Directory Entry For: Jennifer Bobo

Biography

Jennifer is a proud alumna of the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, where she earned her MSSW in 2006 with a focus on clinical practice. Her early career was rooted in outpatient mental health settings, where she provided services to a range of populations, including adolescents navigating substance misuse, individuals and families impacted by trauma, adults with co-occurring disorders, unhoused individuals, and families and caregivers of children diagnosed with autism.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), she specialized in trauma-informed care clinically in a community mental health setting and began supervising practicum students while maintaining a private practice. Her clinical work eventually expanded into mezzo-level leadership as the Program Director for the Center for Promoting Recovery and Resilience (CPRR), a SAMHSA-funded initiative housed at the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science (PI: Dr. Bibhuti Sar). In this role, she oversaw training in evidence-based practices for clinicians across the region and facilitated free trauma-focused therapy for children. She also contributed to national initiatives through her involvement with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).

Jennifer has taught at the Kent School for over 13 years and transitioned into a full-time faculty position six years ago teaching the MSSW Practice course sequence (SW 604: Micro Social Work Practice, SW 605: Macro Social Work Practice, SW 640: EBP with Individuals, Families and Groups, SW 677: Mezzo Social Work Practice).  Additionally, she has served as a practicum instructor in the past, and currrently is a practicum liasion working with many agencies and students. She is passionate about teaching and mentorship, with a deep commitment to engaging students in reflective, practice-based learning. Each spring, she also supports PhD practicum students serving as teaching assistants, helping them develop their teaching competencies and navigate the complexities of academic instruction.     

In addition to her academic and clinical work, Jennifer has previously served on the board of People Against the Trafficking of Humans (PATH), and was an active member of the Louisville Metro Human Trafficking Taskforce, the Statewide Trauma-Informed Care Steering Committee, and the Community Shield Initiative. She continues to maintain a private practice and serves as a Kentucky-approved LCSW supervisor, currently mentoring six clinicians working toward licensure.

Her current areas of interest clinically include mental health and trauma treatment, trauma-informed care practices within organizations, somatic practices, expressive arts, mindfulness practices, and radical self-care.

Her current academic interests include best practices in pedagogy, innovative instructional design, and the integration of reflective practice to enhance both student learning and ongoing instructional development.

Degrees and Certifications

Publications

All Scholarly and Creative Works