Ms. Fleary-Simmons holds a M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in Psychology – with an emphasis in Minority Mental Health from Washington University in St. Louis. She is an experienced Child Welfare administrator, implementation scientist and group facilitator with certifications in Trauma Responsive Practice, Mediation, Emotion Coaching and Team Decision Making. She has worked to facilitate population-specific systems reforms in Illinois, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Georgia, and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. She has provided international training on trauma informed supervision and the intersection of race and disability.

Ms. Fleary-Simmons has led community centered enrichment and youth development programs. She taught policy, child welfare and diversity coursework, and co-led affinity and professional development programs at the University of Wisconsin. She currently provides Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, (JEDI) consultation to human service organizations. She is a trainer for the Wisconsin Department of Health Emerging Leaders of Color initiative and a consultant with Spaulding for Children.

Ms. Simmons uses Trauma Responsive and other culturally congruent practices to inform better outcomes in each of the social determinants of health, (SDOH). She is committed to representing the Values, Vision & Voices of the Black Community. She believes that communities of color are well able to define their own well-being and identify the resources needed, (though often inaccessible), to achieve outcomes. She shares that the professional’s role is to enter community spaces, listen to a representative cross-section of the community and share the information with those who are positioned to make change.