Jennifer R. Warren
Change Strategist
Atlantic City,United States
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.
Chinese proverb
Summary
Change strategist with a robust academic, non-profit, and medical education background, specializing in anti-racist practices and systemic change. Demonstrates a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative strategies that foster inclusive cultures and promote equity within organizations. Skilled in impact assessments, interdisciplinary collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and training development focused on anti-racism. Committed to leveraging expertise in change management and educational leadership to drive sustainable impact and advance organizational objectives. Possesses strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding the health sciences and anti-oppressive institutional change.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
2
2
Certification
Skills
- Health Sciences Education
- Anti-Racist Transformational Change
- Large-Scale Change Efforts
- Coaching, Mentoring, and Training
- Dynamic Hybrid Learning
- Assessments and Strategic Planning
- Active Listening, Written, Verbal Communication
- Messaging for Diverse Audiences
- Building and Maintaining Strong Relationships
- Communicating Common Vision
- Adaptable, Organized, Team Player
- Willingness to Learn, Empathy, Humility
Work History
Assistant Professor
George Mason University
08.2021 - 05.2024
- Led transformative change management assessments across GMU and initiatives to enhance student diversity in faculty research and integrate anti-racist research training, mentoring, and practices, aligning with GMU's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and Anti-Racism objectives.
- Founded Communicating Equity and Healing Justice (CEHJ) interdisciplinary research lab, mentored diverse group of students from disciplines such as health sciences, social sciences, and psychology in all phases of anti-racist health research—from conceptualization to reporting.
- Led CEHJ team based projects that engaged 13 students (from undergraduates to graduates and external educational attendees), one postdoctoral research associate, and 9 faculty members from George Mason University, various research institutes, and external partners, enhancing interdisciplinary, academic, and community partnerships.
- Advanced joint position goals by serving on committees dedicated to DEI strategic planning, faculty recruitment, retention, and redesign of assessment strategies for faculty promotion and tenure, increasing implementation of anti-racism practices, equitable hiring policies and junior faculty support, and efficiency in reporting.
- Elected as faculty representative to Board of Visitors, advocating against exclusionary institutional practices, facilitating enhanced policies, and increasing awareness of equity issues.
- Collaborated with partners such as George Washington University Medical School and INOVA Healthcare Systems on design, development, and/or delivery of key communications—including practice-based research, scientific articles and presentations, and teacher trainings—on innovative and anti-racist education and research. This fostered critical dialogue and underscored institution’s commitment to equity in academic excellence.
- Revitalized teaching, learning, and assessment by employing active listening, anti-oppressive pedagogy, and designing assessments aligned with individual learning growth within course frameworks and real-life applications, boosting student retention and engagement.
Community Health Consultant
The Center for African American Health
06.2023 - 08.2023
- Articulated common vision to influence senior administrators, navigators, community stakeholders, and partners in collaborative organizational change initiative, achieving buy-in and support.
- Implemented Prosci Change Triangle and ADKAR Model methodologies to drive change management strategies for 10 direct reports in community health navigation, resulting in increased individual productivity, program evaluation, and reporting and improved organizational outcomes.
- Secured directorial and navigator support in design and delivery of assessments that conducted organizational impact analyses and evaluated change readiness among navigators, significantly enhancing strategic planning in change management activities.
- Conceptualized and implemented robust community health navigation policies, procedures, reporting systems, and training programs, significantly boosting navigators’ capacity to thrive and reach their full potential.
- Established safe environment for navigators to voice concerns through expert ability to establish strong relationships, demonstrate flexibility, and employ exceptional communication and active listening skills, effectively preventing issue escalation.
- Trained and mentored navigators with clearly articulated messages on utilizing system improvements and provided both individual and group coaching sessions focused on professional growth, enhancing overall team performance and development.
Executive Director
Center for African American Health Disparities Education & Research, 501(c)(3)
06.2017 - 08.2022
- Guided award-winning nonprofit center dedicated to health disparities and equity education and research using natural inclination for planning strategy and tactics that significantly advanced knowledge and anti-racist solutions in these critical areas through scholarly products and dissemination efforts nationally and abroad.
