“Hi, my name is Jennifer and I’m a recovering academic.”

I’ve been introducing myself this way for years and it still gets a laugh, almost every time. And yeah, it’s funny but it’s also true. The years I spent getting a Ph.D. in history have shaped me, for good and for ill, in ways that still sometimes surprise me.

I spent about half my adult life in higher ed – as a grad student, a teacher, and an administrator at leading public universities in Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, and California. The other half I’ve spent as a jack of all trades, translating my academic writing-research-critical thinking skills into the “real world.”

My #alt-ac highlight reel includes: park ranger at Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, NY; coordinator of a Kids Walk for Homeless Kids in Chicago; PR hack for a couple of California ballot initiatives; and lots and lots marketing communications and project management, in venues ranging from grassroots nonprofits to powerhouse PR firms and, of course, higher education. You can find my full c.v. and professional work history on LinkedIn.

These days I juggle my own writing and making projects with consulting work. Check out my offerings over at www.creative-egghead.com.