Meet NCPG’s New Helpline Network Quality Manager, Emily McDaniel

NCPG is thrilled to introduce Emily McDaniel as NCPG’s new Helpline Network Quality Manager. Emily has over a decade of specialized experience in crisis intervention and helpline management, most recently serving as 988 Call Center Manager at LaFrontera EMPACT-SPC, where she supervised a remote team of crisis specialists and facilitated accreditations for major entities, including CARF, ICH, AAS, and SAMHSA. In her new role, Emily will be the National Problem Gambling Helpline’s primary partner in supporting contact centers through the accreditation process, maintaining and evolving standards, and leading the development of the Helpline Specialist Training Program.

Get to Know Emily McDaniel: NCPG’s New Helpline Network Quality Manager

What drew you to the field of crisis intervention and helpline management, and what has kept you passionate about this work for over a decade?

I’ve always been driven by a desire to provide a steady hand during someone’s most turbulent moments. My journey actually began in legal advocacy, specifically working within diversion courts. It was there that I realized the law often meets people at their lowest points, but legal solutions alone aren’t always enough to address the underlying crisis. That realization led me to frontline crisis intervention, where I saw firsthand how a single conversation can change, or even save, a life. What has kept me passionate for over ten years is the evolution from helping one person at a time in a courtroom or on a call to building the systems that ensure thousands of people get that same high-quality care. There is a unique kind of fulfillment in solving the puzzle of helpline operations so that when a person in need reaches out, the safety net is not just there; it’s stronger and more resilient than they expected.

You have a unique background with a law degree combined with extensive crisis care experience. How does your legal training inform your approach to quality assurance and helpline network management?

Earning my Juris Doctorate from the University of New Hampshire School of Law taught me to “think like a lawyer,” which, in the world of Quality Assurance, essentially means operating with analytical rigor. However, it was my hands-on training that truly shaped my perspective. During law school, I participated in the Criminal Practice Clinic, where I assisted indigent clients who lacked the means to pay for their own defense. Representing clients in those high-stakes environments taught me that behind every protocol is a person whose outcome depends on the quality of the system supporting them. In helpline management, our standards and protocols are similar to “statutes” in the legal field. My background allows me to approach network quality with a focus on evidence-based practices, risk mitigation, and operational precision. It helps me translate complex network requirements into clear, actionable goals, ensuring that our standards for the National Problem Gambling Helpline are not only defensible but exceptionally high performing for the people we serve.

In your previous role managing 988 Chat and Text services, you supervised over 100 remote crisis specialists. What’s one key lesson you learned about supporting frontline helpline staff that you’re excited to bring to NCPG?

The biggest lesson I learned is that clarity is a form of kindness. When you are managing a large, remote workforce in a high-stress environment, specialists need more than just “support,” they need clear expectations, consistent feedback loops, and the right tools to do their jobs effectively. I’m excited to bring that focus on workforce wellness through operational excellence to NCPG. By refining our quality standards and streamlining how we measure success, we’re not just improving the experience of those reaching out; we’re also reducing the cognitive load on the specialists who are doing the heavy lifting every day

What aspects of the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network are you most excited to develop and grow in your new role?

What excites me most is the opportunity to move the Network beyond a collection of independent centers and into a unified, high-performance system. Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how easily people can fall through the cracks of a broken system; my goal at NCPG is to ensure that those cracks don’t exist. I’m ready to apply the same analytical rigor I used in the courtroom to ensure our quality standards aren’t just suggestions—they are the guaranteed baseline for every person who reaches out for support. By treating quality assurance as a form of advocacy, we can identify service gaps and strengthen the entire Network. I want to build a system where the level of support a person receives isn’t a geographic lottery, but a defensible, gold-standard response that remains unbreakable even when someone is at their lowest moment.

When you’re not working to strengthen helpline networks and support systems, what do you enjoy doing in your free time? We hear you’re a foodie and theater enthusiast!

You heard correctly! I love the energy of a live theater performance (especially musicals) or a great comedy set. As for being a “foodie,” I’m a bit of a specialized one. I’m a notoriously picky eater who avoids seafood, mushrooms, and red onions at all costs, so I’m always on the hunt for the perfect Phoenix-area restaurant that can cater to my specific palate! When I’m not scouting menus or catching a show, you’ll usually find me:

• By the pool with a book: There is nothing better than the Arizona sun paired with a good historical fiction novel.
• Embracing my New Hampshire roots while watching sports: I’m a die-hard fan of the Patriots and Celtics. I’m especially vocal about how Rob Gronkowski is one of the greatest Tight End to ever play the game.
• At home: Spending time with my husband and our two rescue dogs, Curtis and Roo.