Our Staff
Lenzi Dodgen
[she, her]
Interim Director and Survivor Advocate
lenzi.dodgen@uky.edu
About:
“I was originally born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and moved to Lexington, KY at 5 years old to set roots with my family. I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Social Work. I have spent several years practicing in the community with at-risk children, families, and individuals, by providing support and advocacy. I have a sincere passion for working with vulnerable populations to combat gender-based violence and empowering individuals to become the best version of themselves. I feel the VIP Center is the perfect fit for my strengths and practices to push the social paradigm towards equity and social justice. In my free time, I enjoy my family, my dog, and volunteering in the community in different capacities.”
Rebecca Mattingly
[she, her]
Survivor Advocate
becca.mattingly@uky.edu
About:
I am excited to be at VIP because I love listening to and encouraging people – as an advocate I get to do that for my job! I feel honored to be able to walk alongside someone as they navigate and overcome challenges. Plus - survivors are some of my favorite people because they are resilient, insightful, and almost always hilarious in some way (humor is a great coping skill). I come from community non-profit work where I developed group programming for survivors of sexual violence. I am excited to join the UK community and hope to continue to develop and strengthen the VIP's collaborations with other campus partners.
Words that inspire:
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne Radmacher
Sonja McGuire
[she, her]
Staff Support Associate
sonja.mcguire@uky.edu
About:
I have worked in administrative positions for more than 25 years. I became interested in advocacy and community engagement after attending at several On the Table public conversation sessions. I learned some data regarding the intersection of survivors by organizations whose services are centered around supporting survivors. I volunteered with Ampersand for a short time which exposed me to the language of advocates and supporters. I am eagerly looking forward to learning more about shifting the culture. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, book clubs, house tours and spending time with my family and friends.
Words that inspire:
"Challenging power structures from the inside, working the cracks within the system, however, requires learning to speak multiples language of power convincingly." Dr. Patricia Hill Collins