Astrid Heppenstall Heger, M.D.
Executive Director

Astrid Heppenstall Heger, M.D. is the Executive Director of the Violence Intervention Program and a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. In 1984, Dr. Heger founded the Center for the Vulnerable Child at LAC+USC Medical Center for the evaluation of child abuse. This was the first medically-based Child Advocacy Center in the world and currently evaluates over 10,000 child abuse and child sexual assault victims every year. This model program has been replicated in hundreds of programs around the world. Dr. Heger is the pre-eminent expert in the field of child sexual abuse and assault and is the author of numerous articles in this field as well as the definite textbook, “Evaluation of the Sexually Abused Child,” now it it’s second edition. Dr. Heger has been featured in local and national print media as well as on all the major television networks and CNN where she has served as a commentator on family and juvenile violence. Dr. Heger has received numerous honors and awards for her work with victims of abuse including the President’s highest award for victim advocacy. In addition to her work providing medical and forensic interventions to children and adolescents impacted by family and sexual violence, Dr. Heger serves as a consultant to the Los Angeles County Coroner in cases involving child death or sexual assault in all ages.

Kelly Armaly, M.B.A
Chief Operating Officer, VIP Community Mental Health Center, Inc.

Gerrian Wuts, Ph.D.
Clinical Director, VIP Community Mental Health Center, Inc.

Kitty Dillavou, M.S.W.
Program Director, VIP Community Mental Health Center

Janet Arnold, M.D.
Medical Director, Community-Based Assessment and Treatment Center

Diana Homeier, M.D.
Medical Director, Adult Protection Team

Erica Blodgett
Development & Communications Director