Joanne Kirk, Director of Operations, Children & Families
Joanne Kirk sees the potential in every young person she meets—and helps them reach it. As a seasoned human services professional, she specializes in working with at-risk youth and families who face complex challenges. Throughout her 25-year career, Joanne has built new systems and improved access to various support networks that empower young people to change their lives.
Prior to joining New Jersey MENTOR, Joanne served as a Senior Probation Officer at Middlesex Vicinage, where she developed in-depth knowledge of the family court system and the complex issues that many juvenile offenders face. With a Master’s of Science in Counseling Services, Joanne’s expertise enabled her to take on some of the most complex cases, including young people who exhibited violent or sexually offensive behaviors. In each case, Joanne worked tirelessly to find the appropriate clinical supports, develop and monitor case management plans, and provide crisis intervention services to ensure that youth had the support they needed to rebuild their lives.
Joanne’s desire to help youth continue to succeed in the community led her to New Jersey MENTOR. She joined the organization as a Clinical Coordinator for the Second Chance program, where she continued her work with juvenile offenders. With her vast clinical knowledge and strong ties to the court system, she specialized in facilitating referrals and conducting comprehensive assessments to ensure appropriate placements. As a resource for other Clinical Coordinators on the Second Chance team, Joanne became a natural leader. She continuously looked for ways to improve the program and took on positions of increasing responsibility, including roles as Supervisor, Assistant Program Manager and ultimately Manager for the Second Chance program.
Since joining New Jersey MENTOR in 2008, Joanne has continued to grow. As a member of the organization’s leadership team, Joanne serves as Regional Director for organization’s continuum of services for children and families. Joanne earned a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice and Psychology from Rutgers College and a Master’s of Science in Counseling Services.