Bea Hanson is the Acting Director of the United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).  As Director, she serves as the liaison between the Department of Justice and federal, state, tribal, and international governments on matters involving violence against women.  She is responsible for developing the Department’s legal and policy positions regarding the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and overseeing an annual budget of nearly $400 million.  Prior to her appointment as Acting Director, Ms. Hanson served as OVW’s Principal Deputy Director since May 2011.

Ms. Hanson previously served as Chief Program Officer for Safe Horizon, a crime victim service organization in New York City that serves 350,000 victims annually, where she directed a staff of 500 in 60 locations.  She joined Safe Horizon (formerly Victim Services) in 1997 as the Director of Emergency Services and went on to oversee the agency’s domestic violence, homeless youth, and child abuse programs before being promoted to Chief Program Officer.

Ms. Hanson earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare degree from City University in New York, a Master of Social Work degree from Hunter College School of Social Work in New York, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.