Meet Hannah-Ruth : SRHN’s New Executive Director
Welcome Hannah-Ruth!
The Steve Rummler HOPE Network is pleased to welcome Hannah-Ruth Patterson as our new Executive Director. Hannah-Ruth joins SRHN after serving as the Executive Director of Rivers of Hope, a MN nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence.
Learn about the experience and vision Hannah-Ruth brings to our team!
What drew you to the Steve Rummler HOPE Network and its mission?
I was drawn to Steve Rummler HOPE Network’s dedication to saving lives through overdose prevention and harm reduction. As I learned more about the organization, I was especially struck by its Naloxone Access Points and the impact they have across the state – ensuring that people can access free naloxone, along with the education needed to administer it safely. My background is in social work, and I felt a strong alignment with the organization’s person-centered approach to harm reduction and safety. Their mission strongly resonates with my own values, both professionally and personally.
How has your experience at Rivers of Hope shaped your approach to leadership and community-centered action?
I had the unique opportunity to work at Rivers of Hope in several different roles, starting in an entry-level part-time position and eventually serving as the Executive Director. This journey gave me an understanding of what worked well – and what didn’t – in a small, community-based nonprofit. Rivers of Hope was my first nonprofit job and my first experience in a leadership role; my time there led me to take a person-centered approach to leadership by focusing first on the staff, partners, and the community we are serving.
When it comes to community-centered action, my previous role involved engaging with stakeholders ranging from community partners to local businesses. Rivers of Hope provides domestic violence advocacy and a major part of my role focused on raising awareness – first about the issue itself and then about the services available. The experience I gained in outreach, collaboration, and community education will certainly inform the community-centered work I do with the Steve Rummler HOPE Network.
What are you most excited to focus on in your first year as Executive Director at SRHN?
I’m most excited to focus on building new relationships within the organization and with our partners across Minnesota. I know the staff bring a wealth of knowledge, and I’m looking forward to learning from them about the day-to-day work being done at the Steve Rummler HOPE Network and about the impact the organization has on the state. I’m eager to develop new partnerships with individuals and businesses throughout the state, strengthening the network of shared action and financial support that makes this work possible.
Where do you see the greatest opportunities for SRHN to expand its impact?
I think one of the greatest opportunities for SRHN to expand its impact is through amplified awareness efforts. By focusing on connecting with nonprofits and businesses outside the harm reduction field, we can continue to grow engagement with SRHN and the overdose prevention and education work we’re doing statewide. Continued, persistent outreach is the path to bringing more people into conversations around harm reduction and safety.
If you could share a message with Minnesotans about the ongoing overdose crisis, what would it be?
Overdose is preventable. But for people to access naloxone and other harm-reduction resources, they first need to know these tools exist – and they need to feel safe using them. Reducing, and ultimately eliminating the stigma around overdose is essential. Everyone deserves the ability to protect their own life or the life of someone else without feeling shame from people in their lives or society as a whole.