Jesenia Rios-Gibson ’09
B.S. Criminal Justice
Pursuing Master of Social Work, Boston University (online)
Case Manager, Alliance for Positive Health, Schenectady
Hometown: Brooklyn (Currently Lives in Albany)
After college, Jesenia had planned to become a parole officer. But, to qualify required experience in social work. So she got a job at a foster care and adoption agency. The experience convinced Jesenia that she wanted to become a social worker. Now, she is pursuing an MSW degree from Boston University as she works in the field, helping individuals with AIDS and other chronic illnesses navigate the system of care. Many of them, like Jesenia, grew up in Spanish-speaking households.
“As a case manager, I advocate for many of my clients and translate for them,” she explained. “There is a language barrier for many of them, and I try to educate the providers to use their resources to break those barriers. A lot of doctors don’t like to use the resources, and I want to make sure my clients don’t fall through the cracks.”