Desiree Barrett
Desiree Barrett is a dedicated social services professional with over 20 years of formal and 7 years of informal experience providing direct support to individuals of all ages. She has extensive experience working within the shelter system, assisting people transitioning to independent living, those living with HIV/AIDS, and chronically homeless clients across diverse ethnic and mental health backgrounds. Early in her career, Desiree also supported organizational leadership as an Administrative Assistant to an Executive Director, giving her a strong foundation in both client-facing and administrative roles.
Currently, Desiree serves as the Assistant Director at Children’s Rescue Fund, where she leads a social service team committed to serving underserved populations. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions including Director of Social Services at Housing Solutions of New York and Service Supervisor at Women In Need (WIN), consistently championing housing access, public benefits navigation, and comprehensive client support. Desiree is recognized for her ability to train, mentor, and manage teams that deliver impactful, person-centered services.
Desiree holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from The College of New Rochelle and continues to advance her expertise in social service management and leadership. Passionate about empowering communities, she combines hands-on experience with strategic leadership to create programs that improve quality of life for those in need. Outside of work, Desiree is committed to personal growth and encourages others to “keep going higher while being kind to yourself,” a philosophy that guides both her professional and personal journey.
• The College of New Rochelle-BA
• The College of New Rochelle-MA
• Lions Organization
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to empathy, resilience, patience, faith, hard work, and emotional intelligence, as well as my ability to build trust with both clients and teams, even in high-pressure or emotionally challenging situations. I began my career as a case manager and gradually advanced into supervisory roles before becoming a Director of Social Services, where I now oversee client programs, supervise staff, manage crises, ensure ethical care, and provide 24-hour on-call support. My 20 years in social services are driven by a lifelong passion for helping others and advocating for policies and practices that protect client dignity and well-being.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came from two influential mentors—one from my bachelor’s program and one from my master’s—who taught me to always advocate for myself, maintain professionalism under pressure, and never lose sight of the human being behind every case file.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering this field to protect their energy, seek mentorship early, ask questions, set boundaries, prioritize self-care, document everything, and trust their emotional instincts. Burnout is real, but with the right support systems in place, it can be prevented.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now, the biggest challenges I see in social services are heavy paperwork, overwhelming caseloads, staffing shortages, emotional exhaustion, and rising community needs. At the same time, there are incredible opportunities in policy reform, expanding trauma-informed care and mental health services, and creating leadership pathways for diverse women in nonprofit spaces.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I deeply value respect, compassion, accountability, integrity, advocacy, humility, and dignity, believing that every individual deserves to be treated as a whole person—not defined by circumstance, trauma, or paperwork. Outside of work, I enjoy bowling, roller skating, spending time with loved ones, and engaging in hobbies that recharge me mentally and emotionally, especially after long on-call schedules. I’m most proud of the leadership responsibilities I’ve been entrusted with, particularly serving as a Director of Social Services, earning recognition throughout my career, and helping clients rebuild their lives with confidence, resources, and dignity.