After 12 years in her role as Victim Advocate, Nesha Smith has received the Outstanding Contribution to Sexual and Relationship Violence Advocacy and Response Award. This prestigious, national award is presented by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention, Education, and Response Knowledge Community.
Nesha is often the face of the Camellia Center, as she conducts new client intake appointments and meets survivors at community resource centers in crisis situations. Above all, she is tasked with supporting survivors by offering referrals, providing academic advocacy, accompanying survivors during medico-forensic exams, and engaging in case management. She coordinates and serves in the center’s after-hours on-call rotation, provides crisis counseling, and guides survivors through reporting options and Title IX proceedings.
Demonstrating her commitment to excellence in her field, Nesha maintains the certificate of Credentialed Advocate at the Advanced Level with a designation of Comprehensive Intervention Specialist. This rigorous designation, awarded through the National Advocate Credential Program, requires a minimum of 15,000 hours of direct experience, pre-service training, and continuing education.
The Camellia Center offers counseling and advocacy to secondary victims of interpersonal violence. Accordingly, Nesha meets with roommates, friends, partners, and family members of primary victims to help them build skills and learn the language to support survivors. Through these meetings, Nesha is equipping our students’ support systems with the ability to become advocates in their own right.
As a senior member of the Direct Client Services team, Nesha has made innumerable contributions to the Camellia Center and the University of Alabama community. She is a leader in her field and an invaluable resource to individuals impacted by interpersonal violence.