About
With over three decades of experience as a clinician, educator, and leader, Dr. Jean Ollis is honored to lead Carroll College's Master of Social Work (MSW) program as Program Director/Department Chair and Associate Professor. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Montana and a Licensed Independent Social Worker–Supervisor (LISW-S) in Ohio, she also maintains a part-time private practice as a mental health therapist. Originally from Ohio, she now calls Helena, Montana, home.
Dr. Ollis's career spans a wide range of settings, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, hospice and hospital-based medical social work, private adoption and foster care, and youth programming under the Department of Labor's Workforce Investment Act. Having worked with clients across the lifespan, she is especially passionate about supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, grief and loss, serious illness, life transitions, midlife crises, parenting, and relationship challenges.
She earned her BSSW and MSW from The Ohio State University and later completed a Doctorate in Leadership through the Leadership and Global Perspectives program at George Fox University. Her doctoral research examined the global refugee crisis, focusing on resilience within the Somali refugee community resettled in Columbus, Ohio.
Dr. Ollis is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and a former National Health Service Corps provider. She is active in her community, serving on several nonprofit boards and participating in her church's ministries.
Outside of her professional life, Jean enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, exploring new cultures, hiking, fishing, reading, and appreciating the visual arts.
