Our trainers
Our trainers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise from working first-hand in family violence response and primary prevention.

Kristy Loots
Bachelor of Psychological Science, Grad Dip Dispute Resolution
After many years working in the events and travel industries, Kristy-Lee began her career in the community services sector seven years ago. She worked with Relationships Australia South Australia in an Intake Officer role, then moved into a crisis management and short term case management role as family advisor and worked as a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. Over this time Kristy-Lee also covered leave contracts writing court reports for the children’s contact service. Prior to joining DVRCV as a trainer, she spent six months working in family services at Moonee Valley City Council.

Solmaz Yavari
BS (Software Development), Cert IV TAE
After working in IT, communication, training, and project management, Solmaz moved to the area of social work and community development. She has four years direct service experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse women and children experiencing family violence and men using violence in crisis response, interpreting, case management and support work. Solmaz was a family violence trainer at the Royal Women’s Hospital in the Strengthening Hospital Responses to Family Violence (SHRFV) project. Solmaz provided training and mentoring to other professionals in identifying, responding and preventing violence against women and children at different roles.

Rebecca Yeomans
BA Communications (Journalism); Diploma Community Services
Rebecca has over three years' experience working directly with women experiencing family violence. She was the first Disability Focused Caseworker at the NSW Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, and spent a year in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia working with a range of women, including those in Aboriginal communities, as the Pilbara Community Legal Service's Domestic Violence Advocacy Worker. Prior to this Rebecca worked for a number of charities and not for profit organisations supporting vulnerable people.

Stephanie Penna
Master of Social Work (Qualifying); Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws
Stephanie has six years of experience working directly with women in the community services sector. Stephanie commenced her career working with young women experiencing homelessness, where the prevalence of family violence motivated Stephanie to move into the family violence sector. Prior to joining DVRCV as a trainer, Stephanie was employed as a family violence outreach worker with the Salvation Army in the western suburbs of Melbourne.