In February, panelists Dr. Nicole Kras, William Morgan, Jo Oliver-Yeager, and Dr. Janine Spinola Taylor discussed human services education and its importance in shaping how integral services are delivered to communities. The panel, moderated by Dan Bromberg, talked about the challenges educators and practitioners in the field face, how human services can attract and retain quality practitioners, and more.
Watch the Recording
About the Speakers
William "Bill" Morgan, The New England Organization for Human Services
William "Bill" Morgan, currently an attorney in West Hartford, CT, has worked in law enforcement for twenty-five years, retiring as Chief of Police of the Connecticut State Capitol Police in 2006 after six years leading the agency. Since 2007, Bill has been teaching in a variety of areas from public speaking, emergency management, criminal law, business law, constitutional law, and other criminal justice topics. He currently teaches at Dean College, Wilmington University, and PennWest. Additionally, he has been certified as a Recovery Coach and Recovery Support Specialist and works part-time, for MCCA, Inc as a Peer Support Specialist, in Waterbury, Connecticut. This wide experience in teaching, learning, and living in this why he sees the need for expanding human services programs and training professionals in these careers.
Jo Oliver-Yeager, Granite State College
Jo Oliver-Yeager is the interim program director of the Human Services Administration Master's program at Granite State College. Jo is also an adjunct instructor at Granite State College, Community College of Vermont (CCV), and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services (MCPHS). She started her career as a therapist working with children with trauma. She is also the author of a non-profit children's book series that is about children with differences.
Dr. Janine Spinola Taylor, The New England Organization for Human Services
Dr. Janine Spinola Taylor has 17 years in higher education instructing courses for community colleges, private and public educational institutions. In addition, she has over 20 years of professional experience with Non-Profit and For Profit Organizations, Faith-Based Organizations, Federal and State Agencies
Nicole Kras, The New England Organization for Human Services
Nicole Kras, Ph.D., HS-BCP, is Program Coordinator and Associate Professor of Human Services at Guttman Community College, a City University of New York (CUNY). She holds a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Development from Lesley University, a Master of Science in Education, and a Sixth-Year Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study as a Classroom Teacher Specialist from Southern Connecticut State University.