Kelli Gast earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College, majoring in Social Work with a minor in Psychology. She went on to complete her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Minnesota in 2005. Since then, she has worked in the Fargo-Moorhead community in various roles, including professional home-based services, children’s day treatment, and outpatient services. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Minnesota and earned a certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health from the University of Minnesota in 2013.

In 2009, Ms. Gast joined Solutions, where she has directed early intervention services and managed multiple grants focused on children’s services. She has received training and certification in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Incredible Years Child, Parent, and Teacher programs, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Care.

Ms. Gast enjoys the diversity of her work, supporting clients across all age groups, from infancy to adulthood, as well as working with teachers and childcare staff. She is deeply committed to helping children with trauma backgrounds and behavioral difficulties and values collaboration with community leaders for program development.

A driving passion for Ms. Gast is helping families break cycles of abuse and develop new ways to support children in safe, nurturing environments. She brings compassion and understanding to her work and, as a parent of three children, understands the challenges of parenting firsthand.

In her free time, Ms. Gast serves on the advisory board for the Social Work program at Concordia College and is an adjunct professor in the Social Work department. She also coaches her sons’ soccer teams and enjoys watching hockey, attending sporting events, and reading.