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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: August 3, 2015
Kristen Bailey
Institute Communications
Vladimir Oge
Health Promotion
Summary Sentence:
The Center for Community Health and Wellbeing took another step forward in July with the hiring of two new positions on campus.
Full Summary:
The Center for Community Health and Wellbeing took another step forward in July with the hiring of two new positions on campus.
VOICE logoThe Center for Community Health and Wellbeing took another step forward in July with the hiring of two new positions on campus.
Katy Berteau and Jennifer Gagen have been hired as Georgia Tech’s first full-time sexual assault victim-survivor advocates in the office of Health Promotion. Both have worked in the field and have experience in similar roles.
Berteau comes from a background of working in community-based sexual assault and domestic violence centers throughout the state of Florida. Gagen previously held a similar position at Florida State University.
The two are tasked with providing ongoing support, crisis counseling, and advocacy services to students who have experienced sexual violence and unwanted sexual experiences. They will also provide educational opportunities, aim to reduce barriers to reporting, and work with campus administrators to ensure a consistent and comprehensive approach to addressing sexual assault.
“Having Jennifer and Katy on board helps expand the mission of VOICE to create a campus culture that encourages respect, communication, and equity among the Georgia Tech community,” said Vladimir Oge, director of Health Promotion. “As victim-survivor advocates, they offer us the increased capacity and expertise needed to serve students who have experienced sexual violence, while also helping to create a campus environment that is survivor-supportive.”
Advocacy services were previously provided by the Women’s Resource Center (WRC). The WRC will continue to partner with VOICE, the campus sexual violence prevention initiative. Berteau’s office will be in the Health Promotion office on the second floor of Stamps Health Services, and Gagen’s on the second floor of the Smithgall Student Services (Flag) Building.
Tech’s wellness initiative was formalized at the beginning of 2015. It was born out of recommendations from the Mental Health Task Force and Sexual Violence Task Force that met during recent years to evaluate opportunities for growth and improvement in these areas on campus. The intent is to provide more centralized services and information to the campus community, and to take a more holistic and inclusive approach to wellness.
The search is also underway for a director for the new center. This position will oversee the Campus Recreation Center, Stamps Health Services, and Health Promotion.
To learn more about the VOICE initiative, visit www.voice.gatech.edu.
