LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A outstanding girl within the Las Vegas valley is remodeling lives and reshaping the group’s method to ending the epidemic of home and sexual violence.
Liz Ortenberger CEO of Safenest has led the group for the previous eight years, taking up the difficult difficulty of home violence.
“The fluidity of the problem makes it very hard to solve; so knowing that helps me say OK. Who can I bring to the table, where can we find common ground, what can we push forward,” Ortenberger mentioned.
She joined Safenest with a deep ardour for its mission and efficiently grew its funds from $3 million to $10 million. Since 2019, Liz has integrated Camp Hope into Safenest’s packages, with almost 500 youth collaborating.
Ortenberger additionally led the event of a response program in partnership with Metro, permitting advocates to accompany law enforcement officials to home violence scenes.
“Only 4 percent of women who are murdered, in a domestic violence situation will reach out to a crisis hotline like the one Safenest provides,” Ortenberger mentioned. “But before that outcome 86 percent, however, will intersect with police.”
Ortenberger could be very pleased with the accomplishments that occurred through the 2023 legislative session, notably the passage of a strangulation invoice.
“Victims of domestic violence, who have been strangled, as part of a violence portfolio can get a free exam,” Ortenberger mentioned. “We know strangulation plays such a correlated role in lethality for that survivor, but also in cop killers and mass shooters. Being able to get these offenders behind bars and with a felony offense, to me was like yes, we are moving the needle.”
Practically a 12 months in the past, Ortenberger was recognized with leukemia and underwent a transplant in October. She didn’t take a lot time to relaxation; she accomplished her PhD whereas present process chemotherapy, turning her hospital room right into a productive workspace.
“I have to give a shout-out to the sixth floor at Summerlin Hospital. They let me bring in an extra table, set up a desk, and put a note up that I was having meetings,” Ortenberger mentioned. “I was able to continue to work.”
Ortenberger secured $9 million in funding from state lawmakers to ascertain One Protected Place, a campus designed to centralize and increase companies for survivors of home violence, sexual violence, and trafficking. Set to open in October, it will likely be the one campus of its form within the U.S.
Ortenberger embodies hope, power, and dedication making her a outstanding girl.
