Our Staff

chris@cpedv.org | Chris Negri is the Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. He leads the Partnership’s state level policy work, in partnership with the staff, members, and allied organizations.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Chris served as Program Director at Equality California Institute, managing the organization’s schools and youth-facing programming and supporting work on public health, hate crimes prevention, intervention, and postvention, civic engagement, and other issue areas.

A former Special Education teacher, Chris has spent most of his career working in education. He has managed dual language immersion programs at a public school district, handled grant writing and reporting for a center at the University of Southern California, and co-led an initiative to create scholarship opportunities for displaced and refugee Syrian students.  

Chris holds a BA in History from UC Riverside, an MA in Special Education from Loyola Marymount, and an MPP from the University of Southern California. He’s also a graduate of the Education for Ministry program at Sewanee: The University of the South and serves as a part-time lay minister and program coordinator for Catholic students at Occidental College.

After 15 years in the Commercial Real Estate Industry, Crystal Wishart (she/her) went back to school to obtain her MA in Professional Communications from California State University, Fullerton to make a career pivot and work in the non-profit sector.

While in the private sector, Crystal trained and led operational teams while managing multi-million-dollar budgets. She has always been passionate about helping both internal teams and external partners succeed. In her career she has developed customer service programs and been on major initiative rollout teams.

Crystal has also been a part of the Communications, Fund Development, Human Resources and Operations departments at a California based non-profit who assisted anyone experiencing intimate partner violence. She was integral in raising vital funds, and in-kind donations. A major part of her role was community engagement and working with different groups on strategic volunteer projects.

With a heart for giving back and a love for helping solve critical problems in organizations, Crystal brings a diverse set of skills to the Partnership.

In her spare time, Crystal loves to travel near and far meeting people, and discovering hidden gems in the world.

Jasmeen Kairam is a Capacity Building Project Manager at the Partnership. At the Partnership, Jasmeen supports the Southern and Bay Area regions, coordinates trainings and webinars and provides technical assistance to members. Along with this, Jasmeen supports her team planning and coordinating the annual statewide domestic violence conference.

Jasmeen was introduced to the world of social injustices, specifically human trafficking, while attending California State University, Chico in 2012. In 2016, Jasmeen had the privilege to serve as Human Trafficking Specialist/Communications and Volunteer Coordinator at My Sister’s House which is an agency that provides culturally responsive services.

Outside of working at the Partnership, Jasmeen is a LMFT and earned her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University. In her free time, Jasmeen enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and loves rooting for the San Francisco 49ers!

jennifer@cpedv.org – Jennifer M. Khalifa is the Senior Director of Prevention and Capacity Building at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. With more than 15 years of experience in domestic violence prevention, public health, and organizational leadership, she leads statewide strategies, training, and technical assistance initiatives that strengthen the capacity of organizations to advance health equity and end gender-based violence. Jennifer has spearheaded innovative prevention efforts that emphasize systems change, inclusivity, youth leadership, and community-driven solutions. Her leadership bridges systems change, policy advocacy, organizational development, and survivor-centered practice to foster long-term social change. A Certified Health Education Specialist, Jennifer has been featured as an expert on The Doctors television show and in The Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register. She is a sought-after speaker and trainer recognized for her commitment to building collective resilience and shaping a future free from violence.

jenniferh@cpedv.org |Jennifer became involved in social justice work early in her life which later led her down a career path of advocacy and system change work. She has spent the last decade focused on improving systems for survivors of gender-based violence experiencing homelessness through local and statewide efforts by centering survivor perspective and trauma informed language into housing programs and systems. Prior to working at the Partnership, Jennifer worked for the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office leading the Homeless Outreach Team and coordinating the local survivor Coordinated Entry access site and previously worked for the YWCA Sonoma County implementing and managing a Domestic Violence Rapid Rehousing program.

Jennifer received a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Sonoma State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies with a minor in International Health Policy from California State University, Monterey Bay. Outside of her work, she enjoys being in nature, hiking and weightlifting, and spending time with her partner, son, and dog.

jessica@cpedv.org – Jessica Merrill has created communications strategies at the Partnership for eleven years. Over the course of several successful state budget campaigns, Jessica has helped build support for teen dating violence prevention at the Capitol, elevating youth leadership’s voices. She also created messaging to preserve funding for life-saving services throughout California—mobilizing advocates and concerned Californians. Jessica’s media advocacy for state budget requests have secured pieces in CalMatters and the Sacramento Bee, among other publications. Her policy communications continued with the development of national strategies to unify sexual and domestic violence organizations and preserve federal infrastructure for survivor and prevention services.

Jessica co-created three media trainings that have resulted in more accurate and solutions-focused coverage of domestic violence. These trainings have equipped domestic violence organizations and survivors with the skills to interview with journalists. Jessica also helped develop the Journalist Playbook, a resource for crafting solutions-based stories while centering survivors’ voices in a trauma-informed way.

Jessica began her career at a regional organization advocating for affordable housing policies. Prior to that, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and American Studies from UC Davis, and obtained her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Sacramento State University. She has a love for icebreakers, ‘80s music, and supporting youth leadership.

krista@cpedv.org | Krista has served as the organization’s Executive Director since the Spring of 2025, and has worked at the coalition for over a decade. Throughout her years at the organization, she has advocated on behalf of survivors and service providers, and has worked to increase state level resources and legislation to advance violence prevention efforts. She has successfully advocated for over $330 million in new funding for victim services and prevention and also secured the passage of legislation to address the wide range of issues impacting survivors. Her experience addresses economic justice, housing and homelessness, prevention, immigration, and alternatives to the criminal legal system. She regularly represents the Partnership on various state-level committees and task forces.

