Testimonials
Throughout my career I have developed enduring relationships with many clients. Getting to know and collaborate with people is my favorite part of doing this work.
“Jennifer Bryan is a long-time thought-partner, valuable collaborator and presenter with the New State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and its professional learning programs. Most recently, she led a workshop for Heads of School – ‘Centering Well-Being at School: A Strategy for Our Time’ which was well-received.
Participants commented:
‘Excellent combination of big idea-thinking and tactical advice.’
‘Gave me a lot to consider as we address issues of well-being for employees and students.’
‘I’ve head Dr. Bryan speak previously, and she is always excellent. It was wonderful to follow her suggestions to recenter and focus on gratitude. I hope to be able to use the strategies she presented frequently.’
NYSAIS is grateful to Jennifer, her ongoing and evolving work, as well as her tireless focus on schools, particularly the students.”
Matt Suzuki, Ed.D.
Associate Director for Professional Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
New York State Association of Independent Schools
“The Northwest Association of Independent Schools has been honored to work with Jennifer Bryan as a featured speaker at our largest conferences and as a workshop facilitator in more intimate learning spaces. She has helped NWAIS schools wrestle with the complexity of gender and sexuality diversity and how we can best serve all of our students.
In her more recent work centering well-being, Jennifer has issued a call to action that is simple and complex. Putting student wellbeing at the center of all we do for students, is a simple concept that requires rethinking every aspect of our practice, systems and organizational framework. Jennifer has issued the imperative, that this is our work in the coming years, and has offered strategies to move communities forward.
Jennifer Bryan is masterful in recognizing that each school’s approach will be rooted in their own unique mission, and she provides frameworks to support growth, regardless of their starting place. Through her straight talk and humor, Jennifer can deliver tough messages with candor. Her approach is honest, thoughtful and thought-provoking. I recommend her without reservation, and hope that you have the opportunity to work with her. We look forward to engaging her services and expertise again in the future. Her work will continue to impact the work of the Association for many years to come.”
Emily McGrath
Associate Director
Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS)
“The hour that I spend with Jennifer Bryan and fellow Heads of School is truly the professional development highlight of my month, every time we meet! Jennifer’s combination of warmth, wise insight, and empathy provide a safe, collegial space for connection, reflection, and learning. I come away from every meeting with not only terrific readings to share with others, but also personal insight that sustains me in my complex job!”
Jennifer Ciccarelli
Head of School – Marlborough School
Los Angeles, CA
“It’s been a really challenging year for faculty and staff alike in our schools. At our March 2021 Inservice Day, Jennifer Bryan joined us for a 2-hour workshop to lead us through an incredibly insightful framework and exercises to reflect on both the losses and joys of this year that have affected us in so many ways. The opportunity to connect authentically with ourselves and with colleagues was profound in its power to strengthen and refresh our community.
Dr. Bryan joined us with a warm and inviting spirit, humor and encouragement. Her understanding of school communities and skill in creating a meaningful, lasting experience was a gift to us, helping to repair the strained fabric of our community, and connecting us with renewed appreciation and connection among faculty, staff and administrators alike. Two hours of time incredibly well spent.”
Rich Nourie
Head of School – Abington Friends School
Jenkintown, PA
“I am so grateful that Jennifer Bryan has expanded her professional development offerings beyond the realm of Gender & Sexuality Diversity. Make no mistake, if you seek a presenter to move the needle of understanding, inclusion, and belonging around gender and sexuality diversity in your schools, Jennifer is the gold standard. AND, her affirming, authentic and engaging presentation style creates the necessary space and conditions for personal connection and professional growth – no matter the topic, no matter the audience. Jennifer is as comfortable and effective with faculty and staff as she is with administrators and trustees. Her recent sessions for counselors, wellness professionals and academic leaders – in the midst of the COVID pandemic – provided vital opportunities for connection and reflection. She is a master facilitator using empathy and humor to create a welcoming environment for participants to explore and share their emotions and reactions to the complexity, uncertainty, and upheaval of our times.”
Jennifer Braxton
Director of Professional Development
Association of Delaware Valley (PA, NJ, DE & MD) Independent Schools
“As a Head of School, I have had the great good fortune to work with Jennifer Bryan in conference workshops, with my entire school community, and in board retreats. Her directness, authenticity, and deep empathy allow her to connect well with every constituent group. Dr. Bryan’s careful, compassionate guidance and facilitation leads to productive and rewarding outcomes. This is true whether she is teaching gender and sexuality diversity, helping administrators create policy, or helping boards and communities understand how to thoughtfully consider and make challenging decisions.
