About Us 

Our mission: Working together with college and university communities to create safer campuses. When institutions of higher education seek guidance on campus safety regulation, they turn to Clery Center. 

We are a national nonprofit dedicated to helping college and university officials meet the standards of the Jeanne Clery Act. By equipping professionals with the training and resources they need to understand compliance requirements, we strive to make campus safety a universal reality.

Team

Jessica Mertz | Executive Director
As Executive Director, Jessica Mertz leads the strategic vision of the organization and partners with the board of directors and staff to advance Clery Center’s mission of improving campus safety. Jessica works with legislatures, ally organizations, and campus leaders across the country to improve policies and raise awareness about key safety issues college students face. Prior to Clery Center, Jessica spent ten years at the University of Pennsylvania where she was the founding Director of Penn Violence Prevention. She also served in various roles as a prevention educator and victim advocate with a focus on sexual assault and domestic violence. Jessica received a certificate in Nonprofit Administration from the Fels Institute of Government, received her M.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies from Rutgers, and her B.A. from St. Joseph’s University.

Christine Arnold | Senior Director of Operations & Finance
Christine has been at Clery Center since 2013 and became the Senior Director of Operations & Finance in 2022. Christine is responsible for overseeing the operational and financial management of organizing and operating the Clery Center, including program-related projects, federal grants, accounts payable and receivables, and membership support. Christine earned a B.A. in Sociology and Criminology from Cabrini University and an M.P.A. – Nonprofit Administration Concentration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Abigail Boyer | Associate Executive Director
Abigail Boyer has been with Clery Center since 2012, becoming Associate Executive Director in 2015. She leads the Clery Center team in providing educational resources, training curriculum, and technical assistance tools to help improve campus safety nationwide and manages the organization’s Office on Violence Against Women technical assistance grants designed to support institutions in enhancing their dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking prevention and response efforts. She also presents nationally on topics related to the Clery Act and campus safety. Prior to joining Clery Center, Abigail served as the Community Outreach Coordinator for The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. where she was instrumental in the development and implementation of programs targeted towards law enforcement, colleges and universities, and other students, parents, and community members. Abigail earned a B.A. in Political Science at West Chester University and an M.S. in Organization Development and Leadership with a concentration in Adult Learning and Training at Saint Joseph’s University. She has been a contributor to Campus Safety Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, LA Times, and Huffington Post.

Laura Egan | Senior Director of Programs
Laura Egan oversees the development and implementation of programmatic offerings including Clery Center membership benefits and consultation services ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and values. Laura provides strategic direction for program evaluation and the planning and growth of products, trainings, and services. She presents nationally and provides individualized support on compliance with and implementation of Clery Act requirements, campus safety, compliance, and gender based violence and discrimination. Prior to joining Clery Center, Laura worked at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA for five years serving in both residence life and student conduct roles after working as a school counselor for three years within the School District of Philadelphia. Laura’s program development work at Clery Center has led to meaningful collaboration and partnerships with organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Organization for Victim Assistance, National Women’s Law Center, the State University of New York’s Student Conduct Institute (SUNY SCI) and Victim Rights Law Center. Laura has been a contributor to Campus Safety Magazine, The Baltimore Sun, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Christian Science Monitor. Laura earned a B.A. in Psychology from Villanova University and a M.A. in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University.

Amy Guthrie | Director of Information Technology
Amy works to deliver effective technology initiatives in support of Clery Center’s programs and mission. As a crucial part of her role, she provides administration, customization, and data management for critical operational software. Amy previously served in the United States Air Force as a Surveillance Technician, working with a dedicated unit to maintain an accurate air picture during Operation Southern Watch/Operation Iraqi Freedom. She earned her Bachelor of Computer Science degree from West Chester University. Outside of Clery Center, Amy has volunteered with The Hacktory, a nonprofit makerspace and education organization in Philadelphia. There, she was involved with a Hacking the Gender Gap in Technology workshop and a TechGirlz Soft-Circuit Sewing workshop, as well as various community project nights.