- United with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy, provide regular updates, and solicit their expertise when needed, demonstrating ability to establish and maintain strong relationships, work collaboratively with and through others, and be flexible and adaptable.
- Established educational pipeline program that aided students in or entering medical, biomedical science, and public health professions in transforming misconceptions about health issues, people, contexts, and systems through active research and education engagement, increasing understanding, knowledge, rigor, scholarship, and excellence in implementing anti-oppressive research and practices.
- Seventeen students successfully participated in program from 15 universities across United States, including Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Illinois at Chicago, Michigan State University, Rutgers University.
- Enhanced anti-oppressive knowledge, strategies, pedagogy, and transformational change leadership among health sciences educators through facilitating holistic, inclusive dialogue to disrupt patterns of behavior via dynamic hybrid learning opportunities that offered feedback and self-assessment tools.
- Provided evidence-based assessment tools and reflection activities to health sciences educators to evaluate their lens of equity in patient care, education, and research, expanding their capacity to promote policies, practices, and opportunities that empower all to thrive and reach their potential.
- Supported strategic partnerships with primary stakeholders (e.g., universities, medical schools, safety net health centers, community groups/members) through design and delivery of compelling key communications with clearly articulated messages, effectively expanding organizational reach and influence.
- Conducted on-going assessments of individual performance and organizational capacity to mitigate or intervene in unpredictable situations.
- Supported equity and inclusion efforts within organization and actively advocated with and in support of students and colleagues who face discrimination in diverse settings.
- Collaborated with and learned from transformational change agents in larger-scale organizational efforts, demonstrating willingness to gain knowledge of diverse change management methodologies, principles, and strategies.
Public Health Consultant
New Jersey Department of Health
04.2019 - 08.2019
- Conceptualized metrics for assessing bias in cancer care plans, particularly concerning transgender and socio-economically disadvantaged patients, advancing understanding of anti-oppressive patient care to 60 physicians through 10 continuing education webinars.
- Delivered four high-quality and dynamic hybrid anti-oppressive training sessions for healthcare professionals, increasing their capacity to provide all patients with quality care and education.
- Conceptualized and provided sophisticated and visually engaging reports to teams and directors, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.
Change Strategist Consultant
Trenton Housing Authority
Trenton, NJ
03.2015 - 08.2019
- Collaborated with senior administrators based on persuasive vision, achieving buy-in, developed preliminary strategic plan to guide change management processes aligned with organizational and Department of Housing and Urban Development policies to address intersectional inequities, community, housing, and health.
- Implemented impact analysis, including change scope identification, stakeholders, organizational readiness, risk assessments, resource/training, and communication evaluation, increasing knowledge among senior administrators of organizational capacity to initiate, sustain, and embed changes effectively over long term.
- Conducted rigorous community-based assessment with 300 respondents and engaged 10 key stakeholders and 150 residents in discussion groups to discern perceptions of and ideas for addressing inequitable social determinants, fostering their participation with key communications throughout change management processes.
- Spearheaded development of actionable insights and strategic plans based on data-driven analysis, enabling informed decision-making across all levels of organization, ensuring alignment between short-term activities and long-term goals in transformational change.
- Led brainstorming sessions, fostering culture of innovation and creative problem-solving within organization and among key stakeholders, resulting in two structural modifications, on-site safe, well-lit, walkable areas and food pantry, increasing access to nutritional food and exercise opportunities for 3,200 residents.
Assistant Professor
Rutgers University
08.2009 - 06.2018
- Prioritized strong commitment to interdisciplinary health communication research and demonstrated exceptional ability to contribute to relevant fields of study through scholarly publications and presentations.
- Implemented informal and formal methods of instruction to create multi-layered web of learning for students incorporating experiments, practical activities, discussions, community-based projects, and feedback, improving students' academic performance, skill sets, and confidence.
- Participated in president's committee to develop four pillars of excellence to drive transformational change across Rutgers, substantively contributing to strategic priorities and initiatives that serve as foundation of Rutgers's continued success.
- Participated in departmental transformational change efforts to attract, recruit, and retain minority faculty through team building, applying structured methodology, strategic planning, SMART goals, assessments, implementation processes, and management activities.
