Ashley Welak - Grants Specialist

Hi, my name is Ashley Welak, I am excited to start my new adventure with OCVS.  Prior to coming to DOJ, I worked at PAVE, a DV and SA Shelter in Dodge County. I started with PAVE as a volunteer while I was in college, then became the Legal Advocate, which lead to Associate Director and eventually the Executive Director. I was with PAVE for over 12 years, 8 of those years I provided direct clients services and bring this experience and knowledge to OCVS. I look forward to learning even more about state and federal funding and working with all the wonderful programs around the state. 

I am the chair of the Beaver Dam DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Taskforce and previously sat on the LGBTQ Committee with End Abuse and WCASA. The Beaver Dam DEI Taskforce is currently bringing awareness and education to the community about race, ethnicity, LBGTQ visibility, and sharing information about the many cultures that make up the community to increase equitable opportunities in our area. In my free time I enjoy golfing with my partner, making cornhole boards, playing any Super Mario game, or watching every Wisconsin sport possible. I am a huge fan of Wisconsin Badgers Basketball and if you saw my truck, you would know I wear my Badger pride on my sleeve. March Madness is my absolute favorite time of year, since High School I have watched all four days of basketball with my sister. As we have grown older, we maintained the tradition, but now enjoy the week with my two nephews. This almost always results in them getting a new Lego set so I can help put it together at the beginning of the tournament. I enjoy decorating our house for every holiday possible with bright lights, cute rugs, and garden flags. Spring and Summer are my favorite time of year to be outside on the golf course or hanging with family and friends on our deck. I look forward to meeting all of you who also want to make a difference in this work, I am honored to be here.

I have worked with so many of you to further victim services in Wisconsin over the last eleven years and it makes it incredibly bittersweet to share that my last day with OCVS will be December 23^rd. I am joining National Criminal Justice Association’s VOCA Center to provide training and technical assistance to VOCA Administrators throughout the country. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you all over the past decade and support your work through OCVS grants.  Thank you all for your dedication and commitment to survivors in Wisconsin every day.  It has equally been my honor to work with the dedicated and caring OCVS Grants Team for eleven years. Through this transition I leave you in their wonderful hands. Thank you again for all your hard work. 

The OCVS Grants & Training Team is incredibly grateful for the years of service Amanda has provided to OCVS and the state of Wisconsin. Her dedication resulted in well-deserved respect not only in Wisconsin, but on a national level. The VOCA Center is lucky to bring Amanda into their team and we look forward to continued partnership in the coming years.