Olivia Rojas

Olivia Rojas (she/her/hers) is a victim advocate with over eight years of specialized experience in cross-systems advocacy, capacity building, and training. She brings an understanding of the impact of policies and protocol on the lives of survivors engaging with multiple systems, the unique challenges various systems experience in working with survivors, and a creative and collaborative approach to addressing the needs of survivors.

As an advocate, Olivia has worked to educated system partners on power-based violence and develop their ability to effectively respond to survivors. Olivia's personal experience with sexual and dating violence taught her the many ways systems designed to help often fail to do so, and she has dedicated her career to strengthening the capacity of systems to support all survivors. Olivia centers her work on the ways in which oppression and violence intersect, advocating for the liberation and healing of all communities.

Olivia has a Bachelor of arts in Criminal Justice and a Master's in Organizational Leadership from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. She also holds a Master's in Social Work from Boston University. Olivia has worked with the San Antonio Police Department supporting law enforcement responses to intimate partner violence, the US Army a Torii Station, Okinawa in coordinating installation responses to survivors, with the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency in strengthening child welfare's capacity to support child and adult victims of intimate partner violence and promote safe parenting among people who cause harm.

Olivia has worked with the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault where she conducted the first statewide audit of rape crisis center hotlines, developed the 40-hour Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate curriculum, and continually advocated for the needs of Black and Indigenous women along with Women of Color impacted by sexual violence. Olivia is a nationally recognized trainer and expert on issues of intimate partner violence and sexual violence and has presented at the National Sexual Assault Conference, consulted with Futures Without Violence, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Olivia was awarded the Shining Star Award by Healing Wounds in New Jersey in 2019, an award that recognizes survivors of sexual violence who have made positive impacts in their community.