVSAS)
About Soteria Solutions
Soteria Solutions works with organizations, including higher education, government agencies and businesses, to achieve sustainable change by creating and maintaining safe and respectful learning, working and living environments void of incivility, harassment, violence and discrimination. Our evidence-based, customized solutions including our flagship program, Bringing in the Bystander®, are proven to be the most effective strategies to prevent and react to risky behaviors based on decades of bystander intervention research. Soteria Solutions has worked with more than 600 workplaces, colleges and high schools to activate bystanders and improve organizational frameworks to make integral, strategic advances. Soteria Solutions is located in Durham, New Hampshire.