Jennifer Lauren Bio

Jennifer Lauren is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in program design, implementation, and impact evaluation across continents, including Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Her career has been marked by leadership roles aimed at advancing the inclusion and retention of nontraditional students and marginalized populations in educational settings.

Jennifer has a proven track record of leadership in instructional design, teaching observations, curriculum development, peer review processes, and pedagogy seminars, spanning various institutions and disciplines. Her expertise lies in the intersection of global development, international affairs, and education.

One of her remarkable achievements is the development of secondary, and tertiary education, psychosocial support, and teacher training programs specifically tailored for crisis, conflict, and transitional contexts. Jennifer has also served as a UN Liaison and Technical Advisor, contributing her expertise to multilateral projects.

Jennifer Lauren holds dual Master's Degrees in International Affairs and Global Communications, with a specialization in Education and Youth Livelihoods in Crisis Settings.

Experience

• Learning Experience Design

  • The City University of New York, Feb 2023 - Present (8 months)
  • Skills: Urban Education, Faculty Development, Curriculum Innovation, Research and Development (R&D), Digital Transformation, International Education, Program Design and Implementation

• Global Education, Economic Inclusion, Gender, and Youth

  • Visa, Jan 2023 - Present (9 months)
  • Skills: Circular Economy, Displacement, Sustainable Agriculture, Financial Inclusion, Sustainable Development, Teacher Training, Strategic Partnerships, Curriculum Innovation, Research and Development (R&D), Refugee education, Digital Transformation, International Development, Strategic Planning, NGO Communications, Cross-sector Partnerships, Global Communications, Youth and Livelihoods, Program Design and Implementation

• Multilateral Partnerships, Global Lead

  • Technical Advisor, Digital Inclusion, Global Education, Sustainable Livelihoods, Jun 2016 - Present (7 years, 4 months)
  • Global · Hybrid
  • Responsibilities: Research, content development, training, project design, implementation, and impact assessment; Coordination across governments, multilateral, civil society, media, donors, academia, and private sector
  • Skills: Conflict Transformation, Financial Inclusion, Sustainable Development, Strategic Partnerships, Curriculum Innovation, Research and Development (R&D), Refugee education, Digital Transformation, International Development, Cross-sector Partnerships

• Learning Designer, Researcher & Instructor

  • New York University, Oct 2015 - Jan 2023 (7 years, 4 months)
  • Location: New York City Metropolitan Area
  • Responsibilities:
    • Led the design, redesign, pedagogical approaches, and research for courses, programs, and initiatives.
    • Performed teaching observations and led peer review cohorts.
    • Developed resources for digital learning in transitional contexts.
    • Supported the launch and led the evaluation of a global, multidisciplinary mentorship initiative.
    • Provided responsive services to promote students’ learning outcomes, retention, and engagement.
    • Led the design of Diploma and micro-credential programs for non-traditional student populations at New York University's School of Professional Studies (October 2015-September 2016).
    • Developed and facilitated workshops and seminars across schools, partner institutions, and campuses.
    • Performed independent research and delivered training to schools, staff, and partners on intersecting themes including but not limited to: youth development and mental health, resilience, socio-emotional learning, and psychosocial support (NYU Rusk, NYU Langone staff, Sept 2015-August 2020, September 2023).

• Researcher & Writer, Climate Adaptation, Livelihoods, and Gender

  • myAgro, Jul 2019 - May 2020 (11 months)
  • Location: Thiès, Thiès Region, Senegal
  • Responsibilities:
    • Strategic outreach and multisector partnership building to scale and fund programs in West Africa.
    • Research on digital transformation initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity, promoting climate-adaptive agricultural practices, gender-responsive policies, and sustainable livelihoods for hard-to-reach, smallholder farming communities in Mali, Senegal, and Tanzania.

