Staff
Anita M. Berg, MBA
Executive Director
Anita oversees all aspects of PVP – operations, planning, budgeting, fundraising, and evaluation of the work. She has been with PVP since January of 2000. Prior to her current position, Anita was the director of research and quality for Allina Medical Transportation. Anita completed her masters of business administration from the University of Saint Thomas in 1998, her BS in management from Metropolitan State University in 1995, and was previously a paramedic.
Lisa Damon, MLS
Program Manager
Lisa has been with PVP since 1997, and began by leading the violence prevention work in the community. She now oversees all program areas, and assists with fundraising and evaluation. Prior to coming to PVP, Lisa worked as a mental health professional, managed crisis intervention efforts supporting parents and youth, and as a K-12 substitute teacher. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in childhood studies with emphasis on education and prevention of abuse, and an MA focused on public health and community education.
Julie Hessler
Program Assistant
Julie joined PVP in November of 2004, and works to support both programs and administration for the staff of Partners for Violence Prevention and the West 7th Family Center. She has lived in the St. Paul area most of her life with all of her childhood years living on the Eastside of St. Paul. Julie has had several classes in computer applications and administrative support and was previously employed by United Hospital for 28 years working most recently to support the Physician-To-Physician program.
Stephanie Siegel, BA
Program Coordinator
Stephanie graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2008 with a BA in Child Psychology and a concentration in Youth Studies and American Sign Language. She most recently worked as a preventive case planner in Harlem, New York. Stephanie has significant experience providing home and center-based specialized services to children with autism and has served her community by volunteering in an international high school and a domestic violence shelter.
Stephanie joined the PVP team in the fall of 2009. Her current responsibilities include facilitating Paws for Peace groups, expanding PVP’s partnerships with domestic violence shelters within the Twin Cities, coordinating and implementing a violence prevention curriculum within Saint Paul high schools, coordinating Hmong Girls’ Empowerment groups within the Twin Cities, and facilitating PVP’s partnership with the Safe Harbors Youth Intervention Project.
Vivian Suggs, MSW
Program Coordinator
Vivian Suggs graduated from Metropolitan State University in 2006 with a BA in social work and from the University of Minnesota with a master’s in social work, while seeking a post-baccalaureate professional degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling in 2009. She has worked in Ramsey, Dakota and Washington Counties in various disciplines (social worker, mental health professional, and case manager) delivering direct and community services to individuals and groups.
Vivian has worked with multi-disciplinary teams in social services and corporate disciplines. Her work at the University of Minnesota during the summer of 2009, as a research assistant/intern with adolescent “at risk” girls has been instrumental in studying unhealthy behaviors among this population. In addition, Vivian has worked with female offenders at Shakopee Correctional Facility and as a correctional counselor for male offenders at Lutheran Social Services in Minneapolis. Vivian’s work at the Saint Paul Urban League involved case management with individuals who have HIV/AIDS. Vivian remains a strong advocate in various areas of social justice. Prior to this work, Vivian has been a small business owner in Wisconsin, and has worked at Airbus Industries at Northwest Airlines as an executive assistant and technical liaison.
