Her Story
About Jennifer
Jennifer Padre serves as Director of Clinical Services for the sheriff in Middleton, Massachusetts, where she oversees all clinical services including medical, mental health, psychiatric care, and programming for the incarcerated population. With about 30 years in the field, she began her career exploring criminal justice before shifting to human services and social work, holding positions in residential facilities for individuals with mental illness, child protective services, the district attorney's office supporting child victims and witnesses, and roles with populations facing developmental challenges and the elderly. She earned her master's degree at Boston University and later worked in the Lahey hospital system on the North Shore, supervising teams of nurses and social workers providing community support for those with complex medical, mental health, and substance use challenges. She transitioned to a correctional facility as mental health director before advancing to her current role, where she also advises the crisis team supporting first responders and law enforcement. Jennifer is certified in trauma-informed care, which she credits as one of the best steps in her professional development.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jennifer
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be open to a variety of opportunities that expose you to working with different populations. I luckily had such great opportunity to work with so many different populations that now as a grown-up social worker I have this huge background of experience that makes me not only marketable but it makes me a good social worker and a good director of programming. Being open to a variety of opportunities through your career is super important because more often than not you're going to work with a population that you maybe never even thought that you enjoyed.
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