Faculty

Doe West, PhD

Professor and Chair, Human Services Department 
774.318.2116
dwest [at] qcc.mass.edu

Doe has been teaching at Quinsigamond Community College as a full-time faculty since 2011 and as an adjunct faculty since 2008. She was the very first full time Professor at QCC’s Southbridge campus and also is our primary online instructor. She has taught in the disciplines of Human Services & Rehabilitation, Psychology, Sociology, Gerontology, Deaf Studies and Bioethics at universities and colleges throughout the Commonwealth since 1982. Doe holds parallel degrees in social science and theology from the Associates through the Doctoral level.  Her secular undergraduate degree is in Speech & Language with a parallel teaching certification in Special Ed, a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Doctorate in Law, Policy & Society.

She has worked in the field of human services for over 40 years. During these years she has held positions as diverse as serving as the first Commissioner of Disability Services / ADA Compliance Officer for the City of Boston; as Executive Director for non-profit organizations such as Social Action Ministries of Boston and Springboard Inc. for young adults with Developmental Disabilities; as Chief of Staff for a Massachusetts State Senator; as Director of Pastoral Care & Education for Quincy City Hospital and later as Chaplain at Overlook Lifespan Community in Charlton; and has had a small private practice as a Psychotherapist and Life Coach since 1980. 

She is of the Lenape tribe (Algonquin Nation) and was raised in the American Indian tradition and couples that with training in nutrition, herbal and homeopathic modalities, as well as being certified as a Reiki Master, which allows her to offer alternative health options to those clients seeking that support as well.Doe served as Vice President of the Board with the New England Organization for Human Services in 2012 and coordinated the regional conference on Veterans & Their Families.

Jean Kennedy

Professor 
508.854.2744
jkennedy [at] qcc.mass.edu

Jean has been teaching at Quinsigamond Community College as a full-time faculty since 2002 and as an adjunct faculty since 1999. She has been the Coordinator of the Human Services Department since April 2008. She has taught in the disciplines of Human Services, Psychology, and Sociology. Jean holds an undergraduate degree in Music Therapy and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.

She is a licensed mental health counselor and has worked in the field of human services for over 25 years. During these twenty-five years she has held positions as a Director of a Residential Scattered Apartment Site Program (Adult Psychiatric Rehabilitation Model), Group Therapist at a Fountain House Model program, School –Based Therapist (K-6th grade) a Coordinator for an Intensive Family Stabilization  (home-based) program for families involved in DCF, and a Director of a Healthy Families Program (pregnant and parenting young families). She holds a certification in Reality Therapy (William Glasser) and certification of completion of Intensive (one-year) training in Family Systems therapy at the Family Institute of Cambridge.

She is a level II EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) clinician and a Reiki III practitioner. She has studied and worked with Native Americans in South Western United States, participated in a three year program on shamanism and  is a certified Energy Medicine Practitioner.  Jean has been a member of the Board with the New England Organization for Human Services since 2007. She is a Board Member on the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (2010-2015). Jean has a Humanistic philosophy in her clinical practice as well as in her approach to teaching.

Brenda Safford

Assistant Professor 
508.854.2841
bsafford [at] qcc.mass.edu

In 1998, Brenda Safford received her Associate Degree from Quinsigamond Community College and continued her education at Assumption College where she received her Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in Human Services and Rehabilitation Counseling.  During her professional career, Brenda has been employed at YWCA of Central MA as the Director Career Resource Center, Quinsigamond Community College as Admissions and Financial Aid Coordinator, Assumption College as the Director of Multicultural Affairs.  After 8 years of being the Director of Multicultural Affairs she made a career decision to leave the position in 2011.  She was recruited to become the Director YWCA Women Economic Empowerment Department in 2011. Brenda has taught as an adjunct faculty for 9 ½ years.  In January 2014, she accepted the full time Assistant Professor for Human Services at Quinsigamond Community College.

Brenda has received numerous awards for her community service and leadership.  She has served on the YWCA Board of Directors, Youth Center Board of Directors, Girls CHOICE Advisory Board, City of Worcester Advisory Board for Affirmative Action, QCC Human Services Advisory Board, Shannon Grant Committee, A Better Life steering committee, Greater Worcester Community Foundation Scholarship Committee and Quinsigamond Community College Board of Trustees.  Because of the commitment to her community she has been recognize with many awards such as YMCA Minority Achiever, YWCA Katherine Erskine Award, Community Build Youth Institute Volunteer Award, Girls Scouts Woman of Distinction Award, and Regional ACE Inaugural Award.