who’s who
in town & county government CARING FOR CHATHAM: GET TO KNOW OUR COUNTY’S DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES BY LAUREN ROUSE | PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
J
ennie Kristiansen’s 16-year tenure with the Chatham County Department of Social Services culminated in her appointment as its director in 2014. She possesses a deep comprehension of the federal mandates that govern DSS services and plays a critical role in bridging the complexities between local and state requirements. Her primary focus revolves around empowering her team by upholding program quality, ensuring a skilled workforce through strategic hiring and retention, and continually seeking opportunities for operational improvement. Jennie spearheaded the integration of an Emergency Housing Assistance Program into DSS operations over the past year. She consistently shows unwavering dedication and leadership in support of our community’s most vulnerable children and adults. She holds a master’s in social work from UNC and lives in northern Chatham County with her husband, their two children, two Farm Friends Rescue dogs and a pet rabbit.
Can you share a bit about your career journey and how you came to lead the county’s Department of Social Services?
Throughout high school and college I had the opportunity to meet and learn from people who were committed to community service. After talking with several professors in college I decided to apply to social work programs. After finishing graduate school I started out in child welfare, working with foster and adoptive families in California. After moving back to North Carolina, I worked in a hospital setting and found myself wanting to get back into child welfare. In 2007, I came to Chatham County, supervising the adoption and foster home licensing team and was really 38
CHATHAM MAGAZINE
Jennie is optimistic about changes underway, both at the state level and within her department, that will empower her team to meet the increase in demand for their services.
WINTER 2023-2024