Staff

Lisa Culp
Executive Director

By the young age of 13, Lisa knew she wanted to make a difference in the community, and did so by helping those who founded Loaves & Fishes bring sandwiches to the homeless near the railroad tracks. Lisa studied both at UCLA and University of Grenoble in France, and received her degree from UC Davis. A long-time activist and voice for those less fortunate, Lisa spent 10 years after college working in Nicaragua while living on dirt floors. After seeing poverty abroad, Lisa chose to return home to raise her son. She continued working with those struggling to survive by creating various programs with Loaves & Fishes and Quinn Cottages. One of the projects Lisa designed grew into today’s Women’s Empowerment. After working more than 10 years on local issues regarding homelessness and as an employee of Loaves & Fishes, Lisa currently serves as Executive Director of the now independent nonprofit, Women’s Empowerment, which earned Nonprofit of the Year in 2009. In 2008, she received the Woman of the Year Award from the National Association of Business Women for her vision in founding the organization. In 2010, she earned the Ruby Award for her efforts to serve the homeless, a distinction granted on a regional level. Lisa speaks Spanish, German, and French.

Erie Shockey
Associate Director

After growing up in the Midwest as a tomboy with her parents and two brothers, Erie attended the University of Texas in Austin. She then moved to the Washington, DC area for graduate school and received her Master's in Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. While living in Fairfax, Virginia with her husband and two sons, Erie worked as a school social worker. She focused on older teens and young adults with special needs, who were transitioning into the workforce. After moving to Sacramento, Erie began working as a case manager in 2002, helping women to become their own case managers in life. She also coordinates the Women’s Empowerment Volunteer Job Mentoring Program. Erie’s greatest pleasure on the weekends is exploring the nooks and crannies of beautiful Northern California, camera in tow.

Amber K. Stott
Director of Community Partnerships

Amber joined Women’s Empowerment in 2008. She brings with her nine years' experience in nonprofit fundraising, communications, and marketing, and importantly, a deep commitment to women’s rights. She previously put her enthusiasm to work raising money and awareness for nonprofits WEAVE and Freedom from Hunger. Amber is a member and Board Member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, chairing its marketing committee, and a past Board Member of the Sacramento Public Relations Association. She has earned four gold public relations awards for nonprofit fundraising campaigns, event planning, and newsletter writing. Amber has a Master’s degree from the University of Illinois in African Studies and Women’s Studies, traveling to South Africa on a Fulbright-Hayes to study Zulu. Her bachelor’s degree from the same university is in Comparative Literature and Women’s Studies. Amber speaks Danish (from her days as a Rotary exchange student) and elementary-level Zulu. There is only one thing Amber is as passionate about as empowering women: food. She loves to grow it, bake it, eat it, write/blog about it, and even read about it.

Corinna Dewar
Program Manager

Corinna began working at Loaves & Fishes as a social work intern, making her way over to Women’s Empowerment shortly after her internship was complete. She joined Women’s Empowerment in 2003. She received her BA in International Relations from UC Davis and a Master's in Social Work from Sacramento State. Working as a case manager and program coordinator, Corinna has honed her social work skills in addition to some of the other hats she wears at Women’s Empowerment: bookkeeper, office machine liaison, and keeper of files. In her free time Corinna enjoys reading, bowling, television, and scrabble.

Michelle DeSart
Volunteer Coordinator

Michelle is the newest member of Women’s Empowerment, joining the team in 2009.  She previously worked at WEAVE coordinating volunteers and assisting with fundraising efforts. Michelle also served two years as a member of AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program where some of her favorite projects included working on an organic farm in Baltimore, planning community volunteer days in Maine, and assisting with disaster relief in the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina. Michelle is a native Sacramentan. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2003 with a degree in Communications and Cinema Broadcast Arts. In her free time, Michelle spends time outdoors hiking, biking, and just enjoying nature. She also likes visiting with friends and family.

Brenda Keen
Childcare Coordinator

Brenda joined Women's Empowerment in 2009. She holds an AA degree in Early Childhood Education, and will graduate with her BA in Sociology from National University in summer 2010. Brenda is a mother who loves spending time with her son and attending cultural and historical events. She believes that one of her biggest successes can be seen in the smiles of the children she serves at Women’s Empowerment.

Hannah Langshaw
Social Work Intern

Hannah is our graduate social work intern this year from Sacramento State. She has a BA in social work from the same college. Her professional passions include working with women, focusing on domestic violence and sexual abuse, and working to empower them through confidence-building and life skills. She also loves working with children, families, and the elderly population. In past internships she has worked at an elementary school and a dialysis clinic. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys cooking, baking, outdoor sports, traveling, and dreams of learning to sky dive!