Cortney Simmons serves as the Assistant Director of Prevention, Education and Youth Protection for the Office of Equity Assurance within the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She works closely with units across the WVU system including WVU Potomac State and the WVU Institute of Technology, implementing the WVU Board of Governors Rule 1.6. Cortney is responsible for training, coordinating, and facilitating prevention education for students on topics such as healthy relationships, sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence, stalking, bystander intervention and/or response efforts on campus with an intersectional lens. In addition, Cortney oversees BOG Board of Governance Rule 1.7—Rule on Child Protection where youth are invited to participate in academic, athletic and enrichment programs on campus and across West Virginia. Youth Protection exists to provide guidelines and best practices to program administrators that promote the safety of youth engaged in WVU Youth programs, activities, events and research.
Cortney serves as an Anonymous Employee to faculty, staff, and students who have been involved in Title IX related issues who want to further discuss options for reporting and/or gathering resources.
Prior to joining WVU, Cortney was the Victim Specialist for the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Cortney worked throughout West Virginia providing direct services and assistance to victims, families, and other agencies affiliated to the West Virginia ICAC Task Force. Cortney designed and implemented an Employee Support Program to safeguard members of the unit who are exposed to child sexual exploitation materials in addition to other violent crimes against children. Cortney was a ChildFirst Forensic Interviewer and managed the West Virginia Missing Children Clearinghouse.