Krista has consistently worked to support advocates and activists to build their skills and develop their leadership, with a particular focus on supporting their policy advocacy skills. In 2024 she received the Foundation’s Dr. Beatriz María Solís Award, recognizing her willingness to mentor, share expertise, and relationships that has strengthened community leaders and impacted community led policy advocacy to create a more just and vibrant future for all Californians.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Krista worked at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, advocating for increases in federal funding for domestic and sexual violence programs and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Previous experiences include working with at-risk youth, which fueled her passion for social policy issues.

Krista received her Master’s degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Social Policy from American University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach.

Lisa is a strategic partner and life-long learner with over 25 years of experience overseeing human resources and financial operations in mission-driven nonprofit organizations, particularly those advancing safety, justice, and public service. As the Senior Director of People and Finance, Lisa helps shape and align the organization’s systems, practices, and structures with its core values – fostering connection, accountability, and shared purpose across teams.

Guided by a belief in the power of people-centered leadership, Lisa is committed to cultivating workplaces where individuals can thrive and contribute their best. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with executive leaders to strengthen organizational culture, refine HR strategy, and enhance engagement and trust within diverse teams. Lisa holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a specialization in Organizational Leadership and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Megan Tanahashi is the Media & Design Manager at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. With her passion for purposeful design and creative digital content, she leads the Partnership’s media advocacy and visual communication strategies.

Her degrees in Gender Studies and Graphic Design inform her approach — to acknowledge the systems of oppression that contribute to the prevalence of domestic and all forms of violence and center the solutions to end it. With over 10 years of communications experience, Megan has previously developed social media and design content for various non-profits and supported large marketing and event campaigns for local small businesses.

When Megan is not pushing pixels or drafting talking points, you can find her in her garden or the great outdoors, behind a good book, or with a matcha and her dog.

As a yonsei and 3rd generation Chinese American woman, her advocacy was sparked by her family’s stories of incarceration camp. She became involved in social justice and sexual violence activism in 2011 through the Cross Cultural Center at UC Davis and Japanese American Citizen’s League.

Since 2016, Michelle has worked at My Sister’s House and Asian Women’s Home, organizations that serve Asian Pacific Islander survivors with culturally responsive services, in a variety of roles. In her free time she plays roller derby, knits, and watches gymnastics.

michellem@cpedv.org – Michelle Morales has over 20 years of professional experience in the Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Sex Trafficking, Mental Health, and Social Services fields. She has held a variety of roles and responsibilities within that time.

She has held a variety of positions at WEAVE, one of the largest Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Agencies in the US. Her last position there was as their Response Services Manager. Michelle also has experience working as a DV/SA advocate at UC Davis, in the Center for Advocacy Resources and Education (CARE) program. This includes the UC Davis college campus as well as the UC Davis Health system. Michelle has also worked at and in collaboration with the Sacramento Native American Health Center, and the Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) agency as a Senior Case Supervisor, working with and advocating for foster youth.

Throughout Michelle’s career working in the field of DV/SA, Michelle has had experience working in programs such as a 24-hour support and information line, domestic violence response team, sexual assault response team, counseling, prevention and education, DV/SA emergency housing, and crisis response.

Michelle is a Native (Tohono O’odham/Yaqui)/Chicana woman and a DV/SA survivor which contributes to her passion and experience in this field. Michelle is a mother of two, a runner, a jiujitsu fighter and she loves connecting with the earth.

Natalie is a graduate of Sacramento State, where she earned a B.A. in Government with a concentration in International Relations.

During her time at Sacramento State, she interned for the California State Senate, where she worked on staffing legislation and learned the impact of advocacy and coalition building.

Natalie went on to work in campaign finance as a political reporting specialist, where she oversaw and ensured compliance of campaign funds for candidates, political action committees, and major donors. Her time in campaign finance taught her that movements need funding.

At the Partnership, Natalie discovered her passion for empowering emerging leaders, connecting people to resources, and supporting people-led organizing and advocacy. As the Membership Manager, she onboards and provides support to over 1,000 members, ensuring they are connected to member benefits. She also leads the organization’s board elections by empowering members to apply for board positions and ensuring members are represented in the leadership of The Partnership.

When she’s not working, you will find Natalie spending quality time with her loved ones, exploring new places and meeting new people, keeping up with pop culture references, and occasionally hiking mountains and volcanoes in Latin America. Whatever she is doing, she is always open to trying something new.

natasha@cpedv.org | Natasha Nicholson Natasha Nicholson serves as Operations Manager, overseeing the development and execution of financial and operational strategies that support organizational growth and efficiency. She specializes in analyzing workflows, implementing systems, and driving process improvements to ensure seamless day-to-day operations.

Natasha brings a diverse professional background in behavioral and trauma studies, which informs her thoughtful, people-centered approach to leadership and team management. She has a strong interest in mental health education and its role in fostering resilient, high-performing workplaces.

In addition to her operational expertise, Natasha is a committed advocate for equity and inclusion. Through her work as a gun violence victim advocate, she remains actively engaged in initiatives that promote diversity, dismantle systemic barriers, and drive lasting, meaningful change.