Michele Booth Cole, JD, MA
Executive Director

Safe Shores
The D.C. Children's Advocacy Center
300 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

District of Columbia

In her role as Executive Director of Safe Shores, the District of Columbia's only Child Advocacy Center, Michele Booth Cole has been a strong partner with the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency. She demonstrates incredible vision and a focused approach to supporting the partnership to ensure improved outcomes for children.

Safe Shores supports a multidisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of child sexual abuse and severe cases of child physical abuse. These cases are investigated jointly by Child and Family Services investigators and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department and supported by physicians and other clinicians from Children's Hospital and Safe Shores. Ms. Cole is committed to valuing all members of the partnership, ensuring each member of the partnership is held fully accountable to the expectations specified in the Memorandum of Understanding. Fully supportive of the Child and Family Services Agency, she used her funds to purchase digital cameras for investigators and, additionally, offers training to enhance skills in forensic interviewing and in building increased capacity at Safe Shores.

Prior to her current position with Safe Shores, Ms. Cole served as Executive Director, Government Relations and Director of Education Policy Analysis for The College Board; as Executive Director of Teach for America-DC; as Executive Director of Mentors Inc.; as Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs; as Director of Policy and Federal Affairs, Advocates for Youth; and as Legislative Director/Subcommittee Staff Director for the Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. House of Representatives.

A true team player, Michele Booth Cole contributes as an invaluable member of the child protection community in the District of Columbia. Notable is her passion and commitment to enhancing the life opportunities and experiences of children and youth.