• Director of Learning & Strategic Partnerships, Global Emerging Markets

  • T21, Sep 2012 - Dec 2015 (3 years, 4 months)
  • Locations: Amman, Jordan; Middle East, Africa, USA
  • Responsibilities:
    • Led the teacher training, curriculum development, and mentorship programs for underserved populations, ages 12-29.
    • Hired, trained, and oversaw global translation, research, evaluation, and program teams.
    • Wrote and reported outcomes to USAID, funders, and institutional partners.
    • Worked extensively across Jordan in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor, universities, and local NGO partners, in support of local youth development, training, and unemployment solutions.
    • Co-led development of multi-media digital learning tools, based upon methodologies developed with Harvard University.
    • Oversaw training of teachers and youth development staff, ground and virtually.
    • Initiated program launch in Uganda and co-led launches in Jordan, the Sultanate of Oman, and the U.S.
    • Initiated long-term collaboration with multinational UN agencies and corporations, and regional and global NGOs.
    • Implemented mentoring, youth entrepreneurship, and career pathways initiatives for hard-to-reach youth and women, including refugees, migrants, and out-of-school & out-of-work populations.

• Education in Emergencies, Post-Conflict and Post-Disaster Settings

  • UNESCO, Sep 2009 - Jul 2011 (1 year, 11 months)
  • Location: Paris Area, France (Western Balkans, Middle East, Europe, Africa)
  • Responsibilities:
    • Original research and fieldwork on youth and education programs in fragile, post-conflict, and transitional settings.
    • Contributed to synthesis studies on conflict transformation, reconciliation, peace education, and youth participation in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Western Balkans, Rwanda, Cambodia, and South Africa.
    • Developed resources based on education and conflict, good governance, and early recovery.
    • Delivery of teacher training programs in post-conflict settings and participation in Secretary-General meetings on education in emergencies.

• Research Analyst, Conflict Transformation

  • Open Society Foundations, Jul 2008 - Jul 2011 (3 years, 1 month)
  • Location: London, England, United Kingdom
  • Responsibilities:
    • Researcher, writer, and editor of landscape reviews, reports on the funding and multilateral support of international justice mechanisms, transitional justice, rule of law, and good governance initiatives.
    • Provided analysis and projections on country partners and future funding flows.

• Gender, Youth Participation & Digital Media, MENA region

  • United Nations, Jan 2010 - Jun 2011 (1 year, 6 months)
  • Location: Tunis, Tunisia
  • Responsibilities:
    • Completed research, design, and evaluation of media outreach campaigns on the civic and economic participation of women and girls in the MENA region, in collaboration with regional universities, schools, microfinance, and civil society groups.

• Assistant Instructor & Researcher, Children and Armed Conflict

  • The American University of Paris - Graduate Programs, Jan 2010 - Jun 2010 (6 months)
  • Location: Paris Area, France
  • Responsibilities:
    • Partnered with Reporters Sans Frontières on student-led multimedia activism projects.
    • Conducted and presented research on children and armed conflict.
    • Taught undergraduate sessions.

• Sustainable Development Fellow, Girls’ Education

  • Ghana Health and Education Initiative (GHEI), Jan 2008 - Aug 2009 (1 year, 8 months)
  • Location: Greater Accra, Ghana
  • Responsibilities:
    • Co-led education and livelihoods programs.
    • Led home visits and family engagement outreach in rural agricultural communities.
    • Contributed to impact assessments of girls' education, early childhood, family literacy, and health interventions.

Education

• De Montfort University

  • Research Fellow, Youth, Education and Global Development, Nov 2022

• The American University of Paris

  • Dual Master's Degrees, International Affairs and Global Communications, 2009 - 2011
  • Activities and societies: Specialization in Education and Livelihoods in Conflict and Transitional Settings

• New York University

  • Certification, Social Media for Social Change, 2009

• edX

  • Certification in Family Engagement, Educational Leadership and Administration, General, 2016 - 2017

• Refugee Council, London, United Kingdom

  • Training, Refugee Education Planning, 2010 - 2011
    • Received training on collaborating with ministries of education, schools, and international partners on refugee education planning

• Human Rights Education Associates

  • Certification, Child Rights Programming, 2010

• International Seminar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Certification, Education in Transitional Justice, International Relations and Affairs, Jun 2011 - Aug 2011

Licenses & Certifications

• Virtual Exchange for Professional Development, Global Exchange, and Cross-Cultural Learning