- Stood side-by-side with colleague who faced significant racial discrimination, challenging exclusionary institutional practices through coordination of and participation in student marches, attending dialogues with American Association of University Professors for support, helping craft articles for print news, and aiding in preparation for grievance hearing, fostering passion for transformational change making.
- Designed and led innovative Public Health Leadership and Management course as summer in-residence health equity scholar for preventive medicine physicians at Anschutz Medical Campus in Colorado in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, focusing on inclusive leadership, equity-driven strategies in strategic planning, development of committees, resource allocation, and culturally sensitive communication, significantly enhancing participants' abilities to conduct health equity impact assessments and advocate effectively. Achieved 40% increase in trainee preparedness to implement equitable public health policies in diverse community settings.
- Served as adjunct at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York (while employed at Rutgers), designed and taught biobehavioral course on addiction and community engagement with underserved groups, increasing knowledge of equity and culturally appropriate communication in addressing mental health, and educated Occupational Medicine residents in crisis communication theory and strategies, enriching their skills for effective crisis management.
- Evaluated student and medical resident performance through comprehensive assessments, identifying areas for improvement, and providing targeted feedback for growth.
Education
NIH Funded Postdoctoral Training Program - Behavioral Health Disparities, Biomedical Sciences
- Received highest university award in postdoctoral research achievements.
Ph.D. - Health Communication, Critical Adult Pedagogy
- Academic Leadership
- Adult Education
- Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy
- 3.8 GPA
Master of Arts - Culture And Communication, Media Ecology
- Summa Cum Laude
Bachelor of Science - Culture And Communication, Anthropology
- Magna Cum Laude
Certification
- Certification as Inclusive Leadership: The Power of Workplace Diversity, University of Colorado, January 9, 2021
- Certification as Chronic Care Professional Health Coach, August 21, 2018
- Driving Change and Anti-Racism Training. Project Management Institute, LinkedIn Learning. April 14, 2024.
- Adapt and Thrive: Change Management Skills Every Project Manager Needs Training, Project Management Institute, LinkedIn Learning. April 14, 2024.
- Introduction to Change Management Training, Alison Empower Yourself, April 13, 2024.
Additional Information
Relevant Publications:
1. Burgess, D., Warren, J. R., Phelan, S., Dovidio, J., & van Ryn, M (2010). Stereotype threat and health disparities: What medical educators and future physicians need to know. Journal of Internal General Medicine (34)Supplement 2, 169-177.
2. Hendrix, K. G., Jackson II, R. L., & Warren, J. R. (2003). Shifting academic landscapes: Exploring co- identities and critical progressive pedagogy. Communication Education (52)3/4, 177-190.
Relevant Publication Under Reveiw and In Progress:
Ghanem, N., Debora, M. S., Goldberg, D. G., Granger, E., Warren, J. R., Gimm, G. G (Under Review). A Critical qualitative study to understand current Black medical student perspectives on anti-racist reform in US medical education. Academic Medicine.
Ghanem, N.,Debora, M. S., Goldberg, D. G., Granger, E., Warren, J. R., Gimm, G. G (In Process). Critical qualitative study to understand current Black medical student perspectives on barriers and strategies to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in U.S. medical education.
Work Availability
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saturday
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morning
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Timeline
Community Health Consultant - The Center for African American Health
06.2023 - 08.2023
Assistant Professor - George Mason University
08.2021 - 05.2024
Public Health Consultant - New Jersey Department of Health
04.2019 - 08.2019
Executive Director - Center for African American Health Disparities Education & Research, 501(c)(3)
06.2017 - 08.2022
Change Strategist Consultant - Trenton Housing Authority
03.2015 - 08.2019
Assistant Professor - Rutgers University
08.2009 - 06.2018
University of Minnesota Medical School - NIH Funded Postdoctoral Training Program, Behavioral Health Disparities, Biomedical Sciences
The Pennsylvania State University - Ph.D., Health Communication, Critical Adult Pedagogy
New York University - Master of Arts, Culture And Communication, Media Ecology
New York University - Bachelor of Science, Culture And Communication, Anthropology