Program Specialist, Aging and Behavioral Health Initiatives
Emily Franke is a program specialist on the JHF aging team and supports JHF’s behavioral health initiatives. She is a licensed social worker with extensive experience in grief recovery, end-of-life choices, caregiving issues, and psychopharmacology. She honed these skills through positions at the Benedum Geriatric Center as a pre-licensed therapist and as a psychiatric social worker on the Integrated Health and Aging Program unit at Western Psychiatric Hospital. She has worked to support individuals who are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety in the context of medical diagnoses and those experiencing caregiver or career-related burnout. Franke earned her dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and gender, sexuality & women's studies from the University of Pittsburgh, where she went on to graduate with her master's in social work. As a Hartford Fellow during her master's program, she worked to develop skills specific to serving the diverse older adult population with a specific focus on LGBTQIA older adults.