Seneca County Victim Advocate Office gets new director

Tiffin, Ohio — The Seneca County Prosecutors Office announced the appointment of Steven Simpkins as the new Director of the Seneca County Victim Advocate Office, effective March 27, 2023.

Simpkins will replace Lidia Lee, who has been with the Seneca County Prosecutors Office since 2009 and is joining the staff of Seneca County Common Pleas Court Judge Steve Shuff, according to a press release from the Prosecutors Office.

The Seneca County Victim Advocate Office provides support and services to victims of crime, such as counseling, information about the legal process, and help with filing for compensation. Along with Simpkins, Karis Tyree and Makayla Boysel currently serve as victim advocates in Seneca County.

Seneca County Prosecutor Derek W. DeVine expressed his appreciation for Lee’s service to the office, stating in the release: “We are sad to see Lidia Lee depart from our office, but we are enthusiastically looking forward to Steven joining the advocate team.”

DeVine also noted that Simpkins has been a valued employee of the office since 2021, working with the juvenile prosecutor and the Seneca County METRICH Task Force.

Simpkins is a 2012 graduate of Columbian High School and a 2016 graduate of Denison University.

The Seneca County Prosecutors Office is confident that Simpkins will be an asset to the Victim Advocate Office and will continue the important work of providing support to victims of crime in Seneca County, according to the release.