Customized consulting at the intersection of education and mental health
Supporting organizations dedicated to youth and family wellbeing.
A Responsive, Tailored Approach
I partner with nonprofits, foundations, and programs working to ensure quality and equity in education and youth mental health. By listening attentively to understand your particular needs, I support you in creative problem-solving that helps you meet your goals in concrete, actionable ways. As an education leader with over twenty years of experience and a parent with firsthand knowledge of the mental health field, I bring a unique blend of empathy, insight, and expertise to your most pressing challenges.
Services
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Strategic Thought Partnership
Simply put, two heads are better than one. I work alongside you to collaboratively grapple with complex challenges and strategic decisions, articulate your priorities, and determine concrete, high leverage action steps. With a combination of deep thinking, active listening, creativity, resourcefulness, and attention to detail, I help you bring your most important ideas to life.
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Program Design
Thoughtful and purposeful program design increases impact. I work with you to create research-based programs for relevant audiences (e.g. students, program alumni, teachers, coaches, practitioners, or parents) and to codify existing programs to support effective and reliable implementation at scale.
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Learning & Improvement
A learning mindset drives continuous improvement and quality work. I support leaders, organizations, and networks to research, distill, apply, and disseminate critical insights and learnings with intentionality. Rooted in curiosity, I bring a strength for synthesizing and making meaning across complex ideas and an understanding of the importance of integrating diverse sources and perspectives in learning initiatives.
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Professional Writing
Writing is a tool for shaping thinking. I support you in articulating your ideas and visions clearly and purposefully through high-quality written products including grant proposals, reports, case studies, learning briefs, and white papers.
About me
I have been working to promote quality and equity in the education field for over twenty years, as a nonprofit programmatic leader, professor, researcher, curriculum writer, coach, professional learning facilitator, and middle school teacher. I have designed and scaled programs that have impacted thousands of students and teachers (as Director of Service Design at Teaching Matters), secured multi-million dollar grants to bring creative, equity-centered initiatives to life (from institutions such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and contributed to the learning of the field through published academic research (based on my PhD from Teachers College, Columbia University). While my expertise began in science education and now spans many areas, the work that has always been most compelling to me deals with those aspects of education that support students’ identity development, social-emotional awareness, and real-life decision-making.
I am also a mother, navigating the enormous task of parenting through life’s challenges, and humbled by the journey. I am an advocate for mental health agendas (in collaboration with NATSAP and NAMI) and a peer support for struggling parents (with Other Parents Like Me and Sky’s the Limit Fund).
Grounded in this personal and professional experience, I seek to make a difference in the lives of children and families and to build more effective and equitable systems and supports to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Feedback from Clients and Colleagues
“I have deeply enjoyed getting to know, work, and learn from you. You are so intentional, thoughtful, strategic, and equity-centered in all the work that you do. You ask great questions that push my thinking, and you’re quickly able to see gaps in the work or our responses that need shoring up. You’re intensely curious and open to new learning, partners, and connections and eagerly try out new practices. It’s simply just a joy to work with you.”
— Jill Hawley, former foundation client
“Jennie sat next to me at my first Teaching Matters professional growth day. I had no idea who was who, and later learned about the important leadership role she held in the organization. And on that day, Jennie made me feel like the smartest and most important person in the room. Over the years I’ve learned from Jennie’s hard work and humble approach with various projects. Her ability to listen to understand and prod without being pushy are skills I admire and try to emulate.”
— Lance Ozier, Senior Educational Consultant, Teaching Matters
“Jennie is strategic in her thinking, gives really helpful feedback, and can help you think through any sticky situation. She is an incredible thought partner and supportive colleague, but most of all, an all-around solid human.”
— Jen Gleason, Associate Director of Service Design, Teaching Matters
“Your intelligence, thoughtfulness, and ability to articulate and synthesize ideas so clearly and effectively will truly be missed.”
— Colleague
Schedule a free consultation
I would love to connect to understand your needs and priorities and how I might be able to support your work. Please reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation call.