Our Leadership
Women Against Abuse's leaders carry extensive experience in their fields of expertise and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the agency.
Meet our Leadership Team

Jeannine L. Lisitski, Executive Director & President
Jeannine L. Lisitski has been the Executive Director and President of Women Against Abuse, Inc. since 2009. Women Against Abuse is the leading domestic violence advocate and service provider in Philadelphia and the largest in Pennsylvania. Women Against Abuse has a two-pronged mission of providing life-saving services to people experiencing domestic violence while leading the struggle to end domestic violence.
Ms. Lisitski has worked for more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector, focusing on issues of poverty, violence, behavioral health and homelessness. Ms. Lisitski has a Master’s Degree in Psychology and is a Ph.D Candidate (ABD), in Social Work and Social Research. In addition, Ms. Lisitski has a certificate in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School as well as one in Non-Profit Executive Leadership from Bryn Mawr College, where she co-facilitated their Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute for two years.
Prior to Women Against Abuse, Ms. Lisitski worked as the Vice President of Operations for Project H.O.M.E., where she was responsible for an annual operating budget of $11 million and oversaw the agency’s multiple supportive housing and homeless service programs, including 418 supportive housing units as well as the human resources function. Currently, Ms. Lisitski supervises all executive level staff at Women Against Abuse, as well as the Policy and Prevention and Compliance directors, and provides leadership and strategic direction for agency functions and initiatives.
Under Ms. Lisitski’s leadership, the agency has grown exponentially, doubling its emergency safe haven facilities, expanding its transitional housing capacity by 25%, creating more than 60 opportunities for permanent affordable housing with supports, quadrupling the number of clients receiving attorney representation, and reaching thousands of high-risk victims that were previously unaware of available supports and resources. In addition, Ms. Lisitski led the creation of a citywide initiative to coordinate the community response to domestic violence. This effort, Shared Safety: Philadelphia’s Response to Relational Violence, involves all health and human service agencies in the city and involves the collaboration of more than 60 individuals and groups.
In 2017, Ms. Lisitski was awarded the Social Innovations Journals’ Human Rights Innovator Award for pioneering Shared Safety. In 2015, Ms. Lisitski was recognized as one of the finalists in SmartCEO Magazine’s Circle of Excellence in the Non Profit Category. In 2013, Women Against Abuse was the recipient of the H. Craig Lewis Good Governance Award by The Philadelphia Foundation. In 2011, Ms. Lisitski was awarded the 2011 Brava! Women Business Achievement Award in recognition of her leadership skills.
Contact Jeannine at 215-386-1280 ext. 6104 .
Michelle Byrne, Vice President of Human Resources
Michelle Byrne brings more than 22 years of Human Resources (HR) experience, with 12 years in non-profit Human Services/Homeless Services Agencies and 10 years in the for-profit sector. She leads Women Against Abuse’s HR recruitment and retention efforts, and manages the agency’s safety and risk management programs.
Contact Michelle at 215-386-1280 ext. 6118.
Nicole Drake, Vice President of Program Operations
Nicole Drake has over 20 years of experience working with homeless families in Philadelphia and has her Masters in Psychology. Throughout her professional career, she has been responsible for the development and implementation of programming for children, youth and families that address social and developmental needs related to homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence and poverty issues. Ms. Drake oversees the social service department, education department, facilities management and behavioral health department at Women Against Abuse.
Contact Nicole at 215-386-1280 ext. 6123.
Lindsay Warren, Vice President of Advancement
Lindsay Warren is a skilled fund-raising and development leader with more than 15 years of experience in the non-profit, healthcare, human services and education fields. Lindsay has the proven ability to connect and build strong alliances with colleagues, business partners and donors. As a trusted advisor, Lindsay’s select accomplishments include:
* Establishing a new development and fundraising function at two acute care hospitals within a large healthcare system.
* Successfully restructuring the fundraising model to increase the return on investment and annual revenue.
* Provided direct leadership in establishing a major gifts program, raising nearly $500,000 within the first six months of operation.
Lindsay also brings expertise in areas such as Board Development & Governance, Corporate & Foundation Relations, Individual & Major Giving, Prospect Research, and Strategic Planning.
Contact Lindsay at 215-386-1280 ext. 6116.
Sheila Weeks-Brown, Vice President of Finance
Contact Sheila at 215-386-1280 ext. 6120.
Molly Callahan, Esq., Legal Center Director
Jeanne-Marie Hagan, Program Compliance Director
Sarah Janicki, Director of Client Services
Christine Nieves, Director of Institutional Giving
Elise Scioscia, Director of Policy and Prevention
Mike Troupe, Director of Facilities
Meet our Board of Directors
Amy Pocino Kelly, Esq., Chair
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Leslie Miller Greenspan, Esq., Vice Chair
Attorney, Tucker Law Group, LLC
Margaret A. Flynn, CFA, Treasurer
Plan Investment Account Executive, American Water
Erin McKenna, Secretary
Freelance Graphic Designer
Katherine A.B. Coonradt, RA, LEED, AP
Architect, Amtrak
Gloria Gay
Health Educator and Adjunct Professor
Amy Hirsch, Esq.
Managing Attorney, Community Legal Services
Yvette Kamimura-Jones, M.S.
Behavioral Health Specialist, Consumer Satisfaction Team, Inc.
Amy L. Kurland
Inspector General, City of Philadelphia
Robert Lichtenstein, Esq.
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Mark Lipowicz, Esq.
Partner, Duane Morris, LLP
Stacy Sullivan Livingston
Crime Prevention Officer, University of Pennsylvania Police Department
Julie Mostov, Ph.D.
Dean of Liberal Studies, New York University
Patrick Mundy
Corproate Controller, USA Technologies
Renee Norris-Jones, M.S., Ph.D. candidate
Accounting & Operations Director, The Law Offices of Debra D. Rainey
Ana E. Núñez, MD
Professor of Medicine, Drexel University
Judith Porter, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Bryn Mawr College
Michelle Ray
Interim Title IX Coordinator, Swarthmore College
Sally Rosenthol
Nursing & Health Administration
Yvette Rouse
Director of Forensic Clinical Services, Public Health Management Corporation
David Rusenko
Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Drexel University
Stefanie Fleischer Seldin, Esq.
Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Philadelphia
Sandy Sheller
Art and Family Therapist / President, Sheller Family Foundation
Lauren Swartz
Senior Director of International Business Development, City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce
Women Against Abuse Legal Center Board of Directors
Mark Lipowicz, Esq., President
Partner, DuaneMorris, LLP
Amy Hirsch, Secretary
Managing Attorney, Community Legal Services
Stefanie Fleischer Seldin, Treasurer
Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Philadelphia
Amy L. Kurland
Inspector General, City of Philadelphia
Leslie Miller Greenspan, Esq.
Attorney, Tucker Law Group, LLC
Last updated: December 2018