About Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
Next Door Solutions began in 1971 and grew into California's second domestic violence agency and the nation's first bilingual domestic violence shelter. More than five decades later, we continue to answer the 24/7 hotline and provide a full continuum of support across Santa Clara County.
Our Story
Creating Safety and Healing with Santa Clara County Survivors since 1971
Their work became The Woman's Alliance and later Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence. From those beginnings, NDS grew into California's second domestic violence agency and opened the nation's first bilingual domestic violence shelter.
Today, we provide a 24/7 hotline, emergency shelter, legal and housing advocacy, counseling, support, and more.
1971
It Begins in a San Jose Garage
Survivor and community activist Bea Robinson Mendez brings together a group of Latina friends to establish a domestic violence hotline from her garage. They take turns answering calls, providing information and support, and helping women and children find safety when few formal resources exist.
1974
The Woman’s Alliance Is Established
Bea and her colleagues formally establish The Woman’s Alliance (WOMA), building on their grassroots work to expand support and advocacy for survivors and their children.
1977
Casa WOMA Opens
WOMA opens Casa WOMA, the second domestic violence shelter in California and the first in the nation to provide bilingual services. The organization expands its work to include legal advocacy, no-cost attorneys, support groups, children’s services, case management, and partnerships with local law enforcement.
1989
WOMA Becomes Next Door
Bea Robinson Mendez steps down as executive director, and The Woman’s Alliance becomes Next Door, beginning a new chapter in the organization’s growth.
1993
A Permanent Home for the Shelter
Next Door establishes a permanent home for its emergency shelter, strengthening its ability to provide confidential, around-the-clock safety and support for survivors and their children.
2001–2003
Expanding Long-Term Housing
HomeSafe Santa Clara opens in 2001, followed by HomeSafe San Jose in 2003, creating permanent affordable housing for survivors of domestic violence and their children, with supportive services provided by Next Door.
2008
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
The organization adopts the name Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, reflecting the breadth of services and approaches developed over nearly four decades.
2014
Connecting Healthcare and Domestic Violence Response
NDS partners with community healthcare providers to strengthen the identification of intimate partner violence and connect survivors with specialized support, expanding the work into another critical system survivors encounter.
2016
Advancing Domestic Violence Housing First
NDS becomes one of seven California organizations selected to pilot Domestic Violence Housing First, combining survivor-driven advocacy, flexible financial assistance, and housing support to help survivors achieve greater safety and housing stability.
2023
Stanford Community Partnership Award
NDS and its Stanford Medicine partners received a Stanford Community Partnership Award recognizing their work to support survivors and advance community health.
August 2026
NDS Moves to Its New Home
Next Door Solutions moves to its new home at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in San Jose, creating a new home base for survivors, staff, partners, and community and opening the next chapter of NDS’s work.
September 2026
A Renewed Mission
NDS adopts an updated mission and strategic framework reflecting the full scope of its work today, from immediate safety and healing to systems change and prevention: “We are here to end intimate partner violence in the moment and for all time. We support survivors and their families along their journeys towards healing and thriving, advocate to improve systems impacting survivors’ lives, and partner with our community to prevent harm before it begins.”
Our Vision
A community free from intimate partner violence and all forms of abuse, healthy and thriving families, and systems that are supportive and accountable.
Our Mission
We are here to end intimate partner violence in the moment and for all time. We support survivors and their families along their journeys towards healing and thriving, advocate to improve systems impacting survivors’ lives, and partner with our community to prevent harm before it begins.
Our Core Values
These values guide how we serve survivors, work with one another, build partnerships, and pursue lasting change.
Oneness and Connectedness
We believe we are all connected and that each person's well-being affects our entire community. We work in relationships and recognize that domestic violence is connected to inequity and other systems of harm.
Compassionate Accountability
We approach ourselves and others with compassion while remaining accountable for our choices, impact, and responsibility to create change.
Equity and Justice
We work to remove barriers, challenge systems that perpetuate inequity, and expand access to safety, resources, and opportunity.
Survivor and Community-Centered
Survivors are the experts in their own lives. We listen, believe, respect survivor choice, and work with the community to build lasting change.
Inclusion for Liberation
We seek an environment where people of every identity and background are welcomed, respected, and able to participate fully. Liberation is collective.
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Answering the call since 1971
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence began with a hotline in a San Jose garage and a simple promise: when someone experiencing intimate partner violence reaches out for help, we answer. That help line has been answered since the day we began. Today, we provide a full continuum of survivor-centered services across Santa Clara County.
