New York-native Joan Hutton-Mills is a Mentor Liaison for Sanctuary for Families where she empowers survivors of domestic abuse and lends support to women. She was first introduced to Gibney Dance through her involvement in Community Action; as a survivor of domestic violence, Ms. Hutton-Mills ties her recovery to the movement and creativity expressed in the program. Ms. Hutton-Mills is a spoken word artist who regularly performs and advocates against intimate partner violence. A frequent spokesperson at Gibney Dance and Sanctuary for Families events, she has also presented her work at the Safe Horizon Conference, Nontraditional Employment for Women, I promise, and various other outreach events.