Penfield Children's Center
Alex Hojnacki, MSW, APSW has diverse work experience in various positions. They began their career as an Americorps Member at CITY YEAR, INC., where they created and implemented math and literacy lesson plans for 4th-grade students. They also collaborated with a team to lead educational events.
They then served as a volunteer at Milwaukee Catholic Home and Milwaukee Public Schools, teaching guitar and providing support, respectively.
Alex later worked as an Academic Support Specialist at Urban Underground Inc., assisting students with their academic needs. They also gained experience as a Front Desk Clerk at Embassy Suites by Hilton Milwaukee Brookfield.
In 2015, Alex joined Pathfinders as an Assistant Advocate, where they conducted assessments and provided counseling and support to at-risk youth. They also assisted with job searches and family reunification efforts.
After that, they worked as a Care Coordinator at SaintA, facilitating team meetings and writing care and crisis plans for youth.
Alex then joined the State of Wisconsin as an Initial Assessment Specialist, responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect and ensuring child safety.
At Acelero Learning, Alex held multiple roles, including Family Engagement & Support Advocate, where they collaborated with parents on identified needs and supported their goals. They also served as a Mental Health Intern, completing observations and assessments, and writing mental health status exams.
Currently, Alex is working as the Assistant Director of Early Education & Care at Penfield Children's Center.
Alex Hojnacki completed a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2021 to 2022. Prior to that, they obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from the same university, which took place from 2012 to 2016. In terms of additional certifications, Alex obtained their Certified Advanced Practice Social Worker designation from the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services in March 2023. They also earned a People Manager certification from SHRM in June 2022, a Youth Mental Health First Aid USA certification from Mental Health First Aid Trainings in December 2021, and a Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association in April 2020. Additionally, they obtained their Certified Social Worker designation from the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services in March 2020.
Penfield Children's Center
A leader in child development, Penfield Children's Center creates a positive start in life for infants and children, many of whom have developmental delays or disabilities, by providing early education, health services and family programming. To carry out its mission, Penfield delivers research-based programs at the critical time of early brain development when physical, cognitive, language, social, and self-help skills are formed. Penfield Children’s Center is named in honor of Dr. Wilder Penfield (1891-1976), a world-renowned neurosurgeon who strongly advocated early intervention for children with developmental delays and disabilities. His quote, “never underestimate the capacity of the very young, and never, never let them down,” has been the foundation of Penfield’s mission since 1967. His knowledge and wisdom underlie our philosophy of care for infants and young children even today. Today, serving more than 1,700 children annually, Penfield offers high quality integrated services and a safe and stimulating environment for children, families and community partners to maximize early development and learning. Follow Penfield Children's Center on social media at penfieldchildren.org/social.