Meet Elena, the Newest Member of our Staff

September 9th, 2015- Hello! My name is Elena Brennan and I am Michigan’s Children newest M.S.W. intern. I am so excited to join the team here at Michigan’s Children, as I am eager to immerse myself in public policy issues surrounding children, education, and advocacy work towards social justice. In May of 2014, I earned my B.A. in Psychology at Michigan State University and I bring knowledge and experiences surrounding various social systems, specifically those concerning youth and families from a policy and community based level. I will be graduating with my M.S.W. from Michigan State in the spring of 2016 and look forward to working with Michigan’s Children on the final portion of my graduate journey.

I have been interested in human development, specifically the relationship between the individual and their environment early on in my education. In 2012, I was involved in the Adolescent Diversion Program (ADP) at Michigan State, an intensive two-semester internship working with adjudicated youth in Ingham County’s court system, where I found myself working with an extremely vulnerable population. This spurred my interest in program development, mentoring, policy and advocacy work, and analyzing the criminal justice system within the United States. I then went on to direct a 5-month program in 2014-2015 called Youth Advancement Through Athletics. This multi-faceted youth development program was designed to improve the lives of Lansing youth through mentorship, athletics, community outreach, and career-driven activities. My involvement directing the program sparked my interest in teaching higher education courses and solidified my interest in the Organizational Community Leadership (OCL) route of my graduate studies, allowing me to pursue more of my passions through organizations like Michigan’s Children!

I have previously interned at the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency as well as participated in an international study abroad in Finland focusing on social service delivery. This recent trip deepened my passion and love for the field of social work, as I had the opportunity to study in a country with one of the most progressive social systems in the world. I hope to pursue more international studies in the future, as there is much more to learn outside of the United States.

For the next eight months you will find me at Michigan’s Children researching, writing, and advocating for the children of our state between cups of hot coffee.

– Elena Brennan

Michigan’s Children is proud to welcome intern Elena Brennan to our staff.  You will hear more from her throughout her year at Michigan’s Children, and can get in touch with her via email