Paul Hinkle | Assistant Director of Programs
Paul leads the development and provision of Clery Center’s live and virtual interactive Clery Act Training Seminars, to help institutions in their role of providing safe educational environments and complying with the Clery Act. In addition, he creates and implements annual National Campus Safety Awareness Month (NCSAM) programming each September. Prior to joining Clery Center, Paul spent seven years in student conduct and Title IX, working to enhance education, training, and compliance. He champions increasing transparency and understanding of the complexities of campus safety legislation and related university processes. Paul earned his M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of West Florida and a B.A. in English Literature and Secondary Education from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Cheryl Levy | Project Coordinator
Cheryl manages logistics and details for Clery Center trainings and webinars. In this capacity, she works directly with host institutions to organize Clery Act Training Seminars, compiling and analyzing historical data to plan and implement a yearly training schedule, and collaborating with internal partners to organize National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Cheryl has a background in Human Resources and Recruiting and has supported many companies throughout her career, such as Eli Lilly, Cisco Systems, and Waste Management. Cheryl has a B.S. in History and Newspaper Journalism from Syracuse University and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Jaykumar Puthran | Project Coordinator – Data & Technology
Jay has a background in research, technology & data analysis and is part of Clery Center’s logistics team with focus on coordination with webinars and the Salesforce CRM, as well as supporting the TTIs. He earned his Biomedical Engineering Master’s degree from Cornell University, NY and has research experience at Cornell and the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He also has a comprehensive dual MBA degree with Marketing Management focus.

Rachel Matos | Assistant Director of Programs
As an Assistant Director of Programs, Rachel supports implementation and execution of programs and Clery Center membership services which address overall campus safety including compliance with the Clery Act. Rachel conducts in person and virtual Clery Act Training Seminars, webinars, and provides technical assistance on the law itself. Rachel previously worked for a domestic and sexual violence nonprofit in Massachusetts managing the Outreach and Prevention team. There, Rachel led monthly awareness campaigns, developed primary prevention education curriculum, and bridged the gap between community organizations and access to systems. Rachel’s most passionate about the justice system in all its forms, practicing media literacy, and the role of male socialization as it relates to domestic violence and sexual assault. She employs a model of teaching that embraces open dialogue, peer to peer exchanges, and the ideology that learning exists on a spectrum and never truly ceases. She earned her B.S of Criminal Justice from Lasell University in 2016 and is currently pursuing her Masters of Violence Prevention at Lasell University.

Kristen Sweeney | Director of Communications
Kristen has an integral role in promoting Clery Center’s work and mission and is responsible for collaborating across all of Clery’s departments to develop, implement, and manage our internal and external communications. She also oversees Clery Center’s branding and collateral materials. Kristen previously served in many roles at a boutique marketing and advertising firm, including creative, media trafficking, account management, and communications, and brings those myriad skills to her position here. She has a B.S. in graphic design from Drexel University and serves on the board of the Ridley Educational Foundation. Nonprofit work has always been close to her heart as she’s been a volunteer with Girl Scouts of the USA, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, and Meals on Wheels America, and worked closely with many other nonprofit organizations in her professional career.

BOARD

Constance Clery | Co-founder & Chairwoman Emerita
Constance (Connie) Benjamin Clery, along with her husband Howard K. Clery, Jr., changed the face of crime safety at colleges and universities across the United States after the 1986 brutal on-campus rape and murder of their only daughter, Jeanne, at Lehigh University by a fellow student whom she did not know.

The Clerys discovered a history of violent crime on the campus and a long record of problems with propped-open doors of the type Jeanne’s killer had used to gain access to her residence hall room. After the killer was convicted of murder, and a civil lawsuit against Lehigh was settled, the Clerys wanted to make sure that no other family had to endure the tragedy they had. 

Connie and Howard co-founded the nonprofit organization Security On Campus, Inc. (now Clery Center) in 1987. They secured passage of campus crime reporting legislation, first in their home state of Pennsylvania, then in a dozen other states. Connie soon realized that state-by-state legislation would be time-consuming and difficult, and so pushed efforts to the federal level. Her perseverance resulted in the 1990 passage of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act—that is now known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act or more simply, the Clery Act. As of 2008, the Clerys’ leadership has led to the passage of a total of 28 state and 6 federal laws designed to improve campus safety. Connie was responsible for running Clery Center until 2003 and continues to serve as Chairwoman Emerita of the board.

