Leadership Spotlight: Tiffany McGee

This month our selection for Leadership Spotlight is one of our wonderful Social Worker Supervisors, Tiffany McGee! Read on to learn more about how she came to work with EA Family Services, her advice to those interested in a similar career path, and more!

Leadership Spotlight

What initially brought you to EA?

"I began my education in law enforcement, with an interest in possibly becoming a police officer (my family had excelled in this area). Initially in school I enjoyed the criminal justice field until I attended my first psychology course. This changed my direction dramatically to encompass working in the counseling field. I received my A.A. in Psychology with a minor in Child Development, then pursued my B.A. in Psychology, hoping to at one point become a MFT and work with families in need. At that time I was also pursuing my counseling certificates in Substance Abuse Counseling and Human Service work.

This is where my career started. I worked as a counselor for those who were looking to become substance-free, or those who were referred for domestic violence counseling. I had been working for the same agency, but I felt I could do more. I decided to pursue a career in working with families rather than just the individuals who had been caught up in the judicial system. I found EA in our local paper, and thought becoming a social worker would satisfy my need to help the whole family unit, rather than just the individual. After being with EA for a short time I knew this was what I was meant to be."

What experiences early in life contributed to your success with EA? 

"I've had some personal struggles in my life, and when I needed help I found there were always people who would be there for me. My family has always been hugely supportive, and while I know not everyone has that, it's rewarding to be that support system for others. Although I didn't originally set out to work in this field, it's allowed me to support families in crisis, and see the positive results firsthand."

What advice would you give to someone interested in working with youth in foster care? 

"Those looking to 'save the world' should look elsewhere. It's sad and sometimes challenging to work with the pressure of the judicial system. However, those individuals who can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and still persist through the struggle that will be successful in the field. Something I've learned through working with EA is that as a team we always accomplish more than we would as individuals. It really does take a village to raise a family, and as social workers we are part of that village."

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

"I really enjoy being with family. Traveling, exercising, attending the sporting events that our daughter enjoys, and hosting barbecues for family and friends."

What's a hidden talent you have, or something about yourself that would surprise most people?

"I'm talented with scrapbooking, and have been known to produce many types of quilts. As I was very athletic in my youth, I can still dance, do cartwheels, and swim laps with my eight year old daughter who has the energy of a tornado. And finally, I'm a huge Star Wars fan and would never miss a release of any Star Wars movie." 

Anything else you'd like to add?

"I've been working with EA for 13 years. Not ever have I stayed with one employer with this long. I really enjoy the EA family, and have felt accepted, loved, and satisfied as a Social Worker as well as a Social Worker Supervisor. While working with colleagues, families, and our youth at EA, I've found my second family, with which I feel as connected to as my own." 

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