A legal advocate at Women Aware, Dalisa is most inspired by her mom, a “teacher with a heart for her students;” she taught her daughter that “education and service to others come first.” Dalisa is most passionate about her work to serve victims of domestic violence, especially assisting clients in court. The most recent book she read was No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know about Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snyder. The best meal Dalisa ever ate was a Pineapple Passion rice dish on the menu at Noodlefan, followed by buttermilk coffee cake from Van Gogh’s Ear Café: both restaurants are in Union, NJ. If she could visit anywhere, Dalisa would head to the dance festivals and beaches of Ibiza, off the coast of Spain. For now, her favorite place in the world is the Dominican Republic for its peerless tropical climate, hospitality and scenic views. If she could trade places with anyone, it would be with her two-year old son as the prospect of playing all day holds special appeal. Dalisa’s secret talent is baking desserts for fun; a recent creation was chocolate lava cake baked from scratch. One of the most meaningful experiences Dalisa has had at Women Aware took place when she shadowed the Legal Advocacy team. “I met a victim who forever changed my perspective on the work we do.” The victim endured severe abuse at the hands of a family member. Her court testimony and bravery brought Dalisa to tears. “I knew, after that day in court, that I needed to become a legal advocate to continue helping victims and making an impact, one client at a time.”