HelpLine announced on Sept. 6 that Lauren MacDade, MSW, LSW has been named associate director of the eight-county nonprofit based in Delaware.

MacDade joined HelpLine in 2016 and has served in a variety of roles, most recently as sexual assault and victim services director. They have been instrumental in leading several initiatives at HelpLine over their seven-year tenure developing standards for a trauma-informed organizational assessment and approach to operations, advocating for development of a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy for the agency as a co-chair of the Cultural Inclusion and Equity Committee, expanding the sexual assault response services across North Central Ohio, and promoting comprehensive violence prevention programming.

MacDade served as the Sexual Assault Response Network (SARN) program manager prior to their most recent role, where they grew partnerships to strengthen crisis intervention, emotional support, advocacy and resources for sexual assault Survivors and their support systems. They lead internal efforts to continue to strengthen and incorporate LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices, champion self-care and wellness initiatives and programs for staff, and manages a broad range of grants to maintain crucial funding for HelpLine services.

As associate director, MacDade will lead operations for agency programs that impact more than 40,000 residents throughout the Delaware, Morrow, Crawford, Wyandot, Shelby, Union, Logan and Miami counties. Specific areas of responsibility include organizational leadership and development, program development and implementation, supervising upper level managers, and administrative oversight. They will advance the agency’s vision of creating thriving communities where members experience hope, help and healing.

“Lauren’s exemplary leadership abilities, solid program experience, and strong commitment to HelpLine’s mission and values make them ideal for the position,” said Executive Director Susan Hanson. “Lauren has a broad range of experience related to victim services and sexual assault response including work with LGBTQIA+ survivors, primary prevention services, providing trauma-informed services to women in recovery, co-facilitating support groups, volunteer management, co-facilitating older adult programming, and providing crisis line services for survivors of sexual assault,” said Hanson. “They bring a solid background working for the causes and values HelpLine champions in order to meet our mission and to do right by those we serve.”

“It is an honor to be moving into the associate director position and the opportunity to help lead such an incredible organization, whose values and mission I fully believe in and remain committed to,” said MacDade. “Since my first day at HelpLine in 2016, I knew that this was an organization where I belonged, whose values and dedication to supporting and empowering their communities and whose commitment to ensuring the well-being of their staff aligned with mine.”

MacDade holds a master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University and is a licensed social worker.

Submitted by HelpLine.