VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE Staff
noemi juarez (She/her/ELLA)
INTERIM Director | noemi@vavmv.org | 208-613-6339
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Noemi Juarez is from Twin Falls, ID and holds a B.S. in Child Development and Family Relations from the University of Idaho. She grew up in a traditional Mexican household and witnessed and experienced many oppressions within and outside of the culture. She says, “It made me aware of the stance that I needed to take for women within the culture but also the people and culture itself.”
She is proud that VAV has always provided support to survivors of violence, no matter how young. Because of this, she knew that being a part of this work would allow her to play a crucial role within her community to break generational traumas through personal advocacy, compassion and education.
Noemi has a beautiful family of four boys, a loving partner, three goofy dogs and a circle full of close friends and family. She loves taking time for herself and listening to music and journaling.
KRISTEN MARR (She/her/hers)
Director of HR & Administration | KRISTEN@vavmv.org | 208-613-9113
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Kristen Marr was born and raised in Idaho and is currently attending Arizona State University, working towards a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Kristen has a passion to empower survivors as well as our team at VAV to help provide quality client care.
Kristen is always working towards creating an equitable and inclusive work environment for VAV staff, with a focus on work/life balance and self-care. She believes in challenging the status quo and focuses on creating a healthy work culture.
Kristen has two children who are her world and she loves spending time with them and her new puppies!
Joseph Simonson (he/him/his)
Director of Grants & Finance | Joseph@vavmv.org | 208-613-6336
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Joseph grew up in Twin Falls, where he got an Associate degree in Anthropology from CSI. He then left for a few years and got a Bachelor's degree in Family Studies and a Master's degree in Public Administration. He started working at Voices Against Violence in 2021 and loves helping people with their work, whether it's building bookshelves or writing grants to support work with survivors. A fun fact about Joseph - His name is on the plaque next to the Huntington Canyon Mammoth at CSI’s Herrett Center for the work he did on it while at CSI.
aNGIE sOTO (She/her/hers)
immigration Coordinator | angelica@vavmv.org
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Angie is a University of Idaho alum, where her Bachelor's degree in Psychology allowed her to learn abroad at the Universidad de Alicante in Spain. Born in Los Angeles, Angie has lived in Idaho most of her life.
Angie’s goal in life is to make a difference and empower others. In addition to providing case management in English and Spanish, she facilitates a women’s domestic violence group in Spanish.
Angie is very passionate about the work she does and has a passion for traveling and seeing new things. She lives to make a difference, whether it be big or small, and her goal is to make sure others smile and stay motivated. She wants them to know that she believes in them and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Maria Juarez (She/her/hers)
Lead Case Manager | Maria@vavmv.org
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Maria was born and raised in Idaho and graduated from Boise State University with my Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and graduated with four Associate's degrees from the College of Southern Idaho in 2014. She has been with VAV since November of 2021 and is one of our bilingual (English/Spanish) case managers.
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Maria chose this career because her mission in life is to make this world a better place for future generations, and that happens one day at a time. Maria loves what she does because every small gain is a victory for her and she loves her co-workers.
When not working, Maria enjoys spending time with family and friends.
AngELICA Vega-Rangel (She/her/hers)
hotline specialist | Angelicavega@vavmv.org
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Angelica has been working with Voices Against Violence since April of 2019. During that time, she have been able to mold herself into a better friend, advocate, coworker and supporter day by day. Working with VAV has given and continues to give Angelica the proper guidance to encourage others. She says, “I admire growth in the survivors I work with, so being able to offer them first-hand support to grow and blossom into the best version of themselves lets me know I am doing what I love most: helping.”
Eva Magana (She/her/hers)
Counselor | eva@vavmv.org
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Eva is a dedicated social worker who graduated from Boise State University with a Master's degree in Social Work in 2019. Her involvement with VAV began during her Master's program. With a genuine passion for helping others discover their true potential, Eva finds immense fulfillment in her work and the meaningful connections she establishes along the way.
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In her free time, Eva cherishes moments spent with loved ones and embraces an active lifestyle through running. Born in Nayarit, Mexico, Eva has a deep appreciation for her cultural heritage and seizes any opportunity to visit.
Driven by her desire to empower individuals and facilitate personal growth, Eva is committed to making a positive impact and creating lasting change in the lives of those they serve.
