BOARD MEMBERS
Denise Lilley
Denise Lilley – Board President, 2016 to present
Denise relocated to Reno from Portland, Oregon in 2013. She has over 30 + years of non-profit involvement and currently serves on the boards of the Stimson Miller Foundation (Portland, OR) and National Charity League, Inc. (Costa Mesa, CA). In addition, Denise is an active CASA with Washoe County and serves as a group leader for BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). Denise possesses strong organizational skills, a business development mindset and commitment to the Awaken mission. Denise joined the Awaken board in 2016. Denise is married with four grown daughters. During down time, she enjoys all sports, especially walking and hiking, meeting new people, reading and traveling to see her daughters and experiencing new cultures.
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Denise Lilley
Aaron Clark - Board Secretary
Aaron Clark – Secretary, 2017 to present
Aaron Clark is native born to the Reno-Sparks area. His local knowledge and experience served him as he worked in the real estate industry since 1999. He joined the team at Edge Realty in 2010. Aaron offers expert advice to the public as a regular speaker on the Jon Sanchez show, representing Edge Realty. He is passionate to help businesses expand and succeed in our community, which is seen when he consults and helps develop business leaders. He is known for his ability to create structures, and strategies for business owners and organizations. Aaron has served on the board of several non-profit organizations in the community. He is excited and passionate about the mission of Awaken, participating and supporting for several years before serving on their board beginning in 2017. Aaron enjoys spending time with his amazing wife and three awesome children, visiting Lake Tahoe and playing the guitar.
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Aaron Clark
Daniel Fred
Daniel Fred, 2011 to present
Daniel graduated from Texas Tech University in 2005. He is the Project Coordinator for the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is currently finishing his Master’s degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling at the University of Nevada, Reno and is the Associate Director for the Nevada House of Prayer. Daniel felt compelled to partner with Melissa in combating domestic commercial sexual exploitation of women in NV after reading an article in the RGJ about Awaken INC’s outreach efforts to girls caught up in the local sex industry. Daniel has served on Awaken’s board since 2011.
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Daniel Fred
Jacob Klaus
Jacob Klaus, 2017
Bio coming soon.
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Jacob Klaus
Jason Guinasso
Jason Guinasso, Advisory Board Member, 2017 to present
Jason Guinasso is an attorney and co-founder of the Reese Kintz Guinasso Law together with his wife Kim Marsh Guinasso. The firm employs 18 people with law offices in in Reno, Incline Village and Las Vegas. Jason is a solutions-driven attorney committed to adding value to the clients and communities he serves. Jason’s law practice includes Employment and Labor Law, Human Resources Support, Public interest and nonprofit organizations and Government Affairs and Legislative Advocacy among many other specialties. Additionally, Jason has maintained a significant appellate practice, which has included preparation of petitions for judicial review of administrative decisions, extraordinary writs and appeals to the Nevada Supreme Court. Jason is dedicated to serving our community by providing pro bono legal services to faith-based organizations, non-profits, and civic organizations. In this regard, Jason serves on the Nevada State Public Charter School Board as Board Member appointed by the Honorable Governor Brian Sandoval. Jason is an advisory Board Member of Awaken and provides pro bono legal services to Awaken and its clients. Jason and his wife of 22 years, Kim, have two children, Robbie (20) and Adeline (13).
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Jason Guinasso
STAFF
Melissa Holland
Melissa Holland serves as the Founder and Director of Awaken. She holds a Masters degree in Marriage Family Therapy from the University of Nevada, Reno. Melissa started as a counselor offering pro bono services to women affected by commercial sexual exploitation. In 2011 she and Jen Robinson co-founded Awaken, a nonprofit who’s mission is to increase awareness and education surrounding the issue of commercial sexual exploitation and to provide housing and restoration for its victims. Melissa believes strongly in responding to God’s call to seek justice for the oppressed, and is passionate about uniting local churches and the NV community in the fight to end the sexual exploitation of women and children.
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Melissa Holland
Founder & Executive Director
Jen Robinson
Jen holds a B.A in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently working toward an MBA at the University of Nevada, Reno. She and Melissa Holland co-founded Awaken in 2011. Jen is currently co-chairperson of the Prevention committee on the State of Nevada’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Coalition. Jen enjoys building strong, trust-filled relationships with the women and children Awaken serves. She is dedicated and passionate, and truly believes she will see commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking eradicated in northern Nevada and around the world.
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Jen Robinson
Co Founder & Youth Prevention Director
Kasia Klaus
Kasia Klaus joined Awaken in 2017, where she currently serves as the Program Director. Prior to moving to Reno, Kasia held positions as a state and tribal prosecutor in Wisconsin. Kasia graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic, cum laude and a collegiate athlete, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She also obtained a J.D. from Liberty University School of Law, and has been admitted to practice law in the states of Washington and Wisconsin. Kasia developed a passion for combating sex trafficking in 2010 while interning with a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. that focused on human trafficking legislation. She believes her trial experience as a former prosecutor enables her to fearlessly advocate for the mission of Awaken, and is honored to be working for such a noble organization.
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Kasia Klaus
Program Director
Katy Hartley
Katy holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary. She specializes in trauma and attachment therapy. Katy is trained in the application of EMDR therapy to complex trauma and attachment difficulties. She specializes in both adolescents and adults. Katy works directly with women and children who are victims of sexual exploitation, provides crisis intervention, and clinical consultation; she facilitates group and individual therapy and also delivers professional trainings. In addition to her work with Awaken, Katy is the Program Director for the Koinonia After School Day Treatment Program, an intensive outpatient treatment program for at-risk teens and foster youth, and is also an adjunct professor at Multnomah University. Katy has a heart and passion for the broken, and it is her desire to see all the wounds from sex trafficking healed in each woman and child.
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Katy Hartley
Therapist
Catherine Leon
Catherine brings more than a decade of fundraising experience to Awaken. She enjoys helping donors realize their philanthropic goals and dreams and has served as a program manager, grants manager, and director of development for various multi-million dollar agencies. Most recently, Catherine served as the grants manager for Sierra Nevada Journeys where she helped implement a robust grants program generating more than $1million in government and private foundation revenue. Catherine serves as the treasurer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Sierra Chapter, was among the first graduates of the Leadership in Evaluative Thinking Institute and earned her bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and Spanish Literature from the University of Nevada, Reno.
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Catherine Leon
Director of Development & Communication
Stephanie Sherman
Since 2013, Stephanie has been serving as a Mentor to the women seeking restoration through the services of Awaken. With a BBA in Marketing from Texas Christian University, she has worked in non-profit management, serving in local ministries and community organizations since moving to Reno after graduation. She and her husband, Bill Sherman, started Hope Community Church in 2006, where Stephanie most recently worked as Life Groups Director. They are also the proud parents of Rachel and Will, both currently finishing degrees at Nevada.
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Stephanie Sherman
Volunteer Coordinator
Molly Mahannah
Molly graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelors of science in Health Ecology with a minor in Biology. Molly has always had a passion for helping people. Molly spent 11 years working with children and adults with mental illness. During this time Molly worked with many youth who had been sexually exploited. This continued to grow her heart for helping in this arena. God opened the door and called Molly into this position with Awaken. Molly’s heart drives her goal to help our clients regain their lives and become independent.
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Molly Mahannah
House Manager