Clinical Staff

Brooke Nelson

As a case manager for the community assistance program at JFS, Brooke Nelson meets people every day who need help. Brooke spends time talking with clients, listening to their issues “and helping them get back up on their feet,” she said.

It’s work that Brooke likes to do.

“I really have a passion for helping others,” Brooke said. “I really care about people facing issues of poverty and working through those issues.”

Brooke joined JFS in 2009 after several years working in the foster care arena for the state of Missouri. In addition to her hands-on experience in the social service field, Brooke has an undergraduate degree in philosophy and religions from Graceland University and master’s degree in social work from the University of Kansas. In 2006, Brooke graduated with a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas with a clinical concentration in children and families.

Brooke considers herself a good listener who has a great deal of empathy for people facing challenges.

“You need to have the intuition of knowing what to ask and understanding what’s being said,” Brooke said. She also has in-depth knowledge of what resources are available to assist JFS clients.

Brooke was born in Japan where her father taught English. She grew up in Arizona surrounded by a diverse population.

“I’ve always had a connection with people from a lot of different cultures,” said Brooke; she thinks exposure to such cultural diversity has helped with her case management work.

Brooke feels at home with JFS.

“I like the clientele I work with,” Brooke said. “As the economic crisis set in, I like our agency’s willingness to help others and being so flexible. You feel good when you’re able to help people going through crisis.”