1. Jennifer M. Tanis, LMSW
1070 Waltham Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 ● (313) 378-5727 ● jennifer.m.tanis@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
Master of Social Work, April 2014
GPA: 4.0/4.0
•Phi Alpha–National Social Work Honor Society
•Omicron Delta Kappa–National Leadership Honor
Society
•Maternal and Child Health Leadership Fellowship
•Ghana Cultural and Service Learning Experience
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
B.A. Family & Community Services; Early Childhood
Development, August 2009
GPA: 3.44/4.0
•Kappa Delta Sorority
•English Department Summer Program in Dublin and
Western Ireland
COMMUNITY INVOVLEMENT
•Diversity Development Team, Bethany Christian
Services-GR
• Advancement Committee Member, HQ
• Community Educator, Family Futures
•Vice President, Michigan Professional Society on the
Abuse of Children
• Mentor, YoungLives
•Board Member, Chapter Advisory Board, Alpha
Alpha Chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority
• Member, National Association of Social Workers
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Bethany Christian Services Grand Rapids, MI
Adoption Specialist September 2015 - Present
• Conduct quality child and family assessments, placement and post placement supervision in compliance with
agency guidelines, and state licensing regulations and/or grant requirements.
• Advocate for the best interest of the child in effort to reach permanency as quickly as possible.
• Conduct adoption orientation with interested adoptive families and help families apply for adoption assistance
subsidy.
• Complete quality documentation in a timely manner on MiSACWIS.
Center for Child Protection, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Grand Rapids, MI
Triage Coordinator, LLMSW July 2014 – August 2015
MSW Intern May 2013 – April 2014
• Participate on a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, nurses, and social workers to provide medical
evaluations for children at risk of abuse and/or neglect.
• Conduct medical history interviews and assessments with patients (ages 3-17).
• Triage referral phone calls from Child Protective Services, law enforcement, and medical provides from 62
counties.
• Coordinate inpatient consultation services.
• Gather, synthesize, and present case information to the physicians for medical case reviews.
• Completed Forensic Interviewing of Children Training, December 18-19, 2014.
Central Grand Rapids Young Life Grand Rapids, MI
YoungLives GR Coordinator & Regional Coordinator February 2014 – October 2014
• Create and implement an effective outreach strategy to engage pregnant and parenting teens.
• Recruit, train, mobilize, manage, and retain volunteer team of mentors, childcare, meal team, and others.
• Plan and execute bi-weekly events for teen moms and their children.
• Built and sustain partnerships with local community resources, churches, and schools.

2. Tanis - 2
Our State of Generosity, The Johnson Center for Philanthropy Grand Rapids, MI
Joel J. Orosz Fellowship in Philanthropy August 2012 – April 2014
• Participate on a research team for a comprehensive project, Our State of Generosity, capturing, preserving, and
disseminating the stories, achievements, and lessons of Michigan’s philanthropic history.
• Facilitate project collaboration between the Johnson Center for Philanthropy, the Council of Michigan
Foundations, Michigan Nonprofit Association, and Michigan Community Service Commission.
• Project elements include: Preserving and organizing data, chronicling oral histories, researching and writing
personal profiles on key players, and editing and fact-checking project manuscripts.
Youth Villages Memphis, TN
Clinical Liaison, Dogwood Residential Campus August 2010 – June 2011
• Served as liaison between direct-care providers and clinicians for a residential unit of 12 girls (ages 14 – 17).
• Facilitated bi-weekly group therapy sessions for 12 adolescent residents.
• Collaborated with clinicians to develop trauma-informed treatment plans for 12 adolescent residents.
• Conducted intake and discharge assessments as needed.
• Developed and implemented a new campus-wide audit process to ensure accurate documentation for 88
residents.
Transitional Living Specialist, Community Based Services March 2010 – August 2010
• Provided therapeutic services for nine clients, ages 17-22.
• Completed comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments to determine and prioritize client needs.
• Developed monthly treatment plans addressing goals of education, vocation, health care, mental health, and
housing.
• Collaborated with Department of Children’s Services, foster care, and other systems involved in each case.
• Facilitated linkage and referral services to community organizations.
Residential Teacher/Counselor, Girls Center for Intensive Residential Treatment Center May 2009 – March 2010
• Provided direct supervision for 16 residents (ages 14 – 17) with severe emotional and behavioral problems on
a hardware-secured unit.
• Participated in bi-weekly meetings with an interdisciplinary treatment team to discuss residents’ treatment
plans.
• Conducted daily documentation in the form of contact notes, milieu notes, and precautionary notes.
• Encouraged healthy behavior through the use of coping skills and other therapeutic interventions.