Staff

	Felicity H. Paxton, PhD. Director Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Litty Paxton received a BA in English and American Literature from the University of East Anglia. She earned a Ph.D. in American Civilization and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Penn. Litty previously taught at the University of East Anglia and at Emory University, where she served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life. She has received fellowships from the Fulbright Commission, the British Academy, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard and the Thouron Award. Litty’s dissertation examined the cultural history and significance of the American High School Prom and her teaching and research interests include American Culture and Literature, Ritual Studies, Women’s Studies, and Creative Non-Fiction. She has written for The American Journal of Sociology, the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She has also appeared on film for Michael Moore Live, on air for National Public Radio, and on stage, most recently, in Penn’s 2007 production of The Vagina Monologues. In addition to serving as the Director of the Penn Women's Center, Litty teaches part-time for Penn’s English Department, Women’s Studies Program, Annenberg School for Communication, and Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing. She was the recipient of a Distinguished Service Teaching Award in 2006. Litty also serves as Faculty Fellow for Stouffer College House. A founding member of Penn Faculty-Staff Against War on Iraq, she is also engaged in ongoing campaigns for peace and justice. In her free time :-) she likes to walk her dog, cycle, and enjoy Philadelphia. E-mail: fpaxton@sas.upenn.edu
	Gloria M. Gay, MSW Associate Director Gloria M. Gay has over 25 years of experience in working with corporation and human service agencies on issues such as organization of department, human relations and equity. Ms. Gay is the Associate Director of the Penn Women’s Center and an adjunct instructor in human sexuality education in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Gay has also developed and taught courses in adolescent sexuality, counseling and domestic violence. She was one of the recipients of the 1996 City of Philadelphia Human Relations Commission Award. She has served on the Sexual Harassment Committee for several years and has implemented numerous sexual harassment training programs throughout the University for faculty, staff and students. Ms. Gay is also a primary trainer for the educational training team that provides training for the Philadelphia School System for teachers, principals, counselors and other members of the Philadelphia School System Community. This training has been implemented yearly for the past ten years and has been focused primarily around diversity issues. The Program entitled “Equity in the Era of Diversity” has reached hundreds since its inception in 1985. Ms. Gay received her Master’s in Social Work from the School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. She is certified as a sex education counselor by AASECT. E-mail: gay@pobox.upenn.edu
	Donna P. Gladstone Administrative Assistant Donna Gladstone is our Administrative Assistant. Donna serves as liaison with faculty, staff, students and members of the community who need to utilize the Penn Women's Center and makes referrals as appropriate to the staff of the Women's Center and other University resources including crisis intervention. She also provides support for programs, events, and special projects undertaken by the staff of the Penn Women's Center as well as organizations based at PWC. A Philadelphia native, Donna graduated from West Philadelphia High School and went on to earn a degree in Office Management from Pierce Business College. When not at work, Donna enjoys theatre, dining and travel and is active in her local Baptist church. Donna is an active advocate for the rights of single mothers, abused women and underprivileged teens. E-mail: dpg@pobox.upenn.edu
	Jessica Mertz Violence Prevention Educator Jessica is our most recent staff hire, funded by a Department of Justice grant awarded to the Penn Women’s Center and the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives. Jessica, who joined us in January as our full time Violence Prevention Educator, comes to us from Saint Joseph’s University and, more recently, from Rutgers, where she just completed an M.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies. Her graduate research focused on various topics related to violence against women including how to make domestic violence services more inclusive for the LGBTQ community and how to mobilize men in violence prevention efforts. Jessica’s practicum thesis looked at dating violence programs on college campuses and the role of administrative cooperation to build comprehensive prevention programs. Jessica is a certified domestic violence advocate in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania and has worked as a domestic violence counselor, a community educator, and, most recently, has coordinated and executed a progressive domestic violence grant in New Jersey for the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Her experience includes creating original curriculums and working with large groups to educate about issues such as dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault. She is also an original board member of the non-profit organization, The Kristin Mitchell Foundation, started in the memory of a fellow Saint Joe’s graduate who was killed by her boyfriend. The foundation is committed to funding and supporting dating violence programs on college campuses to raise awareness about the dangers and warning signs of unhealthy relationships. E-mail: jmertz@exchange.upenn.edu