When Jennifer worked with parents, staff board and students at McGillis School (Salt Lake City, UT) she helped us wrestle with how best to understand and become an inclusive community. Her thoughtful presentations and facilitations over an 18 month period were outstanding and on point. As a result, our school community arrived at a culturally aligned understanding of gender and sexuality inclusivity in our community.
Last year Jennifer met with our leadership team and facilitated our board retreat at Charles Wright Academy (Tacoma, WA) . She helped our trustees recognize the governance challenges that emerge when managing cultural change, particularly when most school communities are conflict-averse.
Dr. Bryan’s skill set is built upon authentic and careful listening and a remarkable ability to say back to a group what they struggle to articulate for themselves. As soon as that happens, she is able to guide the group forward as it works toward desired outcomes. Regardless of topic, she is a fabulous facilitator and invaluable resource to any community navigating culture change.”
Matt Culberson
Head of School – Wasatch Academy
Wasatch, UT
“The one word that best describes Jennifer is responsive! She continues to have her ear to the ground as to the needs of everyone in a school community- faculty, students and families. By remaining up-to-date on the latest research and also putting out thoughtful considerations of her own, she is a go-to person for me when it comes to anything related to health and well-being. She is engaging, thoughtful and down-to-earth, allowing participants to feel safe and known in her care.”
Shannon Montague
Head of School – Sabot Stony Point
Richmond, VA
“A workshop with Jennifer Bryan feels personal and small, despite the room being full of many people. She is a fantastic facilitator, using experience, humor, and empathy to connect to her audience quickly and meaningfully. She presents her material in a way that is accessible and relevant to classroom teachers and school leaders. Using video, case studies, research, and personal stories to foster a sense of shared exploration amongst the group, Jennifer emphasizes that working on topics of gender and sexuality diversity in our schools is a highly collaborative and human endeavor.”
Eryn Hoffman
Los Angeles Program Director
California Teacher Development Collaborative (CATDC)
“Jennifer Bryan is a skilled and energetic facilitator. She is playful, lively and also highly attuned to the needs of participants. Her deep understanding of group dynamics allows her to develop experiences that resonate with teams of all types. Jennifer’s flexibility in the moment and keen sense of what ‘learners’ need helps her successfully move teams to new understandings, habits and mindsets. A great listener and collaborator, Jennifer models the ‘Yes, and . . .’ spirit and champions a human-centered approach to working with audiences of all kinds.”
Carla Silver
Executive Director – Leadership and Design
“Jennifer came to campus for a professional in-service day on the day we returned from a long break, a perhaps unenviable spot to be in, even with the exceptional faculty we have. She was just what we needed at a critical time for these discussions at Pomfret School. She was dynamic, provocative, good-humored, and focused. She helped us develop language and helped us develop important questions to be asking. The faculty responded incredibly well to her thoughtful and informative presentation, and rallied behind the deep thinking she and her team have clearly been doing in the area of gender identity over the past several years. We had begun the conversation about our next steps, and Jennifer provided some new and essential scaffolding for the important work to come. Did we achieve what I was hoping for? Unquestionably. Would I hire her again? Absolutely. Should you bring her to your school? As soon as possible. She is that good!”
Tim Richards
Head of School – Pomfret School, CT
“Jennifer’s capacity to engage a faculty is outstanding. She is so clearly a teacher herself. Her ideas are presented in both an accessible and substantive fashion. She is acutely sensitive to where each teacher is in his or her own growth and, at the same time, keeps everyone’s focus trained on the essential work of developing the skills to make a school safe for ALL children. A day with Jennifer is one that will fill you up with knowledge, provoke your self-awareness, and propel you in your own learning. In our school, Jennifer’s work has been on-going, spanning several years. Her ability to work with all constituencies – parents, trustees, faculty and students – and to generate an evolving process of both individual and institutional growth is impressive.”
Ralph Wales
Former Head of School – Gordon School
East Providence, RI
“Jennifer Bryan has been a presenter at NYSAIS workshops and conferences since 2002. Her honest delivery, engaging content, and timely anecdotes have made her a valuable professional development resource for our schools. With candid stories and disarming humor, she speaks the truth about difficult and sometimes awkward topics in a way that engages everyone. Her presentations have earned the highest praise among our attendees, and she has become a good friend of NYSAIS.”
Barbara Swanson
Former Associate Director for Professional Development
New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)