Gwen Bramlet-Hecker
Today’s guest has spent her career working at the intersection of justice, advocacy, and community care. Gwen Bramlet-Hecker is the Executive Director of Riverview Center, an organization providing crisis support, long-term services, advocacy, and therapy for survivors of sexual assault and abuse across fourteen counties in Iowa and two counties in Illinois.
Gwen joined Riverview Center in 2017 as Director of Development, later serving as Iowa Program Director before becoming Executive Director in 2022. Her professional journey reflects a deep commitment to social justice and helping survivors navigate systems that don’t always serve them well.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s in Criminal Justice Sciences from Illinois State University, and she completed doctoral coursework at Michigan State University focusing on sociology, criminology, and the intersections of race, class, and gender.
Gwen has called Waterloo home for more than twenty-five years. She originally came to the Cedar Valley to teach sociology at University of Northern Iowa, where her work explored how social systems impact justice and opportunity. She later spent many years with Kaplan University, including seven years as President of the Cedar Falls campus.
Today, her work continues to center on advocacy, equity, and supporting survivors—especially those from marginalized communities.
Please welcome Gwen Bramlet-Hecker.
