Testimonials

Dr. Jennifer Bryan has been a mainstay at the TABS Annual Conference for one reason: she’s superb. She consistently earns outstanding evaluations from conference attendees for both content and delivery. As a presenter, Jennifer achieves several rare unions: mastery and amiability, dynamism and insight, clarity and nuance. And as a facilitator and workshop leader, she brings uncommon intelligence and sensitivity to her work and to the people it touches. I recommend her enthusiastically.
—Pete Upham, Executive Director, The Association of Boarding Schools

A dynamic speaker and passionate educator, Dr. Jennifer Bryan led one of Ethical Culture’s most successful professional days. Using insight and wit to address sensitive topics such as gender identity and sexual orientation, she sets a tone that motivates people to question their assumptions, move beyond their discomfort and ultimately find the language they need to respond effectively to the children they teach. As a facilitator, she understands the challenges of change at both institutional and individual levels. Recognizing conflict as vital to growth, she is able to listen to opposing points of view, make each person feel heard, address differences in constructive ways and find common ground where none was apparent. Her ongoing work with Ethical’s administrators and faculty has been the impetus for our current initiative to develop a school-wide comprehensive health and human sexuality curriculum.
—Andrea Udoff, PhD , Psychologist, Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Dr. Jennifer Bryan is phenomenal! She is one of the most effective speakers and consultants I have had the privilege to work with in 25 years of being an educator. Smart, witty, warm, and engaging, Dr. Bryan is at ease with any audience. By taking the time to understand who we are as an institution, Dr. Bryan has been able to create parent, student, and faculty/staff programs that meet the specific needs and goals of our community. I have no doubt that Dr. Bryan's work with our school has been instrumental in helping us to create a culture of inclusiveness and understanding among all constituents.
—Elizabeth U. MacCurrach, Head of Lower School, Shore Country Day School

...her intelligent wit, knowledge of child and adolescent development, earlier stint as a teacher, and experience in boarding schools all make her one of the best presenters around. Her delivery is professional, provocative and caring as she tackles the difficult topics of gender identification and sexual orientation. Jennifer's audience feels safe to ask questions of her in order to challenge their own assumptions and, ultimately, come to new understandings about the way schools can comfortably approach the tough topic of students' sexuality. Jennifer promotes the rights of all children and adolescents to study, learn and grow in caring environments. Any school administrator interested in creating, or maintaining, such an environment should consider bringing Jennifer on board to help do it right.
—Sally L. Mixsell, Head of School, Stoneleigh-Burnham School

Jennifer Bryan has a real gift - the message, methodology, and messenger all align to make her extremely effective. I am particularly impressed that she works so successfully with a range of faculty and students who are 'in very different places' relative to issues of gender, sexual identity, and sexual orientation.
—F. Robertson Hershey, Head of School, Episcopal High School

...she is deeply aware of the swirling tides of culture, values, and politics that revolve around these topics. With a deft touch, a sense of humor, a disarming directness, and substantial experience, she is uniquely equipped to help teachers, students, parents, and trustees understand the why and how of discussing gender and orientation in schools. Using a blend of presentation, stories, and role-playing, she provides a framework that allows everyone to join the conversation, feel safe, and learn more. Well-prepared and professional, Dr. Bryan offers a wealth of ideas and resources.
—Tim Bazemore, Head of School, New Canaan Country School

As the Chairperson for a Parent diversity group at a private elementary school, I have had the great pleasure of working with Jennifer Bryan. We have had Jennifer come to speak with our Parent Diversity Group twice over the past four years and each time her presentation has been very enthusiastically received. Jennifer is able to discuss with ease, sensitivity and humor one of the toughest diversity topics I know, sexual orientation. She does it so well that even the most anxious parent becomes engaged.
—Kate Barrand, parent

Our entire faculty agrees that Jennifer Bryan was one of the best presenters we have ever had at Charles River School. Jennifer is a dynamic speaker who shares her vast knowledge with her audience in a clear, concise manner. Jennifer's humor and sensitivity set just the right tone and allowed us to engage in dialogue around some difficult and intense issues. Even the most reticent faculty members felt safe "trying on" roles and speaking their minds, and with Jennifer's encouragement and support we feel better prepared to handle questions and situations that arise about gender and sexuality. Jennifer's understanding of curriculum and her many resources helped us develop, integrate and sequence new curricula. She is wise, insightful, and brimming with ideas; you can't miss with Jennifer Bryan!
—Jennifer McLean, Dean of Faculty, Charles River School

Jennifer's workshop was the most productive and enjoyable professional development day we have had in the 17 years I've been at Calhoun! Jennifer takes a sensitive and sometimes difficult topic and provides a safe and comfortable forum for exploration and discussion. With intelligence and wit, Jennifer manages to let all voices be heard and guides even the most timid towards increased confidence. All 60 of our faculty participants reported that they left the day feeling educated and inspired and wished that Jennifer would come back to continue our work together!
—Alison Max, Associate Director Lower School, The Calhoun School

