Meet the Staff

Marisa Binkley is a member of Loyola's class of 2024 from Burlington, NJ. She is a Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences major and in her free time enjoys going to the beach, working out at the gym, and baking. In her position, Marisa hopes to bring to illuminate the work the Women's Center does surrounding gender-based and sexual violence and wants the Loyola campus know that it is a safe space for all womxn.

Nez Blaho is a member of Loyola's class of 2024 from Weymouth, Massachusetts. They are a Theatre major and first became involved with the Women's Center through it's events. They are excited to work for the Women's Center and want to help the people at Loyola feel welcomed and know that our space is open to everyone, even if they don’t identify as a woman. In their free time, Nez loves reading a good book or listening to music.

Sarah Danella is a member of Loyola's class of 2024 from Cranston, Rhode Island. She is a Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences major here at Loyola and in her spare time enjoys expertly painting her nails and experimenting with face paint. Sarah has a unique passion for the Women's Center as a survivor of sexual assault. Because of her experience, Sarah wants to help victims understand that they are heard and know that at the Women's Center you will always feel welcomed and have access to a great confidential resource.

Anna Kelley is a member of Loyola's class of 2023 from Richmond, Virginia. She is a Biology major and is on the Women's Rowing Team here at Loyola. Through her internship, Anna hopes to empower womxn and in turn strengthen the campus community and wants everyone to experience the welcoming and wonderful environment at the Women's Center. At home, she also works at Blanchard's Coffee, roasting coffee beans for it's cafes and customers.

Melissa Lees is the Program Manager for the Women’s Center Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Response Coordinator at Loyola University Maryland. She is a confidential resource for ANY student who experiences any form of sexual or dating violence. Melissa can provide resources both on and off-campus. She is available to walk with students through both the campus disciplinary process and the city’s criminal process. Obtaining peace and protective orders, getting a S.A.F.E. (sexual assault forensic exam) exam at Mercy hospital and navigating the criminal system are a few of the many resources she can provide. Melissa is a Step Up! and Escalation Workshop facilitator. Faculty and staff can reach out to Melissa to meet with student clubs, organizations, classes and meetings to do training's on a variety of topics related to sexual violence.

Melissa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Marywood University in Scranton, PA and her Master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the University of Dayton in Ohio. Melissa has been a senior advocate with TurnAround, Baltimore’s rape crisis and domestic violence agency for the past nine years and a Domestic Violence Advocate at North West Hospital's DOVE program for three years. In her free time, she is a die-hard NY Giants fan, loves cooking, running and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Franny Parent is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at Loyola University Maryland. Prior to attending Loyola, they earned their undergraduate degree at Emory University, where they double majored in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Psychology. As a former student employee of The Center for Women at Emory, Franny is thrilled to be continuing the work of empowering and supporting the representation of marginalized genders in a college setting. They have worked on social justice community building projects with revered organizations such as SisterSong, a pro-choice initiative founded by the scholars behind reproductive justice theory; BeLoved Atlanta, a safehouse community for survivors who have escaped sex trafficking; and Planned Parenthood Southeast. When they're not in class or at the Women's Center, Franny works as a student clinician at Loyola Clinical Centers, providing accessible mental health services for individuals in the Baltimore community.

Sophie Williams is the Administrative Assistant for the Women's Center at Loyola University Maryland. She is available to assist and direct all visitors of the Women's Center as well as provide administrative support to the office. Prior to her employment at Loyola, Sophie graduated from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre and has performed at numerous venues on the East Coast. In addition to performing, she also directed, assistant-directed, and house-managed multiple shows for CUA's resident theatre company, CenterStage. When she's not in the office, she enjoys running, crocheting for herself and friends, and watching bad television with her dog.