Ni Gao, PhD, LCSW, is a professor and the director of the Integrated Employment Institute (IEI) in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University. She has extensive expertise in training and providing implementation support for mental health agencies and staff in New Jersey and beyond. Dr. Gao has received $2 million in funding to research effective interventions aimed at improving educational and employment outcomes for individuals with mental health conditions (MHCs). She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Before joining Rutgers, Dr. Gao accumulated 15 years of experience in direct service and program management within community agencies serving individuals with MHCs. Her work spanned ICMS, adult partial care, supportive housing, and outpatient psychotherapy programs in New Jersey.