Open To Work
Verified
This profile is verified using an email address.
Hi, I’m
Jena Hernandez
Cary,NC
Work Preference
Summary
Higher education and workforce development leader with 15+ years of experience creating programs, partnerships, and pathways that connect individuals to opportunities for learning, growth, leadership, and career success. Proven success implementing complex initiatives, building employer and community partnerships, developing student and workforce talent, leading organizational change efforts, and creating meaningful experiences that connect learning with real-world opportunities.
Overview
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Catalyst Curations Powered by Fora TravelRaleigh, NC
FOUNDER & EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL PROGRAM DIRECTOR
10.2024 - Current
Job overview
- Founded and scaled an experiential learning and travel venture generating $80,000+ in revenue while designing transformative programs focused on conservation, workforce exploration, leadership development, wellness, and community engagement.
- Developed immersive educational experiences connecting participants with marine science professionals, conservation organizations, community leaders, and industry experts.
- Established strategic partnerships with educational institutions, conservation organizations, hospitality partners, tourism boards, and community stakeholders.
- Developed curriculum frameworks, reflection activities, participant engagement strategies, and educational content designed to enhance learning outcomes and personal development.
- Leveraged CRM systems, AI tools, marketing automation, digital advertising, website development, and social media strategies to support business growth and participant engagement.
- Selected for Fora Travel Path to Pro professional development initiative and actively engaged in industry networking, business development, and leadership events.
- Selected Impact: Experiential learning initiatives | Strategic partnerships | Student and community engagement | Marketing and recruitment | Program development and operations | Industry relationship building | Educational experience design | Entrepreneurial leadership
Archipelago Solutions Group
SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & OPERATIONS
01.2024 - 10.2024
Job overview
- Served as a strategic partner to the CEO, functioning as a liaison across executive leadership, finance, human resources, sales, proposal development, and client-facing teams.
- Coordinated executive engagement with senior leaders across Massachusetts state government, higher education institutions, workforce development agencies, economic development organizations, and community stakeholders.
- Supported initiatives involving EOLWD, OEE, EOHLC, MassDOT, RMV, municipal agencies, statewide public awareness campaigns, and higher education partners.
- Developed marketing copy, executive communications, outreach campaigns, presentations, and proposal content supporting business development and stakeholder engagement.
- Led proposal management processes including opportunity evaluation, executive review coordination, timeline management, presentation development, and submission support.
- Coordinated office expansion initiatives, legal documentation processes, vendor management, and operational readiness activities supporting growth in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
- Supported proposal opportunities ranging from $500,000 to $3 million while contributing to organizational initiatives supporting approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue.
- Selected Impact: Executive leadership partnership | Government and higher education stakeholder engagement | Proposal management | Strategic communications | Office expansion initiatives
Nurture Salon & SpaRaleigh, ME
DIRECTOR OF TALENT DEVELOPMENT & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
01.2023 - 01.2024
Job overview
- Led employee engagement, talent development, professional training, and organizational culture initiatives supporting workforce growth and retention.
- Developed onboarding programs, coaching frameworks, leadership development opportunities, and employee engagement strategies.
- Improved employee retention by approximately 50% through implementation of employee development and culture-building initiatives.
- Partnered with executive leadership to strengthen communication, accountability, performance management, and employee experience strategies.
- Contributed to organizational growth initiatives resulting in a 28% increase in sales performance.
- Selected Impact: Employee Experience Strategy | Professional Development Programs | Leadership Coaching | Organizational Culture Transformation | Retention & Engagement | Performance Improvement | Workforce Planning | Cross-Functional Collaboration
Per ScholasCambridge, MA
SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
01.2022 - 06.2023
Job overview
- Played a key leadership role in launching and scaling the Boston market during a period of rapid growth and virtual workforce transformation.
- Supported workforce development initiatives serving approximately 600 learners across the Northeast region through employer engagement, career readiness programming, and strategic partnerships.
- Managed career development and workforce engagement initiatives supporting Information Technology Support, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, and AWS Cloud pathways.
- Guided learners through career exploration, resume strategy, interview preparation, networking, internships, externships, apprenticeships, and entry-level employment opportunities.
- Facilitated employer networking events, hiring initiatives, industry panels, and career development programming connecting learners directly with hiring partners.
- Collaborated with Innovation, Career Services, Fintech companies and Instructional teams to strengthen learner outcomes and align programming with workforce demand.
- Supported approximately 80% employment placement outcomes and contributed to the cultivation and stewardship of approximately $600,000 in workforce development funding.
- Selected Impact: Boston market launch | 600+ learners served | 80% placement outcomes | $400K workforce development funding | IT, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, and AWS pathways
Nurture Salon & SpaBoston, ME
EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS & STRATEGIC PROJECTS COORDINATOR
10.2019 - 12.2022
Job overview
- Served as a strategic partner to the CEO, coordinating executive operations, organizational priorities, special projects, and cross-functional initiatives.
