Title IX Summit

9:00 – 9:30 AM Check-in, morning coffee and pastries

9:30 – 9:45 AM Opening Remarks

9:45 – 10:30 AM Opening Keynote – “Healing at the Center: Restorative Strategies for Transforming Harm”

10:45 – 11:30 AM Breakout Session Round #1

11:30 – 12:30 PM Title IX Lunch & Learn

1:00 – 1:45 PM Breakout Session Round #2

2:00 – 2:45 PM Closing Keynote – “Looking to the Horizon: Building Compassionate Communities”

2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Closing Remarks & Networking

The effects of interpersonal violence are lasting for those directly affected and indirectly connected, creating widespread opportunities for connection, solutions, and healing. One approach to centering community and the repair of harm is restorative justice: collaborative truth-sharing and decision making to facilitate repair. This discussion will explore the prevalence of compounding harm in responses to sex- and gender-based misconduct and the potential of restorative solutions as an antidote to violence.

Léna Crain, Ph.D., has served in student affairs and Title IX roles for two decades. She is a frequent trainer and speaker on alternative resolution, conflict resolution skill building, cultural dimensions of conflict, and planning and assessment. With an expertise in operationalizing alternative resolution, Dr. Crain works with organizations to develop inclusive processes for resourcing survivors, reporting, and resolving sex- and gender-based harm. Dr. Crain has been recognized as an ACPA Diamond Honoree and Annuit Coeptis Scholar. Currently, she is the Dean of Students at Baldwin Wallace University and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.

Upholding safety and accountability can be disheartening when justice falters and the vulnerable suffer most. By fostering healthier connections and compassionate accountability, we can honor dignity and celebrate shared power. Moving away from exploitative, patriarchal models, we can build more equitable relationships and dynamic, community-centered frameworks that prioritize humanity over punitive systems.

Ward Urion is a seasoned expert in addressing and preventing domestic and sexual violence. His career began in the legal field, serving as a domestic violence advocate and Victim Assistance Unit Manager for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Transitioning from the courtroom, he held various roles, including professional development trainer and mental health program coordinator. Ward co-founded the Men’s Network Against Domestic Violence and Team Up Washington, initiatives aimed at engaging men and leveraging sports to prevent violence. As project director of the Men’s Domestic Abuse Check Up at UW, he helped explore effective change strategies with self-identified, non-adjudicated abusive men utilizing a motivational enhancement therapy. Currently, he is the Senior Prevention Strategist at the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where he champions cultural change.

Title IX processes at UW are often seen as complex and mysterious. This panel offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the entire Title IX process—from the moment a report is received, to the resolution stage, and beyond! Join our case management, investigations, and hearings staff as they provide a transparent, behind-the-scenes look at how Title IX support, investigation, and adjudication processes operate at UW.

Laura Fay is the Manager of Intake and Support in the UW Office of the Title IX Coordinator. She facilitates the intake and initial response process, manages support and resource coordination, and actively contributes to prevention and education initiatives to promote gender and sex equity at the UW. Dedicated to supporting UW community members during challenging times, Laura focuses on cultivating relationships across the University, constructing equitable systems, and developing trauma-informed policies. She has skills in crisis management, de-escalation, and case management from her time as a Violence Prevention and Response Specialist at UW SafeCampus. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the UW Evans School. Beyond her professional life, Laura finds joy in her two cats, Benny and Penny, and loves paddleboarding and reading the New Yorker.

Dave Huneryager is the Hearing Officer for UW. He handles student conduct matters and some employee cases that go to hearing. Prior to this role, Dave was at a legal services organization that advocated for youth in the community. Dave has a law degree from the University of Washington.

Andy Schwich is the Interim Manager of the UW Civil Rights Investigation Office, which conducts investigations into allegations of sex-and-gender-based misconduct. Prior to his role as Interim Manager, Andy was with CRIO (then UCIRO) as an Investigator for two years. Before that, he worked as a Senior Investigator at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Andy has a JD from the University of Minnesota.

