MTA Mentor Program

Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Training Academy (MTA) Mentor

The goal of MTA mentoring is to facilitate meaningful and purposeful conversations with mentees, focusing on their professional development. Through thoughtful discussions, mentors encourage mentees to reflect on their experiences and evaluate any barriers they may face. Questions are supportive and inviting, allowing the mentees to openly express themselves.

An overall theme of the discussions is to facilitate a deeper understanding of the unique advocate roles in the community, criminal legal and survivor-led systems. Cross disciplinary mentor groups are an ideal place to create a safe, trusting environment to foster this knowledge and dialogue.

Mentors

Jessie Aquino

Director of Victim Services

Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)

Jessie Aquino is a seasoned professional with 24 years of experience in the victim services field. Holding a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from UMass Amherst, a master's degree in criminal justice and gender violence from Boston University, and a DEI certificate from Suffolk University. Jessie combines academic expertise with real-world experience. Having been with the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) for seven years, she has spent the last three as the Director of Victim Services, where she has demonstrated a deep commitment to providing culturally specific services to diverse communities. With expertise in navigating complex decisions and a proven ability to work well under pressure during stressful situations, Jessie excels in leading initiatives that support victims and enhance service delivery. Jessie is passionate about fostering an inclusive environment and, when not busy being a superhero at work, she dreams of becoming a nail tech—an aspiration stemming from her days as a beauty school dropout. She is eager to share insights and experiences during this week’s training session.

Stephanie DeCandia

Victim Services

Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)

Stephanie is an attorney and a consultant specializing in programmatic, policy development, and compliance for non-profit and government survivor services agencies.

Preceding her consulting work, Stephanie enjoyed a 20+ year tenure at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center where she held varied responsibilities including provision of direct legal services; development, expansion, and strategic direction of client service programs; legislative, policy, and systemic advocacy; curriculum development and training of multidisciplinary providers; and programmatic/agency compliance. Stephanie was a part-time lecturer at Northeastern University for over 10 years, where she taught "Sexual Violence: Counseling, Programs, and Policy." She was the Victim Rights Law Center’s Supervising Staff Attorney during its founding years, and began her legal work as Staff Attorney for Aid to Incarcerated Mothers.

Stephanie is on the Board of Advisors for the Mityana Teenage Center, Uganda. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Resilient Sisterhood Project and remains engaged in its work and community.

Pamela Friedman, MSW

Victim Services

Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)

Pamela Friedman holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Syracuse University. Ms. Friedman spent her career working in Victim and Witness services in the Norfolk District Attorney's Office, retiring in the position of Chief of the Victim Witness Unit. Since the inception of the Victim-Witness Assistance Program in Massachusetts, Ms. Friedman has provided a myriad of services to every population of survivors and witnesses within the Criminal Justice System. Throughout her career, Ms. Friedman has also provided ongoing support to families who have lost a family member to suicide, overdose, or sudden death. Ms. Friedman has trained Victim Witness Advocates in the juvenile, district, superior, and probate courts. Ms. Friedman has been a faculty member and Coordinator at the MOVA Training Academy.

Jacqueline Perez, MA, LPC-A

Central/West Regional Navigator

Sexual Assault Response Unit

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Disabled Persons Protection Commission

Jacqueline Perez, MA, LPC-A, holds a BA in Human Services and Criminal Justice from Springfield College and a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University. Jacqueline, in her clinical role, works as a forensic clinician with the criminal justice population. Jacqueline Perez is certified in domestic violence and sexual assault to provide comprehensive and trauma-informed advocacy. Additionally, she is a certified investigator and in motivational interviewing. These skill sets have contributed to my role as the Regional Navigator for Central/West and the vital work at the Disabled Persons Protection Commission.

Jacqueline Perez serves as the Central/West Regional Navigator for the Disabled Persons Protection Commission through the Sexual Assault Response Team. In this role, she works with persons who identify with a disability and who have experienced a form of sexual violence. The Regional Navigator's role is to connect clients with trauma-informed services in their communities. Jacqueline presents at a state and local level to agencies across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to ensure that agencies are educated in best practices to work with individuals who identify with a disability in a trauma-informed way.

Jacqueline is dedicated to expanding awareness and bridging gaps in service provisions. Jacqueline Perez is the bilingual and bicultural regional navigator for the unit, serving not only the Central and West regions but also the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in this role. Jacqueline is a leader and team player who continues to work diligently to ensure access to and accommodate services for persons with disabilities. Jacqueline Perez's position fosters connections, empowerment, and advocacy experiences that enable clients to feel agency over their personal choices.

Mentor Groups

Margaret Rwaramba, MSW

Director of the Victim-Witness Advocate Program

Worcester County District Attorney's Office

Margaret Rwaramba brings over two decades of experience supporting survivors of crime through direct service and systems-level advocacy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Human Services from Fitchburg State University and a Master of Social Work from Boston College.

Since 2007, Margaret has served as Director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program at the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, where she oversees support services for victims and witnesses throughout the criminal legal process. Prior to that, she worked as a Victim Witness Advocate in the same office, with assignments in the Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Units, as well as in Superior Court. Her work included supporting families of homicide victims and survivors of gang-related violence.

Margaret began her career as a SAFEPLAN Advocate with Battered Women’s Resources, Inc., providing court-based advocacy to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Clinton, Leominster, and Fitchburg District Courts.

She has served on several boards and advisory councils, including the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence (2007–2016), the YWCA of Central Massachusetts, CASA, and the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging.

Her work has been recognized with multiple honors, including the MDAA Gerard D. Downing Advocate of the Year Award (2011) and the Worcester County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award (2021).

Mentor Groups

2025 MTA Mentor Groups Final.docx

Mentor groups are a key part of the MOVA Training Academy (MTA). Each student is placed in a small group led by an experienced advocate who serves as a mentor throughout the week. These groups offer a space for reflection, connection, and support as students move through the training.

The mentor model reflects MOVA’s mission to center survivor voices, strengthen the field of victim services, and build community among advocates. By fostering meaningful peer and mentor relationships, the groups help create a more supportive, informed, and trauma-responsive workforce.

Please note: This document is intended for MTA attendees only and should not be shared outside of the training.

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