Our Team
CRYSTAL L. FEDELI, M.A., M.A.
Founder & Executive Director
Hi, I'm Crystal L. Fedeli.
I'm a social researcher and policy analyst, speaker, trainer, consultant, and an award-winning nonprofit Founder and Executive Director.
My work focuses on coercive control, institutional responses, and what happens when survivors must navigate the systems that shape their ability to move forward. I bring together research, systems knowledge, and survivor perspectives to help individuals better navigate these systems and institutions better respond.
Before beginning my research, speaking, and consulting practice and founding my nonprofit, I worked for the State of New Jersey, Office of the Public Defender, in the Drug Court Unit where I managed drug court expungements for the entire state. Prior to that, I worked for the State of New Jersey, Department of Children and Families, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, in the Litigation Unit. My background also includes work with community-based nonprofit organizations supporting individuals impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault, childhood trauma, substance use disorder, and developmental disabilities, giving me a deep understanding of how complex situations are interpreted within institutional systems and where critical gaps often exist.
I hold dual graduate degrees, one in Social Research & Analysis and the other in Child Advocacy & Policy with a Child Public Welfare Concentration. I also hold a Paralegal Certificate and a Graduate Certificate in Data Collection & Management. This combination of research, policy, and legal-adjacent training informs my work and allows me to approach complex situations with both analytical rigor and real-world context.
And outside of all of that, I’m a busy single mom of two (plus two fur kids!) navigating the beautiful chaos of motherhood, work, and everyday life.
2026 Nonprofit of the Year, Mayoral Award Recipient
In 2026, I was honored to receive the Nonprofit of the Year Award from Mayor Aneka Miller, Mayor of Bordentown, New Jersey, at her 2026 Mayoral Ball in recognition of serving justice impacted women with resources and support by founding and leading You Made a Way, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting women navigating coercive control when it turns financial.
*Crystal and her children are pictured following the presentation of the 2026 Nonprofit of the Year Award.
Natalie Roy
Director of Development & Strategic Planning
Natalie brings more than 15 years of experience spanning education, working with children and families, program development, data-informed decision-making, and strategic partnership building. Her background working across education, family-serving programs, and strategic partnerships gives her a unique perspective on how organizations can use data, collaboration, and thoughtful program development to strengthen support for women and families navigating complex systems.
As Director of Development and Strategic Planning at You Made a Way, Natalie helps advance the organization’s growth and long-term sustainability by supporting fundraising initiatives, cultivating strategic partnerships, and identifying opportunities for collaboration and organizational development. Her work helps strengthen the relationships, resources, and strategic direction needed to expand You Made a Way’s reach and impact.
Natalie holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Education and is also a single mother of 3. She is committed to building the partnerships, resources, and organizational capacity needed to expand You Made a Way’s reach, strengthen its programs, and ensure more women have access to the support they need to move toward long-term financial stability and thriving.
Wendy J. Johnson, MFCT
Director of Curriculum & Program Development
Wendy brings 30+ years of experience across the fields of marriage, family, and child therapy and education, with extensive experience supporting individuals and families through complex interpersonal and family dynamics. Her background as both a therapist and educator gives her a unique perspective on how professionals understand, identify, and respond to coercive and controlling behaviors and the lasting impact those behaviors can have on individuals and families.
In her volunteer role as Director of Curriculum & Program Development at You Made a Way, Wendy leads the development of educational and program curricula designed to strengthen both professional practice and survivor support. Her work includes developing training curricula for law enforcement, family court professionals, therapists, and other practitioners who may encounter perpetrators and survivors of financial coercive control, as well as curriculum for support groups serving women affected by it. Through this work, she helps translate research and emerging knowledge about financial coercive control into practical education and resources that can strengthen institutional responses and survivor support.
Wendy holds a Master's degree in Marriage, Family & Child Therapy and a Bachelor's degree in Education. Her more than three decades of professional experience, combined with her lived experience as a survivor, inform her deep commitment to increasing awareness and understanding of financial coercive control. She is particularly passionate about equipping law enforcement, judges, attorneys, therapists, and other professionals with the knowledge and tools to better recognize coercive patterns, understand their impact, and respond effectively when they encounter individuals and families affected by financial coercive control.
