Jenifer Perkins

Jenifer Perkins is a Parent Educator with the Parents as Teachers program through the Columbia Public Schools District. She has spent the past 21 years educating parents on the importance of child development, family well-being, and accessing local, state, and national resources. Her training is ongoing and has included instruction in trauma-informed care, Love and Logic, Conscious Discipline and the Triple P Positive Parenting Program. Each year, Jenifer engages in over 20 hours of continuing education in child development, strengthening families and family protective factors, trauma, implicit biases, positive parenting and more. Her work often includes families who have experienced trauma. 

Jenifer graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She was then employed at Missouri Girls Town, where most residents were survivors of trauma. She next gained experience at Charter Behavioral Health Hospital, where she worked with young children and adolescents as well as their families. Trauma was again a major focus in that role. 

Throughout her career, Jenifer has worked to help people overcome adversity and feel empowered in their lives. Some areas of emphasis for her include establishing realistic expectations for child and adolescent behavior, educating families about positive parenting, and collaborative problem-solving.  

Jenifer’s other training and experience includes the Born to Learn program as well as Parents as Teachers Foundational 1 and 2. Her passion has always been the welfare of children. 

Jenifer enjoys spending her free time with her family. She has four wonderful children and six adorable grandchildren.