As your Academic Advisor I support your academic planning process, including course registration, degree checks and petitions. I also provide coaching related to your academic goals. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation (Bear Clan). 

My learning journey began at Trent in 2000, when I began my undergraduate degree studying Indigenous Studies and History. Shortly after convocating with a BA(Honours) I began working at Trent as the Educational Access Assistant with Student Accessibility Services (SAS). In time I moved on to new roles such as Learning Strategist and Special Projects Coordinator at SAS, as well as Aboriginal Counsellor with the First Peoples House of Learning and the role of Head of Peter Gzowski College from 2014-18. I have been both a Teaching Assistant and an Instructor for INDG 1010Y as well as an Instructor for INDG-ADMN 3040H in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies. 

I earned my M.Ed in Post-Secondary Studies from Memorial University of Newfoundland. My research focused on the transformational learning experiences of Indigenous women in the university classroom. I am also an Adler Trained Coach (ATC) from Adler International Inc. in Toronto. As a life-long learner and professional coach, my ongoing areas of interest include transformation learning, women in leadership, Indigenous pedagogy in higher education, coaching and storytelling. 

Jen has been a passionate member of the Trent community since she started her BBA degree in 2006. She has held a number of roles at the university, including campus tour guide, student recruiter, and Academic Coordinator of the Social Work program. Becoming an Academic Advisor has been a goal for a number of years and she could not be more excited to work with students as they navigate their academic life at Trent!

Jen has been affiliated with every college on campus: Champlain as an undergraduate student, Traill as a graduate student, LEC while working in Social Work, and now Gzowski and Otonabee as an Academic Advisor! College life played an important part of Jen’s time at Trent and she believes that extracurricular life can play a vital role in a student’s academic journey!

Jen met her partner at Trent, has two young kids, and a love for reality TV and podcasts analyzing reality TV.