Ann Burdges

Ann Burdges is starting her 13^th-year as Executive Director of Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center (GSAC-CAC) in metro-Atlanta, Duluth, Georgia. In that time GSAC-CAC has been recognized as a model “free-standing” facility providing comprehensive programs for all victims of sexual violence and child physical/sexual abuse, including “on-site” forensic-medical services.

 Prior to coming to GSAC-CAC, Ann worked in law enforcement as a uniform officer and later as a criminal investigator for major crimes with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Tampa, Florida). Ann also served an extensive assignment with the Narcotics-Special Investigations Unit where she directed a multi-jurisdictional task force on Smuggling & Air Interdiction.  As a criminal detective, Ann investigated sexually based offenses and homicide and is certified by 9-US Department of Justice and FBI Advanced Training schools including the FBI School on the Investigation of Sex Offenses; and the FBI School on Hostage Negotiations. Ann has also completed advanced trainings in behavioral profiling and forensic sciences relating to child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault investigations.

After leaving law enforcement Ann worked as a research and trial preparation consultant for a criminal defense law firm in Atlanta. In addition to her professional certifications, she has a BA in Social & Behavioral Sciences and also attended nursing school at St. Petersburg College. Ann has served as an expert witness in Florida and Georgia Superior Courts and US District Federal Court, northern district, on sexual assault investigative forensic-medical protocols. Additionally, she has worked on legislative reform and provided legislative committee testimony at both the state and federal levels.  

 Ann has served on the Georgia Network To End Sexual Assault (GNESA) statewide training team for law enforcement, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), and Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) since founding those trainings in 1997. She served on the US Attorney General’s Federal Task Force (2000) on Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault and is also a member of the OVC federal training team for law enforcement on Understanding DNA in Sexual Assault Investigations. In 2005, Ann was selected as a member of the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Training Team for the Georgia State Victim Assistance Academy held annually at Georgia College & State University. She is a lifetime member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

 Ann served as former board director and past President (1997-2002) for the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault (GNESA), Georgia’s state coalition for sexual assault programs where she is credited with diversifying the board of directors to be inclusive of community stakeholders, political leaders and state university faculty.  In 2006 Ann helped to found a new state coalition and resource center for all sexual assault service providers and to offer a public policy “think tank” known as the GA Coalition Against Sexual Assault (GCASA) where she currently serves as board president. Ann has served as a Programmatic Advisory Board Member for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) the national media and public awareness network addressing issues of sexual assault and federal legislation where she has served in that capacity for nearly 10-years. Ann is also the co-founder of Global Training Concepts Foundation the governing foundation for QUEST! Teen Leadership a national workshop forum for challenging teens to take responsibility and leadership of their individual lives and self-assets to achieve their greatest potential. QUEST! Programs are now located in Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; Indianapolis, IN; and Lake Village, AK.

 In 2000, Ann was recipient of the National Center for Women In Policing Award for Improving the Criminal Justice System for Women. She was later recognized by the American Business Women’s Association for Outstanding Achievement in Community Service. In 2001, GNESA awarded Ann with the Ann Burdges Leadership Award named in her honor for exemplary leadership. Ann is often sought for interviews with the local and national media and has provided assistance to CBS-60 Minutes; CNN; NBC-Today Show and local affiliates; ABC Prime Time; Lifetime (LMN); Marie Claire Magazine; Redbook Magazine; and other news organizations.