“Wow!! Jennifer’s presentation has opened my eyes to why I think, feel and act the way I do about school situations and also why fellow colleagues possibly think, feel and act the way they do. In addition, I am once again reminded about the importance of COMMUNICATION in the way each individual person receives information best.”
“I thought the webinar was well-planned, well-focused, and easily relatable. So much so, that I have to say of all the webinars I have joined since the pandemic started (and there has been an explosion of them!), this has been the best! That is, best planned, best run and not only was the content very applicable, the way you presented it was helpful to process (with a good mix of speaking, breakout groups to process and share the info). The helpful comprehensive packet with extra reading was an additional plus factor. (Yes, I am one of those who actually reads them!)”
“Jennifer Abrams is an accomplished and dynamic workshop facilitator who models Adult Learning Theory strategies and leads provocative professional discussions. Participants always ask for more opportunities to work with her and many of them attend her sessions over and over again!”
“Voice Lessons (Jennifer’s monthly newsletter) is the only newsletter I read word for word and all the way through. It always has great thought provoking content and links. I often wonder when we send these things out into people’s inboxes if they actually engage with what we take the time to write and I thought Jennifer should know that her work is read, thought about and appreciated.”
“A thousand things are unspoken, implicit, buried in our educational lives. The invisibility of issues enforces the ineffective status quo. Change–personal, educational, institutional–requires that we speak OUT LOUD about what we know and believe. Jennifer Abrams brings decades of experience and years of training across the world to this usually overlooked essential act of finding our effective voice about what matters around learning.”
“Jennifer has so squarely hit the mark with our teacher-leaders that she is one of the few presenters that they are always requesting when professional development is the question. Here at the University of Chicago, this acclaim and recognition does not come easily! Jennifer has a way of presenting information that gets quickly to the heart of the matter. Her ability to read the true needs of the group, regardless of the original focus, has made her a favorite among the faculty here at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.”
“I was first introduced to Jennifer Abrams and her work while attending the New Teacher Center’s annual conference in San Jose. Her work was particularly relevant as I oversee county credentialing programs for new teachers, future administrators and special educators. Jennifer Abrams is an engaging presenter, possessing an in-depth understanding of the challenges teachers and administrators face as well as strategies they might use to sustain an environment that supports the needs of all learners. Her workshops are relevant, thought-provoking and demanding. Attendees are not merely observers but active participants. They are given multiple opportunities to collaborate, think critically and collaboratively address real-world applications to their new learning. I always leave my sessions with Jennifer re-energized and willing to ponder the possibilities that will push me to be a more effective educational leader.”
“Jennifer is brilliant and well worth hearing. For me, this was all new content and therefore I thoroughly enjoyed the presentations. Managing staff is a huge part of our job, so understanding generational differences and how to have difficult conversations is exceptionally important to the development of a cohesive team of educators. Thanks for another great conference and opportunity to network with fellow Assistant Principals.”
“It was amazing! I love the handout and definitely think that it will be valuable information moving forward. The information on the differences between generations really made me reflect on others’ perspectives and using that information to improve my communication with all generations.”
“I hope you are well. I approached you right after your morning session on hard conversations to thank you for the amazing workshop. I shared that I am tough to impress. Equally, important, I never smile. Nonetheless, your approach elicited a genuine excitement and passion for the work.”
“Crucial Conversations meets education with Jennifer Abrams. Thank you for providing tools that make hard conversations palatable, humane and growth oriented.”
“Jennifer ran three different workshops for our staff and with the participants coming from various areas of our school, she adapted her presentation accordingly. Colleagues spoke of how they can utilise the information and skills Jennifer shared immediately. Being clear in your words and actions, she highlighted the fact that suggestions, recommendations and expectations are not synonyms. Her workshops generated great conversations and self-reflection. Jennifer also spoke at Renaissance Women Leaders’ Network, which provides women in education with the opportunity to connect, network and support each other as they navigate their educational careers. Jennifer’s life story and views exemplified the message of leaning in, taking risks, and that life is messy…and that’s okay. She genuinely connected with her audience and provided the opportunity of her continued personal support.”
“Jennifer presented a workshop on Having Hard Conversations to our staff. She is a superb presenter, with a strong command of the content, excellent real examples, and professional delivery. Staff have since been talking to me all week about how much they enjoyed the presentation. I only wish we had more time with her, as these practices have the potential to have a really positive impact on our workplace.”
“Our school’s work with Jennifer Abrams has sown the seeds of stronger communication skills among the adults in the building. This has only served to strengthen the integrity of communication between staff and students as well. We’ve added her language to our expectations: honest, humane, and growth-producing conversations occur regularly.”
“Jennifer Abrams is an exceptional presenter and author. Her workshops are motivational, memorable, and extremely useful. The lessons and skills that she presents are easily shared. Jennifer is charismatic, down-to-earth, and outstanding to work with. We truly enjoyed having her present to our administrators.”
“Jennifer is wonderful and a total stand-up comedian. I absolutely got so much out of this class in both my professional and personal life – thank you!”
“Jennifer Abrams is dynamic as a speaker/presenter/workshop facilitator. Her workshops are teacher focused, engaging, and thought provoking while leaving the participant wanting more.”
“Jennifer Abrams is knowledgeable and engaging as a presenter of Having Hard Conversations. She adjusts her delivery to meet the audience’s needs while maintaining fidelity to the content. Her workshops provide research-based context, rigorous content and relevant connections to workplace culture. I always leave my sessions with Jennifer thinking of possibilities and feeling efficacious. Jennifer Abrams’s savvy shines as a workshop facilitator for the lens of multi-generational workplaces. Her workshops are timely and essential for systems who care about relational trust and professional capital. I have attended Generational Savvy twice in three years. Both times left me feeling reflective and appreciative of her brilliance, benevolence and best practices.”
“A MASSIVE thank you for working with us, it has been an absolute pleasure with every single person complimenting your work over the sessions we had together. I too have found it highly beneficial to have someone to work alongside as we create not only a new leadership framework but also new partnerships across the school.”
“Jennifer Abrams is a highly engaging presenter and workshop facilitator. Her presentation skills are exemplary. She gracefully balances the personalization and professionalism of her trainings to meet the needs of her audience. Participants always leave her trainings knowing the content, and with clear goals for implementation of applicable components. They also feel as if they know Jennifer and can call her ‘friend’. We continue to bring her back every year due to popular demand and, she makes us look good!”
“Jennifer was one of the most engaging and dynamic speakers our conference has had, according to the attendees themselves. She received so many positive comments and her expertise is so well articulated and relevant, that we have subsequently invited her back to present and will continue to look for other ways to involve her. When other speakers are referencing her talk and content, the positive impression and impact she’s made is clear.”
“My name is Vail Kieser and I’m beginning my first year as an elementary principal. Over the summer I participated in a book study with Jennifer’s book, Having Hard Conversations. I have to say this was one of the most applicable books I’ve read and I feel I’ve got more tools in my toolbox to not only lead out those conversations myself, but help others as well.”
“In today’s digital world, it is even more important to understand the multi-generational workforce, as well as the complications of having hard conversations. Jennifer’s mind-shifting workshops pull you in. You become self-aware, socially aware, and, most importantly, you are given specific skills and strategies to utilize that empower you to be an advocate for change.”