Dr. Tessa Palmer grew up on a cranberry farm in the pine barrens of southern New Jersey and spent much of her youth outside. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology along with her initial teaching certification in New York State in 2004 while doing work in experiential education. After teaching high school in Hawaii, she returned to the East Coast for graduate school, earning a master’s in social work from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008.

With experience in both schools and various medical settings, Tessa is currently employed as a school social worker for the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit where she supports special education students and their families.

She recently completed a doctorate in social work from Kutztown University, with her dissertation exploring the integration of nature into multilevel social work practice. Dr. Palmer became a certified forest therapy guide through the Forest Therapy School and is working to promote nature-based experiences for social workers, educators, and students. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family to explore wild places near her home in Upper Bucks County, PA and around the world.

 Top banner photo: Peppermint Park in Coopersburg, PA — a place Tessa visits daily.