Sheilah D. Vance, Esq. | Chairperson
Sheilah is an attorney with a primary focus in education law, literary and entertainment law, employment discrimination, and estates and trusts. She is also an affiliated consultant for TNG Consulting, an adjunct professor at Villanova University School of Law, and a published author. She has a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Communications, magna cum laude, from Howard University. Sheilah has published and presented extensively in the areas of public and legal education, including at conferences at Oxford University in England, the National Bar Association, the American Association of Law Schools, the Education Law Association, the Law School Admissions Council, and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. In 2006, Sheilah received the 2006 Woman of Distinction Award from the Barristers Association of Philadelphia, the local affiliate of the National Bar Association, for “exemplary service to the community through the practice of law” and “impressive personal accomplishments as an African American attorney.” Sheilah is also a member of the Advisory Board of ATIXA (Association of Title IX Administrators) and co-chair of the Education Law Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Andrew J. Cagnetta, Jr. | Vice Chairperson
Andrew J. Cagnetta is the owner and CEO of Transworld Business Advisors, LLC. Transworld is the number one business brokerage franchise in the world with hundreds of offices in many countries. He has served on numerous profit and nonprofit boards including BBX Capital, United Way of Broward County, Junior Achievement of South Florida, Legal Aid Service, Broward Workshop, International Business Brokers Association, and Business Brokers of Florida. He is a 1987 graduate of Lehigh University with a bachelor of science in business and economics. He is married to Allison and has two daughters Lauren and Rachel. Andrew was a classmate and friend of Jeanne’s at Lehigh University. 

Ben Clery | Treasurer
Ben Clery is the brother of Jeanne Clery who was murdered at Lehigh University in April 1986. From August 1994 to September 1997 Ben served as vice president of Clery Center (then “Security On Campus”). He developed the Campus Watch newsletter and wrote the organization’s first grant proposals. He lobbied the U.S. House & Senate to support the Accuracy in Campus Crime Reporting Act and testified before the U.S. Education & Workforce Subcommittee about campus crime and disclosure problems. Ben is the owner of Penn-Del Appraisals, LLC, is a graduate of Tulane University, and resides in suburban Delaware.

Roger Carolin
Roger Carolin has been a venture partner at SCP Partners since 2004 and has over 25 years’ experience in working in technology related businesses. Prior to joining SCP, he was CEO for 10 years at CFM Technologies. Earlier, he worked in the defense and aerospace industries at Honeywell and General Electric. He is currently a director of Amkor Technology, Innovative Solutions & Support, and he serves as a director of several private companies. Roger was previously Clery Center’s board chairperson, is a former board member of the Greater Philadelphia Venture Group, and he currently serves on the board of Big Picture Schools Philadelphia. He received his B.S. in electrical engineering from Duke University and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Gary DeVercelly
Gary DeVercelly, along with his wife, Julie, has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers of hazing since the death of their oldest son, Gary Jr., as a result of a fraternity hazing ‘ritual’. The DeVercellys enacted unprecedented change at Rider University, where Gary Jr. was enrolled at the time of his death, revolutionizing the way Rider manages their Greek organizations. In 2014 the DeVercellys, with Clery Center, produced the award-winning documentary, We Don’t Haze. They speak at high schools and universities across the country about hazing and advocate in Washington, D.C., for a federal hazing bill. Gary is self-employed and serves on Clery Center’s board of directors. The DeVercellys live in Long Beach, CA, where they raised their three children, Gary Jr., Emily, and Noah.

