Haven Project Personnel

Jess has been working with the Haven Project since 2010 and the has been the director since 2016. She is also a psychologist in the Counseling Center and has been the chair of the department since 2017. She completed her undergraduate degree at Penn State University, majoring in psychology before going on to complete her master of arts and doctor of psychology degrees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Haven Project is important to her because their mission is education, prevention, and advocacy. We stand to promote a culture at IUP that does not accept violence. But until we can stop every incident of sexual violence, then it is also important to give a voice to survivors and to assist them in continuing to be successful at IUP. She has been extremely fortunate to have worked with many passionate IUP students, and together—she knows we can make a difference.

Jennifer is the sexual violence prevention educator for the Haven Project at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is fortunate enough to work with a graduate assistant, peer educators, volunteer specialists, and volunteers to bring education and awareness to students, faculty, and staff on the topics of sexual violence, domestic/dating violence, bystander intervention (Green Dot), healthy relationships, consent, and stalking.

Prior to the sexual violence prevention educator position, she held the position of prevention specialist along with the Armstrong-Indiana Drug Free Communities project coordinator, student assistant program prevention liaison, and Narcan coordinator for seven years through the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission. She has also worked for four years as a long-term and daily substitute teacher in local elementary schools. In 2007, she obtained her bachelor of arts degree in elementary education, with a minor in educational psychology and a reading concentration, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

She is excited to work for the Haven Project to continue to make an impact on our campus through education, awareness campaigns, and providing resources and support for victims and survivors of sexual violence.

Pamela Faris is a 1993 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She began working at IUP in 2009 in the Postal Services Department and moved to the Haven Project in August 2019. Pamela enjoys working alongside the Sexual Violence Prevention educator, peer educators, and volunteer specialists to support them in Haven’s mission and to stand with them as they work to create a safer campus and community.