Executive Staff

Leigh Duque – Executive Director

Leigh Duque was appointed executive director of InterAct in August 2010. With more than 25 years’ experience in not-for-profit leadership roles, Duque has a successful track record in fund development and finance, program and property management, marketing and communications, volunteer and staff development, and community-building. Her broad and deep experience ranges from founding and serving as executive director of an organization which enhances and enriches the quality of life for persons receiving services for substance abuse, mental health and developmental disabilities within an 8-parish region of Louisiana, to helping to launch a successful $28 million capital campaign. With deep roots in North Carolina, Leigh is a graduate of East Carolina University. She and her husband reside in Wake County and are the proud parents of four adult daughters and five grandchildren.

Keri Christensen – Associate Executive Director of Programs

Keri Christensen began working in the field of domestic violence and sexual assault as a volunteer in a small domestic violence and sexual assault center in Casper, Wyoming more than 25 years ago.  In 1994, Keri was offered a position as the Children’s Advocate at Harbor, Inc. in Johnston County, North Carolina, and she and her family moved to the Raleigh area.  Three years later, Keri became the Executive Director of Harbor in 1997, a position she held until joining InterAct in May of 2015.  With extensive non-profit leadership and programmatic experience, Keri was excited to work with the InterAct team.  In May, 2016 Keri and her team kicked off electronic filing of petitions for domestic violence protective orders (e-Filing) from InterAct, rather than from the Wake County Courthouse – the third such initiative in the state. Keri serves on Wake County’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team and Domestic Violence Task Force, and is working with the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault to strengthen programming under the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Leadership Team

Christina Brewer – Director of Operations

Brianna Clarke-Schwelm – Director of Training, Engagement and Prevention

Phyllis Dew – Director of Support Services

Rachel Gonwa, MSW – Director of Planning & Strategic Initiatives

Lina Jaramillo, MSW – Associate Director of Crisis Intervention

Tory Moore, MSW – Associate Director of Support Services

Meredith Riggs – Director of Finance & Human Resources

Lauren Schwartz, RN, SANE-A – Director of The Solace Center

Allison Strickland – Chief Development Officer

Tasha Sullivan, MSW – Senior Director of Domestic Violence Services