  • Issued by UNICollaboration, Jul 2022
  • Credential ID: 047b361aa05a6568c588fd700f615f1ba37ef8d2

• Together for Learning Summit - Sommet Ensemble pour l'apprentissage

  • Issued by Global Affairs Canada, May 2022
  • Credential ID: 4cc4f6b5-a3c0-48bd-9210-9814e7575fa9

• Inclusive Teaching

  • Issued by New York University, Apr 2022

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Issued by Academic Impressions, Nov 2021

• E-Learning: the Role of International Associations

  • Issued by EDEN DLE, Mar 2021

• Child Rights Programming

  • Issued by Human Rights Education Institute, Sep 2010

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

  • Issued by University for Peace (UPEACE) - UN Mandated, Apr 2009

• GovLab Academy, Humanitarian Innovation, NYU

  • Issued by NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering: Humanitarian Innovation
  • Credential ID: b9e454n2

Volunteering

• Refugee Education and Youth Livelihoods

  • International Rescue Committee, Dec 2011 - Jun 2012 (7 months)
  • Focus: Educational and career pathways targeted support for refugee adolescent youth populations from Cameroon, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Syria, and more.

• Strategic Partnerships, Funding and Sustainability

  • WelcomeHOME, Oct 2014 - Apr 2021 (6 years, 7 months)
  • Focus: Supporting the foundational and cross-sector support and press outreach for a grassroots initiative to train and employ homeless youth and adults in Portugal.

• International Development and Foreign Policy: Education, Career Development & Mentoring

  • WhyDev.org, Sep 2015 - Jun 2016 (10 months)
  • Focus: Education.

• Researcher and Advisor, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Grantmaking

  • LIFTING HANDS INTERNATIONAL, Apr 2018 - Jan 2021 (2 years, 10 months)
  • Focus: Disaster and Humanitarian Relief.

• Education Equity Research

  • FHI 360, Jan 2017 - Apr 2021 (4 years, 4 months)
  • Responsibilities: Contributing research and best practices to topics on education equity and gender task force team.

• Learning Facilitator

  • Greenspaces NYC, May 2013 - May 2014 (1 year, 1 month)
  • Focus: Supported pop-up educational events and workshops on sustainable development.

Skills
Circular Economy, Global Education, Economic Inclusion, Gender and Youth, Displacement, Sustainable Agriculture, Peace Education, Conflict Transformation, Financial Inclusion, Sustainable Development, Urban Education, Learning Experience Design, Teacher Training, Faculty Development, Faculty Training, Higher Education, Strategic Partnerships, Curriculum Innovation, Research and Development (R&D), E-Learning, Training, Youth At Risk, Refugee education, Digital Transformation, Education, Youth Development, Teaching, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Research, Volunteer Management, NGOs, Community Outreach, Grant Writing, International Development, Strategic Planning, Nonprofits, Fundraising, Program Management, Public Speaking, Program Evaluation, International Education, Sustainable Design, NGO Communications, Conflict Resolution, Cross-sector Partnerships, Global Communications, Youth and Livelihoods, Monitoring and Evaluation, Program Design and Implementation, Instructional Design and Social Media.

Recommendations

• Chiagozie Nwabuebo

  • May 31, 2018
  • Chiagozie managed Jennifer directly
  • "Jennifer is one of the most dynamic young leaders I have been fortunate to work with. She had impeccable strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities. She also had a unique ability to build trusting relationships with clients, from the C-Suite level to a young student. All of these traits are further enhanced by her relentless work ethic and drive to ensure that all of her clients and stakeholders' needs are exceeded. She is an invaluable asset wherever she goes, and it has been an honor/pleasure to work with her."