Julie G. DeVercelly
Julie G. DeVercelly, along with her husband Gary, has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers of hazing since the death of their oldest son, Gary Jr., as a result of a fraternity hazing ‘ritual’. She and Gary enacted unprecedented change at Rider University, where Gary Jr. was enrolled at the time of his death, revolutionizing the way Rider manages their Greek organizations. In 2014 she and Gary, with Clery Center, produced the award-winning documentary, We Don’t Haze. Julie and Gary are Executive Producers of Protect the House, currently in production and founding members of NoMoreHazing.org. They started traveling to Washington, D.C., in 2014 advocating for an anti-hazing bill that is now known as the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing, or REACH Act H.R. 2525 and S.744. Julie and Gary spoke on Capitol Hill when the REACH Act was first introduced in July, 2017. In 2018, they were part of a hazing education briefing and panel discussion hosted by Congressman Alan Lowenthal, in Washington, D.C. They are actively involved in getting the REACH Act passed and continue to meet with legislators and travel to D.C. on a regular basis.

Julie has a master’s degree in secondary education and is a high school teacher and swim coach with Los Angeles Unified School District and serves on Clery Center’s board of directors. The DeVercellys live in Long Beach, CA, where they raised their three children, Gary Jr., Emily, and Noah.

George Dowdall, Ph.D.
George W. Dowdall is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Saint Joseph’s University and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Public Health Initiatives of the University of Pennsylvania. His research has examined issues such as mental health, substance abuse, and research methods. George received his doctorate in sociology from Brown University and was a National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA School of Public Health. In 2000, he was the American Sociological Association’s Congressional Fellow. He has held faculty or visiting positions at Indiana, Buffalo State, UCLA, Saint Joseph’s, Penn, Brown, and the Harvard School of Public Health. George currently resides in San Francisco.

Gail Minger
Gail Minger became an advocate for campus fire and life safety after the death of her son, Michael, at age 19 in an arson dormitory fire in 1998. She worked on legislation in Kentucky, the state in which Michael lost his life, and was successful in passing the Michael Minger Act in 2000. She was awarded the Jeanne Clery Award for her efforts to improve safety on college campuses and in 2002 she was awarded the Consumer Safety Award by the Kentucky Association of Trial Attorneys. In 2007 she was appointed as the chairperson to the Governor’s Task Force on Campus Safety in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Minger family established the Michael H. Minger Memorial Foundation in 2005, a nonprofit organization to promote campus fire safety through education and improving safety standards on campuses, of which Gail is president. Gail is also on the board of Common Voices, has made three documentaries — including The Alarming Truth with Clery Center — and has been a national spokesperson for campus fire safety for over 20 years. She was born in Washington, D.C., and has two children Michael and Melissa (twins) with her husband of 35 years.

Anne Seymour
Anne Seymour is director of the “Fairness, Dignity & Respect for Crime Victims & Survivors” Project, and is a consultant to the Pew Charitable Trusts Public Safety Performance Project. She began her career in 1984 as the director of public affairs for the National Office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and, from 1985 to 1993, as co-founder and director of communications and resource development of the National Victim Center (now National Center for Victims of Crime). Anne has consulted with the U.S. Departments of Justice, Defense, State and Health & Human Services, the Peace Corps, and all 50 state governments to develop policies and protocols that improve the sensitive treatment of crime victims and survivors, and promote justice reforms that improve individual and public safety. She is a member of many advisory groups, committees, and nonprofit boards, including the U.S. Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus Advisory Group and Clery Center. She has received numerous honors for her efforts, including the 2018 U.S. Congressional Victims Rights Caucus Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been a national advocate for crime victims and survivors for over 36 years.

Mary Swanson | Chairwoman Emerita
Mary Swanson graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.A. in Sociology and returned later for an M.A. and teaching license. She grew up in Villanova, PA, and attended the Agnes Irwin School, where she met Jeanne Clery, whom she describes as “the sister I never had.” In October of 1998, Mary adopted her daughter, Mei Li Olivia Jeanne, from Gaoming, Guangdong Province in the People’s Republic of China, the first of five adoptions for the Swanson family. Mary and her family lived and worked overseas in China and the Democratic Republic of Congo for several years and currently Mary lives in Bali with her daughter, Ella.

Emeritus Member
Frederick Whittemore

In Memory
Frank Carrington, Esq.
Thomas B. MacCabe, Jr.