About the Executive Director
Jacquelyn Epps Scott's career in the government human services field began in 1979 with the Portsmouth Department of Social Services (PDSS). Ms. Scott began as a Social Worker Trainee and promotions allowed her to move forward to Social Worker, Senior Social Worker, Social Work Supervisor, Chief of Services, retirement (2010 thru 2011); returning as Director of the Department of Social Services ( 2012). She officially retired November 30, 2015.
During the 80s and well into the 2000s various PDSS MSW (degree level) administrators requested that she provide daily supervision to undergraduate Social Work students. In this role she was able to expound on the need to be aware and/or identify community strengths and resources and how to engage same in reconciling caregivers and children. She consistently shared that regardless where one chose to specialize in the Social Work field, exposure to the public system, was a good training ground.
Throughout Ms. Scott's career, she worked with community leaders in areas that included teen pregnancy prevention, Kinship Care Taskforce, the public school’s career & technical education advisory council, special education advisory council, juvenile court liaison (one of her first official responsibilities after becoming a Senior Social Worker). She worked on numerous special projects and attended extensive hours of training, Her years of experience in Human Services provide her to be well-versed in local, state and federal guidelines.
Ms. Scott received her Masters’ degree in Urban Affairs in 2005.
During the 80s and well into the 2000s various PDSS MSW (degree level) administrators requested that she provide daily supervision to undergraduate Social Work students. In this role she was able to expound on the need to be aware and/or identify community strengths and resources and how to engage same in reconciling caregivers and children. She consistently shared that regardless where one chose to specialize in the Social Work field, exposure to the public system, was a good training ground.
Throughout Ms. Scott's career, she worked with community leaders in areas that included teen pregnancy prevention, Kinship Care Taskforce, the public school’s career & technical education advisory council, special education advisory council, juvenile court liaison (one of her first official responsibilities after becoming a Senior Social Worker). She worked on numerous special projects and attended extensive hours of training, Her years of experience in Human Services provide her to be well-versed in local, state and federal guidelines.
Ms. Scott received her Masters’ degree in Urban Affairs in 2005.
