CAEPV Welcomes Newest National Advisory Board Member - Jennifer Welch

Well. . .if you have not heard, the State of Illinois has been in the news the last couple weeks for less than stellar reasons.

But today I have a wonderful "Illinois" reason to celebrate -- the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) is pleased to announce that Jennifer Welch, Policy Director for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is the newest member of our National Advisory Board!

The CAEPV Advisory Board consists of a diverse group of experts assembled to advise and assist in program development and content. The group represents a variety of disciplines, including domestic violence organizations, clergy, corporations, education, healthcare, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system. For a complete listing of CAEPV’s Advisory Board members, visit http://www.caepv.org/about/boardadv.php?show=a

Jennifer Welch is the Policy Director for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. In this role she leads a team to develop and implement policy initiatives for the Attorney General covering topics including violence against women, internet safety, campus safety and children’s products safety. She represents the Attorney General on numerous Boards and Committees, for example acting as Chair Pro Temp of the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority.

Previously, Jennifer focused on violence against women as the Attorney General’s Women’s Policy Advisor. In that role she led statewide efforts to improve laws, services and systems for abused women and their children. For example, she created and introduced the order of protection short form notification to law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Ms. Welch continues to monitor policies and legislation impacting women and children and participates on numerous boards and advisory councils such as the Illinois Department of Human Services Domestic Violence Advisory Council.

Jennifer came to the Office of Attorney General Madigan after nearly nine years as the Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network. As the Network's Director Ms. Welch coordinated public policy and system-wide advocacy efforts of more than 50 organizations plus individual members. She led the successful campaign for a new domestic violence court in Cook County, Illinois. Ms. Welch also developed the city of Chicago Domestic Violence Help Line, which helped approximately 10,000 callers each year, in partnership with the Chicago Mayor's Office on Domestic Violence.

Prior to working at the Battered Women's Network she was a founding member of the Illinois Clemency Project for Battered Women. Ms. Welch holds a JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and received her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org) is a leading force in the fight against intimate partner violence and its effects on the workplace. It is the only national organization of its kind founded by business leaders and focused on the workplace. Since 1995, the Alliance has brought together dozens of progressive companies who exchange information, collaborate on projects, and use their influence to instigate change. The Alliance offers extensive research, policy knowledge and issue expertise to the business community, including training, program guidance, and crisis consultation – with programs designed to make the workplace safe and to prevent intimate partner violence from impacting the workplace. CAEPV has member and associate organizations reaching employees across the US and around the world.

Selected corporate members include Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Allstate Insurance Company, Altria Group, Inc., American Express, American Psychological Association, ADM, Avon Products, Inc., Blue Shield of California Foundation, CIGNA, Chestnut Global Partners, COUNTRY Financial, Eastman Kodak, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Health Care Service Corporation – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, The Joyful Heart Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Lifetime Television, Liz Claiborne Inc., Longview Associates, LLC, Mary Kay Inc., Northern Trust Company, Rutgers University, State Farm Insurance Companies, Texas Health Resources, Verizon Communications, Verizon Wireless, and The Wireless Foundation.

Internationally, the Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence UK and the Hurriyet Media Group are CAEPV members.