Giselle Figueroa is a legal advocate at the Shelter for Help in Emergency in Charlottesville, VA, where she helps survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) navigate the legal system through compassionate guidance and education. Her advocacy focuses on making legal processes more accessible by equipping survivors with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. In addition to direct services, she has conducted research on gender-based violence, including documenting femicides through an independent dataset and analyzing the cultural influence of organized crime on violence against women in Mexico. Bridging advocacy and research, Ms. Figueroa works to strengthen efforts to address and document IPV and gender-based violence both locally and internationally. She holds dual B.A. degrees in International Relations and Hispanic Studies from the College of William & Mary.