03/13/2026
There is much transition in victim services in Iowa right now, as the Coalition Against Domestic Violence begins the hard work of becoming a dual sexual and domestic violence coalition. We are optimistic about the future of services for survivors, and grateful our executive director has been invited to sit at this table as we all build together.
✨ Welcome our Newest Board Member, Gwen Bramlet-Hecker!
Gwen serves as Executive Director for Riverview Center, a nonprofit organization providing crisis and long-term support, advocacy, and therapy for survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and domestic violence across Iowa and Illinois. The agency is also part of the statewide membership of 25 victim service provider organizations our team supports.
Gwen’s career spans sociology, criminal justice, higher education, and nonprofit leadership. She has served as an assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa, and in leadership roles at Kaplan University, including seven years as campus president. Her work focuses on social justice, advocacy, and helping survivors – especially those from marginalized communities – navigate systems that don’t always serve them.
Gwen lives in Waterloo with her husband, and they have a daughter and granddaughter, with another grandchild on the way!
