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SafeCampus

What to Expect

What can I expect when I call?

A trained professional will listen in a non-judgmental, empathetic way. We’re here to offer support and guidance when you have concerns for yourself or others. You can tell us about something that happened or share your safety concerns. You’re welcome to say as much or as little as you want to.

Here are some of the questions we might ask:

  • What concerns do you have?
  • Can you tell me more about what’s been going on?
  • When did it happen?
  • Who was involved?
  • Do you have safety concerns for yourself or someone else?
  • What are you concerned might happen next?
  • Have you shared your concerns with anyone else?
  • What would you like to see happen?

What happens next?

We’ll listen and provide individualized safety plans tailored to each unique situation, and we’ll connect you with additional resources when needed. Depending on your situation, we may suggest taking immediate next steps for safety.

In some situations, we work with our campus partners and design a coordinated response. The SafeCampus team will evaluate the need for a formal violence-prevention team assessment with representatives of other UW departments as appropriate.

Yes, you can choose to not share your name or the name of the person you’re concerned about.

SafeCampus is a private and discreet campus resource. We make every effort to protect the information that you share with us. You will be made aware if information needs to be shared with other UW individuals. We do not record information in an employee’s personnel file or student record. We’re happy to answer any questions about our process.

SafeCampus employees answer phones Monday – Friday (excluding UW holidays). Please see below for more information about hours.

Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., you will reach a SafeCampus employee. If we do not answer we are on another call, please leave a message, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We recommend calling from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to ensure you speak directly with a SafeCampus employee.

Between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., on UW holidays, & weekends,  you will be routed to our voicemail and a SafeCampus employee will reach out the next business day. Please leave your contact information. Please see our after-hours resource guide for support if you are in immediate need. 

Calling SafeCampus is not the same as making a complaint/report to the University of Washington. You can call and consult with our office to learn more about various reporting options, including with the police or the Civil Rights Compliance Office. However, please be aware that while our office takes your privacy seriously, we are not a confidential resource. Depending what we learn, we may be required to share information with the Civil Rights Compliance Office. You can learn more about making a Civil Rights & Title IX Report and University resolution options, or contact law enforcement. You can always consult with SafeCampus about your options anonymously, or connect with a confidential resource.

When necessary to assess the risk to the UW community, SafeCampus works with key partners in violence prevention and well-being, including confidential advocates, the Civil Rights Compliance Office, Student Life, Human Resources, medical centers, law enforcement and security, mental health, and other University threat-assessment teams.

 

SafeCampus Team

Gillian Wickwire headshot
Gillian Wickwire, MA, CTM
Director of SafeCampus

As the Director of SafeCampus, Gillian (she/her) directs the threat assessment & management work for the UW, as well as overseeing the violence prevention & response efforts of the SafeCampus program. She is a Certified Threat Manager™ and has 15 years of experience facilitating interdisciplinary threat assessments, providing consultation & one-on-one safety planning, and ensuring the University stays in alignment with best practices in violence prevention. For over two decades, Gillian has been advocating for those most impacted by gender-based violence and engaging in various forms of crisis response work, always with a trauma-informed approach. During her years in graduate school, Gillian developed an understanding of the multiplicity and intersection of identities that is crucial to violence prevention & response work. In her free time, Gillian loves reading, art shows, and watching gritty dramas w/ her two cats.

Ryan Garcia with a forest trail behind him

Ryan Garcia, MSW
Violence Prevention & Response Specialist
Ryan (he/him) earned his Master of Social Work from UW in 2022. He is passionate about violence prevention and response work. He has held various positions in crisis response and care coordination settings prior to his two years spent at SafeCampus as an MSW student. Now, as an MSW team member, Ryan is currently working towards earning his independent clinical license (LICSW) and working with individuals who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, identity-based violence, and ideological violence. Ryan is also interested in the different forms violence may take and how it intersects with race, religion, identity, ability, and class. When he is not working, Ryan enjoys playing board games with friends and going on adventures with his partner and their dog, Murphy.

Fionna Cohen, MSW
Violence Prevention & Response Specialist
Fionna (she/her) has a Master’s in Social Work with a clinical focus from the University of Washington and is a LICSW-Associate. Fionna’s work is grounded in a background of sociology and political advocacy. She enjoys working with people to help them navigate the resource landscape and talk through options when they are dealing with challenging, or unsafe, situations.  As a member of the association of threat assessment professionals, her work is focused on supporting individuals as well as advancing structural changes that lessen barriers to care and makes people safer.
Paige Sechrest
Paige Sechrest, PhD
Prevention, Education, & Communications Manager

In 2021, Paige (she/her) joined the SafeCampus team in a full-time capacity as the Prevention, Education & Communications Manager. Since 2018, Paige has worked as a training specialist for SafeCampus helping to create and implement the pioneering EPIC prevention education program, designed for UW academic student employees and postdoctoral scholars. Paige is passionate about community-based methods of responding to and preventing violence, quantitative & qualitative program evaluation, as well as Black political thought. Paige also has a doctorate in political science from UW. In addition, Paige is a poetry lover and a news enthusiast.

Dana Alvarado
Dana Alvarado, MSW-LSWAIC 
Violence Prevention, Response, & Communications Specialist
Dana (she/her) joined the SafeCampus team in fall of 2023. She holds a Master of Social Work and is working toward clinical licensure, bringing a strong background in therapy, case management, and crisis intervention to her role. Dana approaches her work from a trauma-informed lens rooted in anti-racist, anti-ableist, and feminist values, and is especially passionate about helping people navigate complex systems, access resources, and build safety through collaboration. Outside of work, Dana enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats, Boo and Bee, indulging in good food, tackling home projects, and singing in her community choir.
Beth Cassidy, MSW-LSWAIC  
Violence Prevention, Communications, and Education Manager
In 2024, Beth (she/her) joined the SafeCampus team as a Student Violence Prevention and Response Specialist. Since then, she has completed her Master’s in Social Work with a clinical focus from the University of Washington. She is currently working towards her LICSW. Beth’s background  in Psychology, Sociology and Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies supports her approaches to Violence Prevention and Response. Her work at SafeCampus focuses on education around advancing equity, building and maintaining healthy relationships, mental health and illness awareness and empowering others with the skills and tools to properly respond to violence in their own lives specifically sexual violence. In her free time, Beth enjoys yoga, consuming art of all kinds and spending quality time with her community and pets.

 

Riley Kovacs, MSW-LSWAIC 
Violence Prevention & Response Specialist

Riley (he/they) earned his Master of Social Work from UW in 2025, having worked at SafeCampus and Seattle Children’s Hospital during the course of his practicum placements. He has a variety of clinical passions, including supporting queer and adolescent mental health, supporting survivors of stalking and harassment, and studying the novel ways that technology and social media influence ideological violence, social belonging, and societal well-being. His recent joys include vagabonding around the world, tabletop games, dance, and being better than all his friends at video games.