1.9K
Survivors served in 2025–2026
17
Weekly support groups
19.8K+
Service sessions provided in 2025–2026
Donations help us answer the hotline, provide shelter and basic needs, support legal and housing solutions, and sustain healing, groups, and therapy services - all at no cost to survivors. They also help us work to prevent intimate partner violence and to make positive changes in the systems survivors work within.
Meet Our Team
Colsaria Henderson
Executive Director
Colsaria re-joined Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence in August 2022. She is an experienced nonprofit leader with a demonstrated history of working in the anti-violence and social equity movements.
Colsaria has extensive experience in survivor and community defined strategies, gender-based advocacy, political and social advocacy, equity-centered organizational and board leadership, and the dedication and practice of inclusion, diversity, equity, access and liberation. She has an MSW focused on Administration & Planning.
Aparna Dhoraje
Co-Director of Programs
Aparna brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience in program development, evaluation, and management, with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. She has led diverse teams, expanded services for underserved communities, built impactful community partnerships, and implemented program improvements.
Aparna holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, as well as a certification in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She is passionate about creating equitable, client-centered programs that have lasting community impact.
Erica Villa
Associate Director, Community Partnerships
Erica Villa has a BS in Biology and is pursuing graduate study in public health. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings experience in women’s health and more than a decade working in the domestic violence field.
Erica joined Next Door Solutions as an advocate in 2013 and has since held leadership roles in community health partnerships and prevention. She builds and strengthens relationships with community partners and stakeholders, youth and youth organizations, health partners and community health workers.
Jonathan Darr
Director of Development
Jonathan brings 30 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, fundraising, strategy, and building strong teams and systems. He has led organizations and advised nonprofit leaders through periods of growth and change, helping strengthen revenue, strategy, and the capacity to get important work done.
His experience spans arts and culture, food security, youth and education, refugee health, intimate partner violence, and a broad range of social justice work. He has worked with organizations and leaders at the local, regional, and national levels on fundraising, strategic planning, organizational development, and leadership, with a particular strength in turning ambitious ideas into practical paths forward. He leads fundraising, development and organizational communications.
Millicent Fynn
Co-Director of Programs
Millicent brings more than seven years of administrative and organizational experience, with particular strengths in talent acquisition, onboarding, staff development, and building supportive teams. She is deeply committed to empowering underserved communities and believes that every step toward greater wellness and stability matters.
At Next Door Solutions, Millicent brings a mission-focused, people-centered, approach to program leadership, helping strengthen staff, support effective service delivery, and create conditions in which survivors can move toward greater safety and stability. Her work reflects a strong commitment to resilience, opportunity, and the long-term well-being of the communities NDS serves.
Susan McInnis
Director of Finance and Operations
Susan studied Business Administration at UC Berkeley, has experience in the non-profit field and previous experience in finance and software development since the early 2000s. She has volunteered for several girl’s agencies, including Friends for Youth and Girls for a Change.
Susan has served on several non-profit boards as well, including the Alliance for Girls and Girls Middle School. She also started the after school program called Up On Top. She has been with Next Door Solutions since 2013.
Our Board of Directors provides governance, stewardship, and community leadership in support of the mission.
Hillary Weingast
Board Chair
Senior Employment Attorney, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Board Chair
Hillary Weingast is an experienced legal and business leader with more than 20 years of advising global organizations on workforce strategy, employment law, corporate responsibility, and organizational change. She currently serves as a senior employment attorney at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and previously served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Juniper Networks prior to its acquisition by HPE in 2025.
Hillary earned her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University and her BA in sociology from Tufts University. Hillary has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since 2015 before being voted in as the Chair in 2018.
Michelle Puma
Treasurer
Certified Public Accountant
Treasurer
Michelle Puma has been a Certified Public Account since 1999. Her areas of concentration include assurance services, tax compliance, business entity selection, outsourcing services, and budget forecasting. She prides herself on being a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the California State Board of Accountancy.
Michelle received her B.S. in Accounting from San Jose State University and has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since January of 2010.
Shannon Power
Secretary
Founder, Shabrae Strategic Advisory
Secretary
Shannon Power has worked in finance, operations and strategy since 1997. Shannon has been a CFO and Finance and Operations Executive at large and small, private and public technology companies in Silicon Valley. She is currently Owner/Founder of Shabrae Strategic Advisory where she is a Fractional CFO/COO for multiple technology companies. Shannon holds an MBA from the WP Carey School of Business, a Masters in Project Management from George Washington University and a BS in Engineering from Texas A&M University. Shannon joined the Board of Next Door Solutions in 2018.
