Licensed Social Worker and Home and School Visitor for Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

SUBJECT: Strengthening our Culturally Responsive Approach to Healing: The Dire Need for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Visibility & Representation in Behavioral Health Practitioners

They completed their undergraduate degree in Social Work at Elizabethtown College, their Master’s Degree in Social Work from Millersville University, and their Home and School Visitor Certification from Widener University. Their professional experience has been primarily focused on urban school social work with students who have complex behavioral, familial, and academic needs. They have previous work experiences in the School Districts of Philadelphia and Lancaster. For the last 5 years they have worked at Lancaster Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 with transitional age students working to secure employment upon graduation.

MK is a relentless social justice advocate, regularly involving themself in work around diversity, equity, and inclusion, specifically as it relates to LGBTQ+ youth. MK provides training and consultation to a variety of professionals to promote the mental wellness of LGBTQ+ youth while also working collaboratively with schools to help create safer, more inclusive learning environments. As an openly transgender professional, MK is visibly and vocally involved in local advocacy work related to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. MK’s direct work with students and families, along with their personal experience, has made them a known resource in the school system and local community.