​Ann Kasper, M.A., P.S.S.

Ann Kasper is the Oregon Senior Peer Outreach Peer Support Specialist for Community Counseling Services, in Milwaukie, Oregon. Previously she was the Mental Health First Aid Criminal Justice and Public Trainer at Providence Hospital, State of Oregon Office of Equity and Inclusion.

Ms. Kasper has been involved in peer support specialist activities for more than 10 years. At Telecare Multnomah Crisis Assessment and Treatment Center (CATC), Portland, OR she provided peer specialist support therapy in a mental health crisis inpatient setting and introduced recovery model and conflict resolution skills in psycho-education groups. Ms. Kasper serves as adjunct faculty for English as a second language at Portland State University, Concordia University, Portland and Clark Community College, Portland Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

From 1995 to the present, she has been Refugee Settlement Coordinator and Refugee Community Groups Advisor to Church World Service Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees, Iraqi and Iranian Kurdish Community Organizations, (Portland, Syria, and Lebanon), Somali Community Organization, Portland, OR. The project seeks to secure sponsorships of housing, food and transportation for hundreds of refugees and asylees.

Ms. Kasper has a Master of Arts, Applied Linguistics Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Portland State University, Portland, OR, and a Bachelor of Arts, International Political Economy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.