The Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA) is an independent state "watchdog" agency charged with protecting and promoting the rights of crime victims in Connecticut's criminal justice system and with monitoring and evaluating the provision of services by Connecticut's victim services delivery system.

On November 5, 2007, Governor M. Jodi Rell announced the appointment of Michelle Cruz as State Victim Advocate and she assumed her responsibilities on November 16, 2007.

In the early 1990's, Ms. Cruz began working with domestic violence victims at various stages of their journey while attending Community College in California.  Inspired by the ground breaking domestic violence advances by Attorney Sarah Buel in Quincy, Massachusetts, Ms. Cruz chose to relocate to Massachusetts.  She received her Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA.  While attending under-graduate school, she began working with the Hampshire County District Attorney's Office in various capacities, including as an intern for the Victim Witness Advocate Program and for the Education and Outreach Program.  Ms. Cruz graduated from the University of Connecticut, School of Law.  Ms. Cruz was a Notes and Comments Editor on the Public Interest Law Journal and also a participant in the Criminal Clinic at the law school.  Immediately after graduating from law school, Ms. Cruz worked as an Assistant District Attorney for over six years with both Hampshire and Hamden County located in Massachusetts.

Ms. Cruz stated, "My experiences have taught me that true wisdom is knowledge combined with compassion.  Without compassion, knowledge is little more than well-educated ignorance."