- Managed executive communications, scheduling, stakeholder engagement, project coordination, and operational planning efforts.
- Collaborated with marketing, finance, human resources, recruiting, and operations teams to support organizational effectiveness and strategic execution.
- Developed presentations, marketing materials, internal communications, recruiting content, and executive-facing communications supporting business growth and employee engagement.
- Selected Impact: CEO Strategic Partnership | Executive Operations | Organizational Effectiveness | Cross-Department Collaboration | Strategic Communications | Process Improvement | Stakeholder Relations | Business Support Functions
Dean College
SENIOR COORDINATOR (FEDERAL GRANT-FUNDED CAMPUS INITIATIVE)
02.2018 - 10.2019
Job overview
- Led implementation of a U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grant initiative focused on student engagement, prevention education, leadership development, institutional accountability, and culture change.
- Developed and executed a comprehensive two-year implementation strategy aligning federal grant objectives with institutional priorities and student needs.
- Curated and coordinated 20+ annual educational programs, workshops, awareness campaigns, trainings, and community engagement events.
- Established and coordinated a multidisciplinary Campus Response Team consisting of leaders from Student Affairs, Counseling Services, Campus Safety, Student Conduct, Athletics, Residence Life, and community partners.
- Designed and facilitated mandatory cross-sector training initiatives for students, faculty, staff, leadership, and community stakeholders.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, and developed approximately 35 student leaders, peer educators, and campus ambassadors through the BRAVE Student Initiative.
- Strengthened institutional transparency, trauma-informed response protocols, policy implementation, and community partnerships through collaboration with Franklin Police Department, victim-centered nonprofit organizations, and campus leadership.
- Selected Impact: Campus Response Team leadership | 35 student leaders supervised | 20+ annual campus engagement initiatives | Trauma-informed policy and protocol enhancements | Institutional culture change implementation
Virginia Employment CommissionCharlottesville, Virginia
CAREER SERVICES & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
04.2016 - 04.2017
Job overview
- Delivered one-on-one career counseling and workforce development services, facilitating career transitions for individuals navigating employment and educational pathways
- Conducted resume development, interview preparation, career assessments, labor market exploration, and professional development coaching.
- Coordinated career fairs, employer engagement activities, workforce development programs, and educational pathway opportunities.
- Developed partnerships with UVA, Liberty University, James Madison University, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Goodwill Industries, and regional workforce organizations.
- Selected Impact: Career Pathway Development | Workforce Development | Career Coaching & Advising | Educational Partnerships | Employer Engagement | Workforce Readiness | Professional Development | Employment Navigation
Education
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
Master of Education (M.Ed.) from Higher Education Administration
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Human Services
Skills
- Experiential Learning
- Student Engagement
- Career Development
- Workforce Development
- Employer Partnerships
- Community Partnerships
- Leadership Development
- Program Management
- Strategic Planning
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Organizational Change Management
- Assessment & Evaluation
- Recruitment & Outreach
- Marketing & Communications
- Event Planning
- Training & Facilitation
- Business Development
- CRM Management
- AI Productivity Tools
Selected Career Achievements
- Supported workforce development initiatives serving 600+ learners and contributing to approximately 80% employment placement outcomes through employer partnerships, career coaching, internships, externships, and workforce engagement strategies.
- Led implementation of a federally funded campus initiative that strengthened institutional policies, prevention education, trauma-informed response protocols, student leadership development, and campus engagement efforts.
- Supervised and developed 35 student leaders, peer educators, interns, and campus ambassadors while creating measurable student engagement outcomes.
- Generated $80,000+ in revenue while launching and scaling an experiential learning venture focused on conservation, career exploration, leadership development, and community engagement.
- Supported proposal portfolios ranging from $500,000 to $3 million and strategic initiatives contributing to approximately $1.5 million in organizational revenue.
Timeline
FOUNDER & EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Catalyst Curations Powered by Fora Travel
10.2024 - Current
SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & OPERATIONS
Archipelago Solutions Group
01.2024 - 10.2024
DIRECTOR OF TALENT DEVELOPMENT & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
Nurture Salon & Spa
01.2023 - 01.2024
SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Per Scholas
01.2022 - 06.2023
EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS & STRATEGIC PROJECTS COORDINATOR
Nurture Salon & Spa
10.2019 - 12.2022
SENIOR COORDINATOR (FEDERAL GRANT-FUNDED CAMPUS INITIATIVE)
Dean College
02.2018 - 10.2019
CAREER SERVICES & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Virginia Employment Commission
04.2016 - 04.2017
Northeastern University
Master of Education (M.Ed.) from Higher Education Administration
Northeastern University
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Human Services