Life Span staff speak eleven different languages, and nearly all our staff are bilingual. Domestic violence occurs in every one of Chicago’s communities. Because of this, we hire culturally knowledgeable staff to best serve clients.
Vianney Leon is an expert at anti-oppressive research and evaluation. Vianney has worked in many Chicago community-needs project ranging from the Howard Brown Health Women’s Health Assessment to the 2019 LGBTQ+ Needs Assessment. Vianney uses evaluation as a tool towards equity and justice for underrepresented communities.
Vianney is Mexican American, fluent in Spanish and holds a Master of Social Work from DePaul University. We’re excited to use her expertise to continue to provide innovative approaches to combat domestic and sexual violence..
Fatimeh Hussain, our newest criminal court advocate, assists clients in understanding their legal rights under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act. Fatimeh brings years of experience advocating for victims’ rights and providing culturally competent services to some of our most vulnerable populations.
At Life Span, Fatimeh works with State’s Attorneys, police and judges to advocate on behalf of survivors. Bilingual in English and Arabic, Fatimeh was born and raised and still lives on the Southside of Chicago. She loves all kinds of Arabic food and barbecue. In her free time she likes to bike long distances and hike, especially at Starved Rock (pictured above).
Welcome to the team, Fatimeh and Vianney!