This workshop will provide a working definition of trauma-informed such that we can identify practical strategies for integration into your work. This session unpacks the concept of being “trauma-informed” within Title IX work, exploring its origins and our understanding of the concepts involved. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for incorporating trauma-informed principles into their practices, fostering a supportive and equitable environment for all parties involved. Resources for continued learning and development will also be involved.

Alison Briscoe-Smith, earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her clinical psychology Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley. She then went on to continue her specialization in trauma and ethnic minority mental health through internship and postdoctoral work at the University of California San Francisco/San Francisco General Hospital. She has combined her love of teaching and advocacy by serving as a professor, by directing mental health programs for children experiencing trauma, homelessness or foster care and developing her own consultancy. Much of her work has been with schools, higher ed, philanthropy and health care organizations, as a clinician, consultant and trainer. She also provides training and consultation to organizations and systems determined to create spaces of healing and belonging. The opportunities for her to serve have included everything from consulting with children’s media to providing coaching to executives in large organizations. She currently serves as the Diversity Lead of Student Life at the University of Washington, as the founder and principal of Soft River Consultation, and as a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, where she focuses on developing and implementing the science of bridging (connecting across our differences)

Given the relative newness of restorative philosophy, practices, and justice (RP/P/J) in sex- and gender-based misconduct, ample myths and questions follow. Is RJ the “easy way out”? What are the possible outcomes of RJ? What about recidivism? In this session, participants will discuss common questions and myths to develop a deeper understanding and communicate about RP/P/J.

Léna Crain, Ph.D., has served in student affairs and Title IX roles for two decades. She is a frequent trainer and speaker on alternative resolution, conflict resolution skill building, cultural dimensions of conflict, and planning and assessment. With an expertise in operationalizing alternative resolution, Dr. Crain works with organizations to develop inclusive processes for resourcing survivors, reporting, and resolving sex- and gender-based harm. Dr. Crain has been recognized as an ACPA Diamond Honoree and Annuit Coeptis Scholar. Currently, she is the Dean of Students at Baldwin Wallace University and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.

Being named as a Respondent in a university disciplinary process or investigation can be a challenging experience. It is essential to ensure that individuals alleged to have violated policy are supported in understanding their rights and options throughout the process. This panel-style session features UW colleagues from various campus departments who work directly with persons alleged to have caused harm. They will share insights gained from their experiences, offer strategies for providing empathetic support, and discuss the importance of delivering clear and accurate information to this population.

Zoie Hancock is a Conduct Specialist in the Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct. Beyond her work adjudicating cases of academic and behavioral misconduct, she serves in the Respondent Resource program at UW. As a Respondent Resource, she provides process support through guidance and information to students named as respondents in a student conduct proceeding.

Ryan Garcia is a Violence Prevention & Response Specialist at UW SafeCampus. Ryan earned his Master of Social Work from UW in 2022. He is passionate about violence prevention and response work. He has held various positions in crisis response and care coordination settings prior to his two years spent at SafeCampus as an MSW student. Now, as an MSW team member, Ryan is currently working towards earning his independent clinical license (LICSW) and working with individuals who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, identity-based violence, and ideological violence. Ryan is also interested in the different forms violence may take and how it intersects with race, religion, identity, ability, and class. When he is not working, Ryan enjoys playing board games with friends and going on adventures with his partner and their dog, Murphy.

Working with Title IX cases can be emotionally challenging work. It can lead to compassion fatigue and even vicarious trauma. This workshop is designed to empower staff with the knowledge and tools to recognize compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma early on as a radical act of self-compassion and a path to mental wellbeing. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, the presenter will discuss strategies to reduce the impact of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma on staff well-being. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of distress and redefine self-care both immediately after distressing meetings and in the long term to help set healthy boundaries to replenish energy and maintain a healthy balance.

Mehvash Ali, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist at the UW Counseling Center.

Title IX was first passed in 1972 in large part due to feminist activists working to build a global movement to end sex and gender discrimination in all aspects of social life. In this session, a longtime advocate-scholar in the American women’s anti-violence movement will offer an insider’s view of the history and impact of expanding Title IX to focus on sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

V. Kalei Kanuha, MSW, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the UW School of Social Work.