Dennis Coonan
Board Member
CFO, Pacific Coast Trane
Board Member
Dennis Coonan has been managing the finance, accounting, tax, human resources, and administration departments of Bay Area companies for more than twenty five years. Since 2022, he is the Chief Financial Officer at Pacific Coast Trane, the leading supplier of commercial HVAC systems and services in the Bay Area. Previously, Dennis was the Chief Financial Officer for Nova Partners, a commercial construction project management and real estate development firm in Mountain View.
Dennis holds a B.S. in business from Santa Clara University and earned his Certified Public Accounting license in 1997. Dennis has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since 2018.
Erika Muhl Schwarz
Board Member
Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Board Member
Erika Muhl Schwarz (she/her) is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she focuses on all aspects of public and private company representation, including corporate governance, public offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions.
Erika received her B.A. from Georgetown University and J.D. from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Erika has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since 2016.
Jennifer Van Dalsen
Board Member
Board Member
Jennifer Van Dalsen (she/her) has worked in book production and publishing for Macmillan Publishers and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and in book selling, fundraising, and community engagement for the Saratoga Library in Santa Clara County. A longtime supporter of Next Door Solutions, Jennifer joined the board in 2025.
Jim Murphy
Board Member
Healthcare Executive
Board Member
Jim Murphy has 35 years of healthcare executive experience in hospital and health plan management, helping expand access to medical care services. His skills include strategy, capital planning, managed care, information technology and analytics.
Jim served on the Board of Directors of JW House, volunteers for Kiva and Sacred Heart Community Services, and is a legislative advocate for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Jim has a BS from the University of California-Irvine and an MHA from Duke University. Jim joined the Board of Next Door Solutions in 2019.
John Radford
Board Member
Human Capital Consultant
Board Member
John Radford originally joined Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence’s (NDS) Board of Directors in 2005, took a four year hiatus, and returned in 2023 to help ensure that NDS is positioned financially to expand to meet the increased need for services in our community due to the impact of the pandemic.
John was previously the Mayor of Los Altos Hills and is a Human Capital Consultant. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA from Stanford University. John has served NDS in many capacities over the years and has been involved in several committees. Given his impressive background in finances, his role is to make sure that NDS is financially sound so that we can continue to meet the needs of survivors and grow with the additional demand for services.
Kriti Garg
Board Member
Project Manager, Technology & Programs
Board Member
Kriti Garg (she/her) is a project manager for technology and programs with 10+ years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors across Santa Clara County and the greater Bay Area. Kriti holds a B.S. in community development from UC Davis and an M.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. She speaks Hindi and English. Kriti has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since 2019.
Melissa Hollatz
Board Member
Senior Counsel, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
Board Member
Melissa Hollatz (she/her) is Senior Counsel at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, where she leads the Nonprofit Protection Project, a program that provides limited scope pro bono legal advice to local nonprofits. Melissa was previously a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she focused on all aspects of public and private company representation, including mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, and corporate governance.
Melissa received both her B.A. and J.D. from Stanford University and was a fellow in Stanford’s Distinguished Careers Institute. Melissa has served on the Board of Next Door Solutions since 2006.
Michelle Pezzani, M.D.
Board Member
Physician, El Camino Hospital
Board Member
Michelle Pezzani, M.D. is a board-certified doctor of internal medicine and a specialist in hospital medicine who provides personal acute care to inpatients at El Camino Hospital. Dr. Pezzani has been practicing medicine for over twenty years and her work as a hospitalist involves managing teams of clinicians to improve patient care.
Dr. Pezzani is a sports car enthusiast and is very interested in health, fitness, and nutrition. Dr. Pezzani is a proud mother of twins, both of whom are currently enrolled at the Colorado University of Boulder. Dr. Pezzani joined the Board of Next Door Solutions in early 2019 and is also a member of the Advisory Board of Connected Home Living.
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FAQs
Clear answers to common questions. You can also contact us directly for support or more information.
We serve survivors and their children throughout Santa Clara County, including people of every gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, ability, income level, and status.
Yes. Survivor services are provided at no cost.
Our public community office is at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in San Jose. Our emergency shelter location is confidential.
Contact us about training, outreach, sponsorship, employee engagement, in-kind support, and other partnerships.
Visit our Careers page for open positions and Get Involved for board and volunteer opportunities.