Jennifer has an unusually even-handed ability to orchestrate a dialogue among a range of disparate voices. In working with our full faculty she somehow managed to affirm all of those voices - and also the tension between them. Her sense of humor regarding even the most sensitive aspects of sexuality repeatedly saved the day; she gave us the comforting feeling that nothing could rattle her, and in so doing, she opened up those among us who are often reluctant to talk. Really, we were wowed by her mastery of the subject and charmed by her person.
—Barbara Liston, Assistant Head of School, Brookwood School

The challenge of diversity in the 21st century is to ensure that your school's policies, curriculum, and culture reflect and embrace every member of your community. Gender identity and sexual orientation can be a particularly complex area to address, and schools that wade into this topic without guidance do so at their own risk. Fortunately, Jennifer Bryan is available to help you navigate these waters. For two years, Jennifer has effectively consulted with us at New Canaan Country School, where we teach pre-school through grade nine…As a school head with twenty-five years of experience of working on diversity issues, I am deeply impressed by Jennifer Bryan and the practical and powerful impact she has had on our institution. Teachers and trustees alike give her the highest marks. I recommend her very highly.
—Tim Bazemore, Head of School, New Canaan Country School

In two workshops with our faculty, Jennifer Bryan has done a superb job of demystifying issues of gender and sexuality and helping our elementary teachers begin to wrestle with the practical sexuality challenges confronting them on a daily basis in the classroom. Like many independent school communities, DCD has miles to go before we can comfortably accommodate these issues, and we look forward to Dr. Bryan's continuing stewardship throughout our institutional journey. Her down-to-earth, healthy, non-anxious, witty advice and assistance have been invaluable thus far.
—Nicholas Thacher, Head of School, Dedham Country Day School

Jennifer Bryan is simply outstanding! She goes to great lengths to understand the community with whom she is working in a genuine effort to present a program and message that is in sync with the needs of her audience. She has certainly succeeded with this effort at Episcopal. She has a unique ability to connect, to engage, and to challenge all she works with, doing so in a manner that is commanding yet welcoming at the same time. Our community, students and adults alike, have benefitted immeasurably from her wisdom and counsel.
—Jeffrey Goodell, Director of Counseling, Episcopal High School

Westminster owes a great debt to Jennifer Bryan for her outstanding work with us during this last academic year, helping our community begin to talk intelligently and sensitively about issues of sexual identity. A bright, articulate woman, Jennifer talks with, not at, people, and her style leaves everyone feeling heard and safe. Her workshops with our faculty and students were first-rate, and we are a better informed and more tolerant place for her counsel.
—Graham Cole, Head of School, Westminster School

"Fantastic presentation - loads of info - she's funny, straightforward, delightful."

"Great - very useful. I would hear her again in a heartbeat."

Those remarks are typical of what folks say about Dr. Jennifer Bryan. She has done a number of different programs for AISNE, working with both students and adults, and she gets high marks every time. Smart, experienced, organized, and engaging: she shares what she knows, draws on what her audience knows, and is sensitive to the emotional and political dimensions of her topics.
—Steve Clem, Executive Director, Association of Independent Schools in New England

Dr. Jennifer Bryan has addressed the entire Westminster community multiple times over the past six years. She has worked with our faculty on ways to make the classrooms, dorms and extracurricular space comfortable areas for students with regard to gender expression and sexual identity. Her presentations to the students have been well-received and have generated thoughtful conversation and responses. Dr. Bryan's knowledge, composure, multi-faceted approach and humor combine to make her a powerful and effective presenter for students and adults alike. Her continued contact with our community on a yearly basis allows for essential, ongoing work in the Student Life Curriculum.
—Kathleen Devaney, Dean of Student Life, Westminster School

Dr. Bryan worked with our faculty discussing critical issues of gender roles and gender expression. She provided our teachers with a non-threatening, comfortable atmosphere and combined it with warmth, personal insight and humor. She reached her audience through a professional and articulate presentation that provided a true interactive dialogue, encouraging everyone to think, listen, and question. The workshop was extremely well received, and we are looking forward to Dr Bryan’s return visit and continued relationship.
—Marilyn Tierney, Assistant Director of Admissions, Cambridge Montessori School

Dr. Bryan is by far one of the best speakers I’ve seen. She combines intelligence, humor and compassion in her presentation. She did a magnificent job of connecting with her audience, both when she spoke with students and then again when she met with the faculty….I especially appreciated the care she took in talking to me and other members of the administration beforehand so that she really understood the climate of the school and the audience she was to address.
—Gretchen White, M.S.W., Ph.D. Director of Counseling, Miss Porters School

Dr. Jennifer Bryan is a tremendously effective combination of open-minded, collaborative facilitator and confident, articulate group leader. Her involvement with our Fall Beginning Teachers Institute was a tremendous success….her presentation was beautifully tailored to the needs of the participants and staff, and she led all discussions with an easy blend of confidence and humor. She is a natural, and we look forward to her continued involvement with our conference.
—Charlie Noyes, Director, Beginning Teachers Institute, Connecticut Assoc. of Independent Schools

As a speaker and group leader, Jennifer shines as she uses humor, intellect, personal experience, and professional expertise to encourage her audience to listen, think, and ask questions. Her confidence and sensitivity encourages dialogue on a subject that can feel threatening and uncomfortable for some. Whether she is talking with students or adults, she is amazing.
—Nancy Bird, Director of Health Services, The Hotchkiss School