Deborah Collins-Gousby, the Chief Operating Officer at Dorchester’s Brookview House, has been appointed president of the Board of Directors for Jane Doe, Inc., a membership coalition committed to ending sexual assault and domestic violence. Collins-Gousby assumes this role after serving for three years as President Elect of the JDI board and more than 20 years of involvement with the organization overall.

“The entire team at Brookview is deeply proud of the work our COO is doing with Jane Doe,” said Deborah Hughes, president and CEO of Brookview. “Deb has been a long-time advocate for survivors of domestic violence and has a wealth of experience in prevention and intervention services along with community outreach and education.”

Each year, Brookview provides 370 women and children experiencing homelessness with a safe, supportive environment in which to live and acquire and practice skills to pursue education, job training and employment in order to achieve long-term stability and economic independence. At-risk women and children who live in the community are also invited to participate in Brookview’s programs. Recognized nationally for its successful model, 92 percent of mothers who have lived at Brookview maintain permanent housing after leaving, and 88 percent of the children who participate in Brookview’s Youth Development Program graduate high school, compared to the national average of only 25 percent.

Prior to Brookview, Collins-Gousby spent nearly thirteen years at Casa Myrna, a comprehensive provider of domestic violence services, starting as Director of Emergency Programs and eventually assuming responsibility for all of the agency’s direct service programs. Earlier on, she worked for fourteen years at the Elizabeth Stone House, another Boston provider of shelter and community-based services to domestic violence survivors and their children. In addition to her role on the JDI Board, Collins-Gousby also serves as a member of the Leadership Committee of the Massachusetts Women of Color Network (MAWOCN).