Dr. Jennifer Gervais developed a passion for working in the field of mental health in her undergraduate social work internship at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Her passion grew when she interned for the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Minnesota Chapter for her graduate placement. Since 2000, upon graduating with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Dr. Gervais embarked on her professional journey in the field of mental health. Dr. Gervais has worked as an intake child protection worker, community-based mental health provider, county children’s mental health case manager, elementary school social worker, and private practitioner. Currently, Dr. Gervais serves as the Children’s Mental Health Representative on the Washington County Local Advisory Board in Washington County, MN.
Dr. Gervais has worked in higher education since 2008 where she has served as the Field Coordinator for the undergraduate social work programs at the College of St. Scholastica in St. Paul, MN, and for the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in River Falls, WI. Dr. Gervais holds a doctorate degree in education from Hamline University. Her research focuses on competency-based education and the implementation of this model in social work education. Dr. Gervais’s work was published in the Journal of Competency-Based Education May 2016 edition. In addition, Dr. Gervais has researched social-emotional learning and the role mindfulness and movement have on students’ academic success. Her work has been highlighted in Minnesota Parent Magazine and Yoga Calm.
Dr. Gervais lives in Hudson, WI with her husband and is an avid Green Bay Packer and WI Badger football fan. She also enjoys the outdoors spending time with her husband fishing remote lakes in Canada.