Jennifer Widstrand is a senior project manager who supports a number of Child Trends’ education and youth development projects.
What sparked your interest in project management? Is this a career track you’ve had for a while?
Prior to joining Child Trends, I was a school-based educator for 16 years, serving as an elementary classroom teacher, literacy coach, and interventionist. Advancements in educational research and practice meant that learning was part of my school roles every day! Now, as a senior project manager, my day-to-day consists of managing the business aspects of a project, including its budgets and contracts, and overseeing interpersonal team-based tasks such as communication with internal and external stakeholders. I recently earned my Project Management Professional certification (PMP) and I’m learning about using AI to increase efficiency and quality in project management, so the learning continues in this role!
When I decided to transition away from school-based education, I sought an education-adjacent career that would let me support an expansion of positive impacts in classrooms, work for a nonprofit, and continue managing projects like I’d done in previous volunteer and entrepreneurial experience. Teachers engage in many aspects of project management—setting and tracking student progress toward goals, ensuring timelines are met for report cards and conferences, and structuring groups for positive and effective communication—so it’s no surprise that these soft skills were transferrable for effective project management. Both teaching and project management require combining the art and science of the profession to be successful, and this in turn requires reflective practice and a desire to continue to learn and grow over time. Something I loved about teaching, and that I currently love in project management, is that no two days in my role are the same: Novelty and challenge are around every corner!
What interests you about the program areas you work with?
I work in the education research area, which means that most of my work focuses on education—including the CZI grant supporting this toolkit—while other work benefits youth outside the classroom. Right now, the latter mostly involves things like community safety projects. In education, projects that focus on student engagement are particularly interesting to me! I’m excited to continue supporting the CZI Innovation to Evidence Network. Working with expert technical assistance providers in this capacity is a unique experience and I can’t wait to see the outcomes from this project.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of research?
My kids are school-aged now, so I’m thoroughly enjoying having big adventures with them and my husband, such as ziplining and hiking. I love planning trips—traveling to new places and visiting some of my favorites over and over again! I can’t wait to return to the Pisgah Forest in North Carolina this summer to visit some of my favorite waterfalls and mountain towns and see the area’s recovery after the storm. I also really enjoy beach days with a good book!
To wrap up, can you tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself?
I was on a Nickelodeon game show in the 90s called Legends of the Hidden Temple—it’s my only claim to fame! I won a backpack that is likely still in my parents’ basement.