27 Mar Social Work Appreciation Month: Brandy Garber Spotlight

Brandy Garber is the manager of the Social Work Department at St. Luke’s for Boise, Elmore, and McCall. She was born and raised in Arizona but spent her summers growing up in McCall which contributed to Brandy finding a love for Idaho. After completing graduate school at the University of Denver, she moved to Boise and has been here for six years. Beginning her career as a social worker in the NICU at the Colorado Children’s Hospital, Brandy continued in the same role at St. Luke’s. Although after a year and a half in the NICU at St. Luke’s, Brandy decided to transition into a management role, and now oversees the social work department. She has been at St. Luke’s for nearly four years.

Brandy always knew she wanted to be in a social service profession. She started her undergraduate degree as an elementary education major then switched to law. While in her law and criminal justice courses, she learned about the role of social work and its versatility. This, along with her passion for helping others, ultimately led Brandy to pursue a career in social work. While in her master’s program, Brandy wanted to challenge herself to try a new field and found an internship opening at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado, where she spent time in the NICU and the emergency department. This role led to Brandy’s love of doing perinatal therapy before moving into a leadership position.

Brandy oversees a team of almost 40 people and focuses on program development, direct staff support, case consultations, and community partnership meetings. Additionally, she attends biweekly meetings with community partners to address mental health challenges within the community.

The most rewarding part of Brandy’s role is being able to support her team and seeing the difference they are making in people’s lives. Her team is a significant part of her position and continues to help keep Brandy motivated. Brandy prioritizes emotional self-care, setting boundaries, and recognizing what is in her control and what isn’t.

Brandy expressed her gratitude for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Idaho, explaining how the House gives families a space to have community, interacting with others in similar situations, and easing the financial burden. She shared a specific story about one family that really stuck with her. “So, I know, through and through and even at the end of their hospitalization, they said how much they enjoyed being able to stay at the House and have that community support. It’s definitely a really great resource for families.”