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seth simonson (they/TheM/theirs)
administrative coordinator | seth@vavmv.org
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Seth was born and raised in Twin Falls and has loved to see Twin Falls grow around them. Seth received an Associate's Degree from CSI and continued to work there for almost 5 years before working at VAV. Helping people has been Seth's favorite part of every job, so they were more than happy to find a place where that's the central pillar of their efforts.
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In Seth's spare time, they paint miniatures and like to practice photography or videography. When Seth is not at work, you can expect to find them playing at Black Dragon Games or at LGBT+ Pride events around town.
Rynca Essokodimba (She/her/hers)
refugee advocate | rynca@vavmv.org
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Rynca Furaha Veronica Essokodimba was born in Burundi, East Africa then moved to Cape Town, South Africa as a refugee shortly after she was born. She lived in South Africa for 14 years, and then moved to America in 2016. After graduating from Canyon Ridge High School in 2019, she went on to achieve her Associate's degree in Polictical Science/Criminal Justice and Visual Arts. Rynca is passionate about helping her community and recently purchased a home to rent out to the Refugee Center to help her community with housing needs. Rynca loves art, photography, being social and experiencing different cultures. Fluent in English and Swahili, Rynca started with Voices in November of 2022 and has been able to build upon our Refugee Program and bring a needed perspective to healing and empowerment to our community.
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Andrea delgado (She/her/hers)
outreach advocate | andrea@vavmv.org
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Andrea J. Delgado is a compassionate and dedicated individual from Filer, Idaho. She has a strong passion for helping others and is thrilled to be part of the impactful work at VAV. As a stay-at-home mom for the past two years, Andrea found fulfillment in raising her son Benny. She is expecting another baby boy soon and enjoys sharing her love for travel, food, music, and theater with her growing family. Andrea believes in cherishing life's little joys, being present in the moment, and choosing kindness. Her commitment to making a positive impact shines through in all aspects of her life and her work at VAV.
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BROOKLYN CLARK (She/THEY)
COMMUNITY CLIENT SPECIALIST | BROOKLYN@vavmv.org
Brooklyn was born and raised in Southern Idaho. In her free time she enjoys playing video games and hanging out with her three cats. Since working at VAV, Brooklyn has made meaningful and impactful connections with her coworkers and clients. Brooklynn’s current goal is to develop her role as Community Client Advocate. At VAV she strives to make a difference in her client’s lives and make them feel seen.
MARIA MUNOZ (She/HER)
RESOURCE ADVOCATE | maria.m@vavmv.org
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Born in Mexico City, Maria moved to the United States at the age of five, finding a home in Idaho. Educated at Minico High School, she quickly discovered her passion for helping others.
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Driven by a desire to empower survivors, Maria found her calling within VAV, ensuring clients leave with a smile.
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Outside of volunteer work, Maria is a devoted wife and mother. Baking brings her joy in her free time, as she crafts sweet treats for her loved ones.
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GARDIe JEAN-LOUIS (She/HER)
CASE MANAGER | GARDIE@vavmv.org
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From the vibrant and culturally rich backdrop of Haiti, Gardie's journey unfolds a life dedicated to Law, Human Rights, and profound societal impact.With a wealth of experience in customer care, interpretation/translation, entrepreneurship and teaching, she emerged as a versatile professional.
In the midst of her professional pursuits, Gardie embraced the profound responsibility of motherhood. Raising two children became an integral part of her rich journey.
Through her fluency in French, Haitian Creole, English, and some Spanish, she not only connects with individuals from varied backgrounds but also creates a legacy that underscores the richness of embracing and celebrating linguistic differences.
Currently, Gardie stands as a guiding force for those trapped in the shadows of domestic violence. Her work with victims speaks to a profound belief that no one deserves the chains of an abusive relationship. In her advocacy, she becomes a voice for the silenced, asserting that leaving such relationships is not only an act of courage but also the ultimate testament of love to oneself ( and one's children) and the reclaiming of power.
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COLBIE KLIEGL (She/HER)
CASE MANAGER | colbie@vavmv.org
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Colbie was born and raised in Southern Idaho. She attended school at the University of Idaho where she studied Medical Science. In her free time she enjoys some “me time” reading, listening to music, spending time with her cat, Beta and adventuring with her friends or little sister. Colbie is new to VAV and her central focus is to make a positive difference in the lives of victims and their loved ones; as well as an advocate for the community. She endeavors to advocate for her clients and provide them with the best help in her power. She is empowered by her coworkers and clients. Vav and everything they offer and do is making an optimistic mindset for Colbie and her future.
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