For more than two decades, Liz Ortenburger has been at the forefront of the fight for women’s and children’s rights. Her career has evolved from working directly with survivors to transforming how communities, systems, and policies respond to the epidemic of interpersonal violence.

As CEO of SafeNest, Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit addressing domestic and sexual violence, Liz channels her energy and vision into ending the cycle of abuse at its roots. She leads a multi-million-dollar organization that combines emergency response, prevention education, housing, legal advocacy, and offender intervention to create a holistic model for safety and accountability.

Under her leadership, SafeNest has expanded beyond traditional service delivery to tackle the epidemic itself: building strategic partnerships with law enforcement, legislators, healthcare providers, and community leaders to align policy solutions with the realities survivors and families face every day. Liz’s approach integrates data, innovation, and compassion to ensure every survivor can move from crisis to confidence while the systems around them evolve to prevent violence before it begins.

Liz is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University, where her research focuses on policy analysis and the social construction of abusive partners in public policy. She previously earned her MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain—one of the world’s top-ranked institutions—and a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno, where she was a nationally ranked track and field athlete and cross-country team captain. Liz has spoken nationally and internationally as a presenter at the EVAWI conference, as the chosen speaker for the IESE Alumni reunion, and has worked with international partners through the State Department. Liz is also a Graduate of the USAF Civilian Air University.

Liz Ortenburger

Domestic Violence & Women's Rights

Philanthropic Advisory Council (PAC)

Liz Ortenburger

SafeNest
CEO

For more than two decades, Liz Ortenburger has been at the forefront of the fight for women’s and children’s rights. Her career has evolved from working directly with survivors to transforming how communities, systems, and policies respond to the epidemic of interpersonal violence.

As CEO of SafeNest, Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit addressing domestic and sexual violence, Liz channels her energy and vision into ending the cycle of abuse at its roots. She leads a multi-million-dollar organization that combines emergency response, prevention education, housing, legal advocacy, and offender intervention to create a holistic model for safety and accountability.

Under her leadership, SafeNest has expanded beyond traditional service delivery to tackle the epidemic itself: building strategic partnerships with law enforcement, legislators, healthcare providers, and community leaders to align policy solutions with the realities survivors and families face every day. Liz’s approach integrates data, innovation, and compassion to ensure every survivor can move from crisis to confidence while the systems around them evolve to prevent violence before it begins.

Liz is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University, where her research focuses on policy analysis and the social construction of abusive partners in public policy. She previously earned her MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain—one of the world’s top-ranked institutions—and a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno, where she was a nationally ranked track and field athlete and cross-country team captain. Liz has spoken nationally and internationally as a presenter at the EVAWI conference, as the chosen speaker for the IESE Alumni reunion, and has worked with international partners through the State Department. Liz is also a Graduate of the USAF Civilian Air University.