Omaha saw more than 100 nonfatal shooting victims in 2019. These survivors are left with physical, mental and emotional trauma. The chances of violent re-injury or retaliation are high, causing untold damage to individuals, families and communities.
But with the right people at the right time, a hospitalization can be a lifeline. When the experienced team of ENCOMPASS Omaha sees a patient with a violent injury, they advocate for and support the victim throughout recovery. The team helps victims of violence heal from physical and emotional trauma by empowering them with skills, community-based services and educational opportunities.
As a hospital-based violence intervention program, ENCOMPASS Omaha works to reduce violence in the community. Meet our team members and see why they dedicated to the work.
Jennifer Burt, PhD, LP
Dr. Burt is a pediatric psychologist with a focused interest in violence prevention and trauma while working at the integrated behavioral health clinic at Children’s Physicians in Dundee. Her expertise in the psychological effects of trauma creates a trauma-informed care approach to working with victims of violence.
Charity Evans, MD, MHCM, FACS
Dr. Evans is a trauma surgeon who has invested most of her career in violence prevention and intervention while working in Omaha. After years of seeing young individuals injured by violence, she decided to tackle this public health issue from a medical point of view. Her role as director is to oversee the ENCOMPASS Omaha program and advocate at the medical and academic levels.
Ashley Farrens, MSN, MBA, RN
Ashley is a violence prevention program supervisor with experience working as an emergency department and trauma program nurse. She is passionate about providing supportive care to victims of violence by connecting patients with medical and community resources to navigate a safe recovery after injury.
Alberto Gonzales
Alberto (Beto) is a violence intervention specialist who brings more than 30 years of experience in violence prevention and intervention efforts in the Omaha community. As a "credible messenger," he understands firsthand what it feels like to be a victim lying in a hospital bed after being violently injured and looking to make a change for a better life. He makes contact with patients before they are discharged home and offers ongoing supportive services in their recovery journey. His role helps break the cycle of violence that many patients know all too well.
Janae Donaldson MSW, LMHP
Janae Donaldson (She, Her, Hers) graduated from Bellevue University with a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a certificate in human service- chemical dependency from Metropolitan Community College. Most of Janae’s experience is with adolescents & young adults in various capacities and diverse populations. Janae believes that therapy isn’t a one-way street, it is a collaborative experience. She utilizes both person-centered and strengths-based approaches. By doing so, one is able to access skills that they have always possessed, but may have needed a little extra help finding. Janae believes that treating the body as a whole, mind, body, and spirit, is imperative to overall well-being. She has special interest in working with individuals who have experienced trauma, anxiety, and/or depression. Janae is also trained in Circle of Security Parenting, which focuses on attachment and the parent/child relationship. She is also a certified yoga instructor. She is a proponent for trauma informed care and believes that this is necessary in order to provide individuals a safe space to speak, feel, and be themselves freely.
What interests her most about her position as a Mental Health Specialist with Encompass is being able to serve her community in a different way. For instance, individuals who may not have had access to mental health services, now have the opportunity to seek services through Encompass. She also enjoys providing services in a nontraditional way, “being able to meet participants where they are enhances the therapeutic process/relationship”.
Melissa Inzauro MSW, CSW
Melissa is a program social worker. She was born and raised in North Omaha. She became a mother at 17 during her senior year of high school at Omaha Central. Ten years after working as a CNA and raising her son, Melissa obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees from UNO. Melissa has a passion for access to health care and health care as a human right. Melissa connects Encompass Omaha patients with services and guides them through processes in which she had to utilize herself as a young parent with limited resources.
Ashley Raposo, MPH
Ashley is a statistician for the Department of Surgery with a focus on violence prevention and intervention. She uses her understanding of risk factors and long-term health outcomes of violence to evaluate the program and tell the "statistical story" of our participants.
TiShara Wardlow, MS
TiShara has over 15 years of experience working with children and families, between previous jobs at Girls Inc., Boystown, Kids Can and the Omaha Early Learning Center. She is also a former Girls Inc. board member. With a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice she is passionate about reducing community violence, reentry for people who were formerly incarcerated, and generally building strong communities through resilience and trauma-informed practices. Tishara is currently working on her second master’s degree in Social Work at UNO. She is proud mother of two beautiful girls, a reading and podcast enthusiast, fashionista, and a budding at-home horticulturist. She is a mini social scientist who can make you laugh, and, on occasion cry with you. Her mission is to build a better framework through meaningful connections, language and grounded confidence in the many communities that she serves.
Arianna Crum MSW, MPH, LIMHP
Arianna is a medical social worker for ENCOMPASS Omaha. She was born and raised in North Omaha, Nebraska. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with her master’s degree in social work and public health. She has extensive experience in mental health counseling and in the emergency department working with patients experiencing severe, persistent mental health disorders. Arianna is pursuing her PhD to understand the social determinants of health in the African American community. Her passion is black mental health and reducing disparities in the community. During her time with ENCOMPASS Omaha, she hopes to be impactful and resourceful to each participant she meets by helping them reach their goals.