Board Updates: New Roles, New Member, and a Fond Farewell
As we begin our new fiscal year, Resilience: Advocates for Ending Violence is proud to share several Board of Directors transitions. We’re welcoming new leadership roles, adding a powerful new voice to the board, and thanking dedicated members who have completed their terms.
Stepping Into New Roles
Katy Gibson has been elected Board President. A senior learning and development strategist at FranklinCovey, Katy helps organizations around the world build inclusive, human-centered leadership. Her expertise in trust-based relationships, equity and belonging, psychological safety, and communication, directly supports Resilience’s mission to create survivor-centered systems and stronger communities. A survivor and mother to two boys, Katy is committed to lifting the voices of survivors and fostering resilience.
Aida Tanaka has been elected Vice President. Aida is General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Shape Corp. Her career has combined legal and executive leadership with a deep commitment to women’s equity. Aida has been a medical advocate volunteer for Rape Victims Advocates in Chicago and assisted with legal briefs to the UN regarding rape as a war crime during the 1990s war in Bosnia.
Shannon Garrett has been elected Secretary. Shannon is Senior Program Advisor for the MI Tri-Share Child Care program at MiLEAP and former Chief Strategy Officer at the Michigan Women’s Commission. A national expert on women’s leadership and economic security, Shannon brings decades of experience in civic engagement, equity, and systems change.
Elissa Swihart joins our board as its newest member, bringing passion, experience, and a powerful voice for survivors. She is the founder of The Survivor Sisterhood and host of Dismissed True Stories, a top-ranked podcast that amplifies the voices of domestic violence survivors. A skilled communicator and experienced advocate, Elissa has organized public events, collaborated with law enforcement, and recently launched Tala’s Closet, a free store for survivors rebuilding after abuse.
With Gratitude to Our Outgoing Members
We offer our sincere thanks to Dr. Lana Zarlenga, a board member since 2019, for her years of service and for her advocacy as a family physician with Intercare Community Health Network. Her insights have strengthened our connections between survivor care and healthcare systems.
We also want to thank and recognize Ortencia Bos, who has completed her term as Board President and will remain on the board for one more year in the role of Past President. As Director of West Shore Counseling Services and an expert in Batterer Intervention Programs, Ortencia has been an invaluable leader since joining the board in 2019.
We’re grateful for the leadership, expertise, and commitment each of these individuals brings to Resilience. Their contributions ensure we continue to move forward — stronger, more focused, and more unified in our mission to end domestic and sexual violence.
