Bio

Research Interests
Jennifer's research interests include early childhood program leadership and the role leadership plays on teacher wellbeing. Her dissertation considered the role of servant leadership behaviors on psychosocial safety climate (PSC) in early childhood programs. PSC acts as a precursor to staff wellbeing.

Bio
Jennifer is the director of the Center for Young Children, the University of Maryland's child development laboratory school. She oversees the three-pronged mission of the CYC: to offer a high quality early childhood program for children 3-6; to mentor university interns; and to support campus-wide research on child development and related fields. 

Prior to her role in the College of Education, Jennifer was an public school administrator for early childhood education in Monroe County, Indiana. She has held roles as an early childhood program leader, as a college instructor, and as a classroom teacher. Jennifer regularly presents at local, national, and international conferences. She has a B.A. in early childhood education from Hood College, an M.S., Ed. in early childhood leadership from Bank Street College of Education, and a Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Honors and Awards
2021 Graduate Student Fellowship Award (Indiana Wesleyan)
2020 Greenleaf Scholar (Seton Hall University)
2019 Early Learning Indiana Infant & Toddler Access Challenge winner