Wednesday Westerhold, LMSW

Wednesday Westerhold, LMSW, is a dedicated Child Welfare Social Work Supervisor at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. With over five years of experience in child welfare, she has worked extensively to support Iowa families, supervise social work case managers, and collaborate on juvenile law and child welfare cases. Her professional journey reflects a deep commitment to trauma-informed care, mental health, and substance use interventions, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive compassionate and equitable support.

A passionate advocate for marginalized communities, Wednesday centers the voices of trauma survivors, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and BIPOC communities. As a survivor of sexual violence herself, she actively empowers others to reclaim their safety and voice. Her expertise includes sexual violence prevention, identification, and advocacy, supported by specialized training from the Office for Victims of Crime, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and other professional development programs. Her undergraduate work with the PAVE group at the University of South Dakota demonstrates her early dedication to education and awareness, creating impactful campus-wide campaigns to dispel sexual violence myths.

In addition to her advocacy work, Wednesday is highly skilled in clinical assessment, crisis intervention, and case management, with a strong foundation in mental health and substance use disorder treatment. She is committed to professional development, holding a Master of Social Work from Grand View University and actively pursuing further training in psychological first aid. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys sailing, gardening, and animal rehabilitation, reflecting her love of nature and nurturing living things. Wednesday is currently seeking new opportunities that allow for autonomy, creativity, and curriculum innovation, with aspirations to contribute to college-level teaching and develop integrated science curriculum resources.

• Licensed Master Social Worker
• Psychological First Aid

• Grand View University - MSW

• The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children