Effective June 15, 2026, Kerrie Urosevich, Ph.D., will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC), Hawaiʻi’s only organization solely dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence and their families. A collaborative and values-driven leader, Kerrie brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, systems change, public policy, peacebuilding, and community building across Hawaiʻi and internationally.
Kerrie’s career has been defined by a deep commitment to the safety, dignity, and well-being of families and communities. Before joining DVAC, she served as Executive Director of Early Childhood Action Strategy (ECAS), a government-nongovernment initiative dedicated to strengthening systems of care for Hawaiʻi’s youngest keiki and their families. She previously served in both Governor Neil Abercrombie’s and Governor David Ige’s administrations through the Executive Office on Early Learning, helping advance statewide early childhood priorities and cross-sector partnerships.
Earlier in her career, Kerrie spent 15 years in Hawaiʻi leading work in systems building, violence prevention, conflict resolution, and organizational facilitation through her mediation and consulting practice — experience that gives her a powerful foundation for DVAC’s mission. In 2014, she was selected as an Omidyar Fellow, joining a network of leaders committed to co-creating a more equitable, abundant, and healthy Hawaiʻi.
Kerrie is a Smallify Coach, Affiliate Faculty at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and co-founder of Ceeds of Peace, an initiative focused on cultivating more peaceful and just communities. Before moving to Hawaiʻi in 2000, she spent more than six years in Japan working in nonprofit leadership development while also playing professional volleyball, teaching, and coaching — and her experiences living and working across more than 30 countries continue to shape her curiosity and approach.
Kerrie earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, a Master’s Degree in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Japanese Language from Gustavus Adolphus College.
At the heart of Kerrie’s work is the belief that every person deserves to live free from violence — and that safe, healthy families are the foundation of a thriving Hawaiʻi. She is honored to lead DVAC’s dedicated team of advocates, attorneys, and staff in serving survivors and families across our islands.