Peoples Dukes Joins Mental Health & Recovery Board

The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County welcomed Jacquie Peoples Dukes to the Board. Peoples Dukes is a life-long resident of Kent and has worked for Kent City Schools for twenty years where she currently serves as a Student Assistance Program Coordinator.

Peoples Dukes has a wealth of experiences working in both the school and community with individuals, children, and families. She has served as a Family and Community Partnership Manager for PPIC Head Start, Social Services Coordinator for the former Portage County Community Action Council Head Start Program, Information and Referral Specialist for United Way’s First Call for Help, Family Life Education Teacher for Akron Public Schools, and Child and Adult Case Manager for the former Community Mental Health Services of Medina Co. Inc.

Peoples Dukes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in social work from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Education degree from Kent State University. She is also a Social Worker Licensed with the State of Ohio.

Peoples Dukes is very excited about her Mental Health and Recovery Board appointment. “My appointment to the Board will allow me to utilize my life-long passion for helping others, my wealth of knowledge, and my varied experiences to impact vital decision making in Portage County,” she stated. “We are living in times where needs for mental health, prevention, and intervention services are increasingly great and dollars are tight. This work requires a collaborative effort from a diverse and committed group of highly qualified individuals. Our Board members bring their knowledge and expertise to the table to get a very necessary job done. I am honored to be in that number.”

Peoples Dukes is married and the mother of two adult children. In her free time she enjoys family, writing poetry, reading, and collecting photographs.