The Denver Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement (VALE) program strives to foster, enhance, and improve the responsiveness of the criminal justice system and community-based programs to victims of crime. The primary role of Denver VALE is the distribution of grants to victim-serving agencies, which amount to approximately one million dollars annually. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis and run on the standard calendar year.

Board Chair, Victim Services Professional

Angela Dunson is the Program Manager for the Victim Resource Program and has been with the Denver City Attorney’s Office for more than twenty years.  Angela has worked with victims and collaborated with agencies concerning victim services for twenty-five years, she is dedicated to serving victims in all communities. Angela has worked within organizations since her arrival in Denver in 1999, this has included working with the Aurora NAACP, and serving on the Colorado Organization of Victim Assistance and Denver Fatality Bords.  Angela has a Master’s in Counseling and Human Development from Troy State University, and a bachelor’s from the University of West Florida.

Board Vice Chair, Victim Services Professional 

Cynthia is the Interim Chief Operating Officer at Maria Droste Counseling Center. She has been in leadership roles within several Denver non-profit agencies Prior to moving to Denver in March of 2020, Cynthia lived in both Oklahoma City and Colorado Springs, working at local community non-profit organizations, and providing direct services to adult and child victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In recent years, she has focused her energy in supporting and coaching staff, volunteers, and interns on effective and trauma informed approaches to best support clients served and program teams. In her 18-year career, Cynthia has served on Maternal Mortality, Child Fatality, and Domestic Violence Fatality review boards. Cynthia received her Associates of Applied Science in Crime Victim/Survivor Services from Oklahoma State University and Bachelors in Human Services from Colorado State University – Global Campus.

Commander, Denver Police Department

Steve Addison is a Commander with the Denver Police Department leading the Accountability and Professional Development Bureau, which includes the Internal Affairs Unit and the Professional Development Unit. He has been a member of the Denver Police Department for 28 years serving in Patrol, Administrative and Investigative positions as an Officer, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. Commander Addison has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in Administration of Justice, with a minor in Public Law and a minor in Sociology, a master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in Criminal Justice and is a certified Transitional and Leadership Coach through the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbera California. In addition to his regular duties, for the last 15 years, Commander Addison has also coordinated the Denver Police law Enforcement Advocate Program, which is a mentoring program for juvenile probation clients experiencing high risk factors and high levels of distrust towards police officers, with goals of improving public trust, promoting youth and family advocacy, increasing accountability, maintaining public safety, and increasing the public perception of police.

Board Member, Retired Denver Chief Judge

Hon. Michael A. Martinez (Ret’d.) served as a judicial officer in Colorado for more than 28 years in the county and district courts of the 2nd and 17th Judicial Districts. In 2000, he was appointed by Governor Bill Owens to the Denver District Court, a court of general jurisdiction where he presided in all subject areas of the court. During his tenure, he presided over hundreds of trials, hearings and evidentiary proceedings. In 2013, Judge Martinez was selected as Chief Judge of the 2nd JD, serving from January 2014 until his retirement in August 2022. As Chief Judge, he was responsible for the administration of the Second Judicial District. He also served as Presiding Judge of the Colorado Statewide Grand Jury. Prior to taking the bench he was a trial lawyer in the public and private sector, trying more than 60 criminal and civil trials to verdict in county, district and federal courts. Judge Martinez also served as Associate General Counsel for the Regional Transportation District in Denver.

Retired Victim Services Professional

Robin Fudge Finegan, M.A., M.N.M., is a nationally recognized expert who brings over 25 years of experience in natural disaster, mass tragedy response and victim services. In 2010 Ms. Finegan was appointed by the White House to serve as Regional Administrator for FEMA Region VII. As FEMA Regional Administrator, she provided executive leadership of the Regional office and served as the focal point through which all programs and operational decisions were made. Ms. Finegan supported State and Tribal governments during more than 50 Presidential disaster declarations. As a subject matter expert and mentor in the areas of mass tragedy, disaster recovery. victim services and public information, she consults with community stakeholders, public health professionals, policy makers, and emergency personnel. Currently, she serves as a consultant for the Office for Victims of Crime/Dept of Justice, as the co-Chair of the Denver Victim Assistance Law Enforcement Board, and as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Denver Children’s Home. Ms. Finegan holds a Masters Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling for the Hearing Impaired from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and a Masters Degree in Non-profit Management from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.

VALE Administrator