About Us

Our Mission

The UNCW Collaboration for Assault Response and Education (CARE) is the confidential resource dedicated to preventing and intervening on a broad spectrum of violent behaviors, including sexual assault, relationship abuse, stalking, harassment and exploitation. 

CARE’s confidential advocates respond to students, faculty and staff who have been impacted by interpersonal violence by providing supportive services including 24-hour crisis response, advocacy and accompaniment, and coordination with both on-campus and off-campus resources. Advocacy services focus on empowering survivors through inclusive and trauma-informed support services, offering options and resources tailored to the specific individual needs of each client. These support services are available to friends and loved ones as well. 

CARE additionally offers a comprehensive variety of violence prevention programs, trainings, and educational campaigns for the UNCW campus including healthy relationship skills-building, bystander intervention trainings and annual awareness-raising events. Student support is available for distance and online students through phone, email, and in-person contact if they come to campus. As we work to eradicate overt and covert expressions of violence, we actively promote the continuing development of a campus environment characterized by support and respect.

How to Contact Us

The CARE Office is located on the first floor of DePaolo Hall, Suite 1003. 

CARE can be contacted at 910.962.2273 (910.962.CARE). Emergency or after-hours consultation is also available by calling the CARE crisis line at 910.512.4821.

Jen August: Director

Jen August has worked in the field of relationship abuse and sexual violence for over 25 years. She has a master's degree in Community Counseling and is a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Victim Services Practitioner. She specializes in the psychological impact of interpersonal trauma on people's lives. Jen oversees the violence prevention program, including the peer education program, as well as coordinating all crisis response and case management for victims and their loved ones following an assault, abuse, stalking or harassment incident.

910.962.2611

augustj@uncw.edu

Tania Smith: Lead Advocate

Tania Smith has been serving in the field of interpersonal violence since 2017 with Wilmington’s Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center programs. Tania earned her bachelor's degree in Criminology at UNCW and is currently enrolled in UNCW’s Masters in Social Work program. Tania provides crisis counseling and advocacy services to students, faculty, and staff impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and harassment. She also acts as a supervisor for advocacy staff and is dedicated to continuing to build strong relationships with UNCW campus and community partners.

910.962.7939

smithtb@uncw.edu

Caitlin Annas: Advocate

Caitlin Annas graduated from UNCW with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and received a master's degree in Social Work from UNCW. She joined CARE in 2015 as a student Peer Educator prior to being hired on as an Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator, where she educated the UNCW community on consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention and supporting survivors. In 2022, Caitlin changed her role to utilize her extensive knowledge on the dynamics of interpersonal violence to offer crisis support and case management to survivors and their loved ones as CARE's Victim Advocate.

910.962.7004

annasc@uncw.edu 

Olivia Massar: Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator

Olivia Massar joins CARE from the University of Delaware, where she double majored in Political Science and Women & Gender Studies with minors in Public Policy, French, and Gender & Sexuality Studies. As an undergraduate, Olivia worked with University of Delaware Student Wellness as a Peer Educator, where she educated fellow students on sexual misconduct, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention. She was an intern with the Planned Parenthood of Newark, Delaware’s Education Department, and with the University of Delaware’s Anti-Racism Initiative. Olivia is excited to be a part of UNCW and the CARE Office in the Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator role as educating college students on issues of interpersonal violence is her primary passion.

910.962.7514

massaro@uncw.edu 

Malin Heppert: Healthy Masculinity Program Coordinator

Malin is the Healthy Masculinity Program Coordinator for CARE. He recently graduated from UNCW with a degree in Public Health and is excited to be back at the university working with students in a professional role. During his time at UNCW, he was involved in organizations such as the Association for Entertainment, Athletic Marketing, and the Chancellor's Student Advisory Council, as well as assisting in faculty research and interning with UNCW's Environmental Health and Safety aimed at helping students at the university across various sectors. Malin is dedicated to promoting, educating, and encouraging healthy masculinity for all students at UNCW with the goal of reducing interpersonal violence on campus and in the community.

910.962.2042

heppertm@uncw.edu

Bailey Arnold: Office Manager

Bailey Arnold, originally from New Mexico, is a recent graduate of UNCW with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in journalism. She is passionate about the protection of the human rights of personal safety and security and serves as the first point of contact in the CARE office. She is responsible for creating a welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff, as well as providing secretarial, administrative, research, and technical support to the CARE team.

910.962.2273

arnoldb@uncw.edu