Carey Gibson is a social work professional with nearly 30 years of experience dedicated to strengthening individuals, families, communities, and human service organizations. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina, and began her career as an investigative social worker with Buncombe County Department of Social Services.
She later obtained her Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in graduate school, Carey worked as a hospital social worker in a Level I trauma center, supporting emergency room patients and their families by connecting them to the resources and support they needed during times of crisis.
Following graduate school, Carey continued to grow her leadership within DSS, serving in a variety of roles. She worked as a court social worker, acting as a liaison between the court system and child welfare staff, and held supervisory positions across child welfare, economic services, and prevention programs. She also co-led resiliency initiatives, supporting staff in navigating the demands of frontline social work.
Carey later transitioned to a local Community Action Agency, where the agency contracted with Departments of Social Services to provide evidence-based parenting education and case management to families involved in the child welfare system experiencing economic challenges. In this role, Carey supervised staff delivering these services, ensuring quality implementation and strong coordination with DSS partners.
As a Nationally Certified Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) Trainer and Implementer and Certified Community Action Professional, Carey brings a focus on results-oriented work and capacity building. Carey designs and delivers customized training for community action agencies and human service organizations across the country. Her work focuses on strengths-based results-oriented case management, strengthening organizational culture, data analysis and evaluation, needs assessment, and strategic planning. Passionate about training and professional development, Carey is known for making complex ideas easy to understand and implement. She values the “aha” moments that happen when people connect the dots and begin to see their work, and their strengths, in a new way.
Outside of her professional work, Carey and her husband are the proud parents of three adult children and one very stinky hound dog. She enjoys hiking, reading, quilting, and the ongoing search for the perfect thrift store find.
