Welcome from your Education Manager, Jordan Freeman!

Meet NASW-Michigan’s Newest Education Manager, Jordan Freeman, LMSW-Clinical

Hi everyone!

I am Jordan Freeman. I use she/her/hers pronouns and I have been working with NASW-Michigan as the Workforce Program Manager since 2024 and am excited to be shifting my working with the Chapter to a more permanent role as your Education Manager! As a licensed clinical social worker myself I am eager to support you all in a new way and help you get engaged in your networking, resource connection, and  continuing education needs.

Why did you choose social work?
I entertained many different areas of study when I started college but after working closely with a college counselor who happened to be an LMSW, I realized that social work had elements of every part of other majors that I enjoyed. I was fascinated by psychology and culture so the academic components of sociology and psychology met that learning need. I also wanted to put all that knowledge into action to help people which I found I could most directly do as a social worker. And mostly, I was drawn, at the beginning of my journey, to the versatility of the social work degree. There are so many places we get to work as social workers and so many transferable skills. I loved collecting all of them for my toolbox knowing I would be able to use them in a variety of settings. 

What has been your social work career journey?
I earned my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan in 2014 after finishing my Bachelor’s of Social Work from Eastern Michigan University in 2013. Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to work in a range of roles and on a variety of projects that spanned both the micro and macro social work worlds; including hospice social work with McLaren Hospice, a variety of grant-fund program management roles at Trinity Health, and most recently as a contractual Workforce Manager at NASW-Michigan.

Over the last several years I have used my clinical expertise in private practice where I specialized in working with mostly young adults who were navigating anxiety, depression, adjustment and grief. Additionally, this spring I will also be teaching two sections of a BSW-level course at Oakland University. 

What other passions/hobbies do you have?
I am a very passionate animal person. I have two Morgan horses, Lovey and Beckham, who I ride and care for daily. At home I work with our two cats, Dexter and Reid, and our 10 month old Golden Retriever puppy, Barney. When I have the opportunity to get away, my husband and I enjoy camping and exploring the National Parks. I flirt with long-distance running and yoga and always aspire to do both more consistently! 

How can social workers connect with you?
As I begin serving NASW-Michigan as the Education Manager I am most looking forward to connecting and collaborating with social workers across the state. As I continue to get onboarded to this new role, I would love to hear from you if you have any topics you’d like to see offered or if you have an expertise you’d be willing to share with your social work community.

My email is jfreeman.naswmi@socialworkers.org - I look forward to connecting and supporting you! 

Jordan Freeman, LMSW-clinical