• Sarah Grosso

  • May 31, 2018
  • Sarah was Jennifer’s teacher
  • "I oversaw Jennifer's preparation for her fieldwork in Tunisia, in which she consulted varied community groups, schools, and universities on co-creating an inclusive outreach campaign promoting the civic and economic participation of women and girls in the Maghreb region. She also advised on the development of her thesis for her Dual Master' program, in which she explored alternative models of education in post-conflict, transitional settings. She did extensive fieldwork in the Western Balkans over the course of two years, collaborating with UN agencies, NGOs, think tanks, and local initiatives in the region. During this and other field posts, she has demonstrated a commitment to working with local educators, community leaders, families, and other key stakeholders on the delivery of quality learning opportunities in often highly fragmented, politicized education systems. During her graduate studies, she also taught undergraduate classes on media analysis, and media and gender topics. In my experience, she is a dedicated, creative professional working in the social and academic sectors."

• Kimberly Haley-Coleman

  • September 25, 2017
  • Kimberly managed Jennifer directly
  • "Jennifer has supported the work of Globe Aware since 2009. In 2009, she assisted in representing and managing Globe Aware ECOSOC status at the United Nations. Since then she has creatively and consistently raised the visibility of Globe Aware's work, speaking at relevant UN and university events on subjects such as service learning, sustainability, education, and issues affecting youth. She also has acted as a liaison, providing up-to-date information to Globe Aware headquarters on United Nations, UNICEF, and NGO events. I highly recommend Jennifer, particularly for roles and consultancies related to research, outreach, communications, and strategic development."

• Joseph Panzarella

  • September 28, 2016
  • Joseph worked with Jennifer but they were at different companies
  • "Jennifer and I collaborated on the development of an online asynchronous diploma at NYU. Without her educational knowledge and experience on how best to structure learning materials for an online format, the course would not have been approved and launched. Jennifer always kept the best interests of the students in mind and guided me throughout the entire process. I highly recommend her for any position/role she is qualified for."

Publications

• Family Engagement, early childhood literacy and the role of libraries

  • Enabling Education Review · Jan 29, 2020
  • This publication explores family engagement, early childhood literacy, and the vital role libraries play in promoting education and literacy.

• Good Food Jobs, an innovative search tool that values workers and work seekers

  • Inhabitat · Feb 13, 2017
  • Jennifer's work is featured in this publication, which discusses "Good Food Jobs," an innovative search tool that values workers and job seekers in the food industry.

• NYC nonprofit Nest connects luxury brands with craftspeople around the world

  • Inhabitat · Dec 2, 2016
  • In this publication, Jennifer's involvement with the NYC nonprofit Nest is highlighted. Nest connects luxury brands with craftspeople worldwide, emphasizing sustainable and ethical practices.

• FABnyc: Combining Sustainability and the Arts

  • Greenhome NYC · Sep 30, 2016
  • This publication delves into the intersection of sustainability and the arts, showcasing Jennifer's work with FABnyc and the creative and inclusive approaches to addressing sustainability in a dynamic city.

• Renee Bergen: Filmmaker

  • The Equality Standard · Mar 8, 2009
  • Jennifer conducted an interview with Renee Bergen, a filmmaker, about media, activism, and the film "Poto Mitan," which sheds light on the global economy through the stories of five women in Haiti.

Honors & Awards

• Oxfam: Sustainable Development

  • Oct 2015
  • Recognized for contributions to Sustainable Development Education, Food Security, and Livelihoods through work with Oxfam.

• Humanitarian Innovation

  • Issued by NYU · Jul 2015
  • Awarded for achievements in Humanitarian Innovation during Jennifer's time at NYU.

• Teachers College, Columbia University: Distinguished Panelist

  • Apr 2013
  • Associated with T21 (Intersections of the Global and Local in Education in the Middle East).
  • Jennifer was invited to present and participate on a panel at the 2013 TA’ALIM conference, which focused on the role of Art, Media, and Technology in Education in Middle Eastern countries. The conference was held at Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York.

• Social Media for Social Change Fellowship

  • Issued by New York University · May 2008
  • Jennifer received a fellowship in Social Media for Social Change from New York University.

Organizations

• Women's Foreign Policy Group
  • Feb 2015 - Present
  • Jennifer has been a member of the Women's Foreign Policy Group since February 2015.

Causes

Jennifer is actively involved in various causes, including Arts and Culture, Children, Civil Rights and Social Action, Disaster and Humanitarian Relief, Economic Empowerment, Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, Science and Technology, and Social Services.