Jillian Beard joined PPG in August 2024 as a WNY Prosperity Fellowship Intern. Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Jillian has always had a profound interest in advocacy and building relationships in her community. She is pursuing her dual masters degree in Social Work and Public Health at the University at Buffalo, and has earned a Bachelors in Psychology from SUNY Fredonia. She assists with research on community violence interruption (CVI) programs, and outreach efforts for the community responder initiative at PPG. 

Jillian has worked at Crisis Services as a DVSA Counselor, and as a Care Manager & Outreach Specialist at BestSelf Behavioral Health. She is also currently an MSW intern at Evergreen Health Services in the Substance Use Department, where she is gaining clinical & outreach experience. She is passionate about working with individuals who are faced with health inequities, and helping people gain access to mental health and substance use treatment. She is eager to be able to use her expertise both as a clinician-in-training and public health professional to advocate for trauma-informed practices and policies that support underrepresented communities.