Jennifer Gess Defends her Dissertation on Queering Counselor Education

Jennifer Gess (’07) is a PhD Candidate in Counselor Education and Counseling at Idaho State University and recently defended her dissertation: Queering Counselor Education: Situational Analysis of LGBTQ+ Competent Faculty. After completing her BA in Community Psychology at UW Bothell, Jennifer earned an MA in Community Counseling at Seattle University. She began her doctoral studies in 2013, and in 2014, was selected for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program, which supports her education and facilitates her service to underserved minority populations. Jennifer’s professional and volunteer experiences include counseling at a mental health agency for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) population; teaching in south India; working at homeless shelters in Seattle; and cofounding an LGBTQ youth program in Seattle for a community mental health clinic. Her private practice specializes in counseling LGBTQ youth and families and consulting with organizations looking to incorporate equality into the school or workplace. Jennifer aspires to become a counselor educator while actively continuing to research, teach, consult, and advocate on behalf of LGBTQ communities and those interested in supporting equality.