OVA Team

At this time, Pennie Hockenberry is serving as the Acting Victim Advocate, pending the Governor's new nominee and Senate confirmation.

  
To request the Office of Victim Advocate to speak at your training or event, please fill out this form and email it to rebressler@pa.gov.

Office of Victim Advocate Executive Team

Pennie Hockenberry is the Director of Public Policy and Legislation. She joined the agency in April 2011 as a Victim Assistance Coordinator. Ms. Hockenberry has 15 years of experience in the human services field. As director, she administers OVA’s input on policies that pertain to victims’ rights and coordinates with legislators to ensure that the voices of victims are heard. Mrs. Hockenberry holds a M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University and a B.A. in Sociology from Shippensburg University. 

Ashley N. Walkowiak,  Executive Assistant to the Victim Advocate, joined the agency in 2018 and acts as the communications director for public awareness and outreach. Ms. Walkowiak conducts special projects; she provides technical oversight, oversees quality control of the development and completion of various agency projects/initiatives in decision-making, administrative/human resources, and other internal executive functions. Ms. Walkowiak represents the Victim Advocate at agency and public events to articulate victims’ rights policy and office objectives and to garner support. Additionally, she drafts sensitive correspondence and position papers, memoranda, articles in regards to victims’ rights. Prior to joining OVA, Ms. Walkowiak served in various positions, including Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor’s Office of Administration, over a twelve year period. She is also a survivor, an artist, and spends much of her free time volunteering to provide sexual assault counseling to victims and art-infused trauma informed education to the community.

Tara M. Gross is a Director of Victim Services, where she is responsible for ensuring post-sentencing rights pertaining to victims at the state level along with general staff supervision, oversight of staff training and ensuring compliance with business processes. Ms. Gross is also the main oversight of any inquiries that come in to OVA via the web. Prior to her appointment as director, Ms. Gross served as the Victim Assistance Supervisor, as well as a Victim Assistance Coordinator. Ms. Gross joined the Commonwealth in February 2013. Before coming to the Commonwealth, Ms. Gross spent her career in York County. She was previously employed as a Victim/Witness Coordinator with the York County District Attorney’s Office, as well as a Facilitator with Family Group Decision Making which is a sub department of York County Human Services. Ms. Gross graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 2007.

Tanner D. Widdowson is a Director of Victim Services responsible for general staff supervision, oversight of staff training, and ensuring compliance with business processes ,  policy and procedure.  Prior to his appointment as director in November 2018, Mr. Widdowson served as a Victim Assistance Coordinator and a Victim Assistance Supervisor with OVA, since his transition to state service in February 2015. During his county service years, Mr. Widdowson was a Legal Advocate and a Legal Coordinator with ACESS York/Victim Assistance Center YWCA serving domestic violence and sexual assault victims. He holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Penn State University and served as enlisted aircrew in the US Air Force from 2005-2009 supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Office of Victim Advocate Staff