Meet Jessica Butler! Jessica is married to Jeff and the couple has one daughter; Mae, 9.
She is the director of the Gateway Domestic Violence Center in Gainesville. She is a lifelong resident of Hall County and went to college at Berry College in Rome.
Gateway Domestic Violence Center is a non-profit organization that provides shelter, legal assistance, support groups and many other services for men, women and children all in Hall County.
“People will ask me if they can meet me at my office and I have to tell them we have to meet somewhere else since is so secret, it makes it difficult sometimes,” she said. Jessica has been married for 13 years to Jeff and the couple’s daughter Mae was adopted from China before her 6th birthday. Jessica only traveled to China once during the adoption process.
“It was a very long process, several years actually,” she said.
We want to thank Jessica for meeting with us and letting us get to know her little bit better!
Question: What inspired you or led to your current career?
Answer: “I was in the district attorney’s office with the violence assistant group where I developed an interest in helping people that deal with domestic violence.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “2 Dog. I love the food, people and eating outside.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met in Hall County?
A: “I have five people that work with me that are the most interesting. Julia Cromartie, Lynda Askew, Kathy Gossline, Deborah Mac, and Sissy Lawson.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “Around Greece, and the Mediterranean coast.”
Q: What is the first movie you remember seeing in theatre?
A: “The first movie I remember seeing is ‘ET.’”
Q: What advice would you give to a crowd of people?
A: “There is a whole lot more than black and white.”
Q: What is your favorite music/ three bands you would like to like to see(dead or alive)?
A: “Mellow-folk and country folk. I would like to see the Indigo Girls, Allison Krause, REM.”
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “Dipper Dan’s Ice Cream.”
Q: What is you favorite thing or something unique about Hall County?
A: “It’s pretty amazing of a population of 200,000 and still see people you know. It’s a big town but also small.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “Still working and work on building a new shelter we have planned.”
Q: (Even friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “A lot of people don’t know where my office.”
Q: What three words that come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Jeff, Mae and my dog Murphy.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.
