Wendy Yvonne Shepherd, CEO, Founder and Principal Investigator of VOICES EMPOWERED is a dynamic and reputable professional in child welfare and family issues.  She is a licensed private investigator and an advocate, serving children and families throughout Arizona for over 20 years.  She is an active member of the Arizona Association of Licensed Private Investigators, the Greater Phoenix Child Abuse Prevention Council, the Maricopa County Task Force Against Domestic Violence, the ACE Consortium, Arizona Trauma Network, and the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  She also founded the Child and Family Advocacy Leadership Coalition.  Wendy is certified in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) or Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through the Six Seconds EQ Certification program and is an authorized facilitator for the Stewards of Children sexual abuse prevention program through Darkness to Light.  

Wendy graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Arizona State University, while completing curriculum for Social and Behavioral Science at the Barrett Honors College at ASU.  She furthered her education at ASU earning a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies, with a focus on advocacy.   Wendy is a survivor of domestic violence and her children are survivors of child abuse.  She has solely raised a son and is still solely raising her three daughters. 

Miles Demars-Rote, Process Server and Child Advocate has widespread knowledge in psychology and criminal justice. He is also a certified officer of the court in the state of Arizona and has extensive experience in process serving.  Miles provides private investigation services through another agency currently and is in the process of becoming a licensed private investigator for Voices Empowered.   Miles has experience in finding missing persons, conducting discreet surveillance, engaging in tactical operations, interviewing both victims and suspects, child counseling and discovering hard to access information.

Miles is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and graduated cum laude from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Arts in both psychology and criminal justice.  He went on to become a police officer in the City of Flagstaff where he obtained extensive training in law enforcement.  Miles is a survivor of sexual abuse as a child and has a deep understanding and empathy of what it is like to be a victim of abuse. 

Michelle J. Cruff, Domestic Violence Victim Advocate has a diverse background in advocacy and empowerment support for victims of domestic violence as well as with other social service efforts. She has worked as a client advocate as well as a case manager in a domestic violence shelter, where she also served on the public speaking team, and is happy to be on the team at Voices Empowered. She recognizes the importance of social progress efforts, including legislation and community involvement as well as the great impact personalized support and empowerment tools have on an individual or family. She earned her Bachelor's degree at Arizona State University and holds a Master of Arts degree from California State Sacramento.

Michelle is also a strong believer in the healing and empowerment power of the arts. In addition to social service based advocacy, she promotes personal empowerment through artistic expression. As the Founding Artistic Director of the Gordian Repertory Theatre, she adapted a theatre technique to serve as a personal empowerment tool for abuse victims. The program, called LIVE IT, is in sync with Voices Empowered in recognizing the power of using one's voice, whether this means giving voice to an underserved child or supporting an adult victim in their efforts of self-expression.   For more information, visit the Gordian Repertory Theatre.