Her Story
About jennifer
Jennifer Jones is a school psychologist currently enrolled in the MSc program in school psychology and therapeutic intervention at Fordham University. She earned her BA in psychology from Empire State University and maintains active credentials as a CAP, CSACT, and CAIC while pursuing full KSAC certification. As a member of the National Association of School Psychologists, she provides counseling and coaching services and is developing a consulting practice focused on behavioral health and care coordination. An African-American woman originally from the South Bronx, Jennifer attributes her professional success to high resilience and a commitment to authenticity, advising others to know their niche and work diligently at it. She emphasizes the importance of doing what one loves, knowing personal strengths and weaknesses, and contributing meaningfully to the world while navigating the balance between her professional identity and her urban background.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with jennifer
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say my resilience is very high. You have to believe in yourself. I know it may sound a little cliche, but if you're not being yourself, who's gonna be you? You have to literally show for yourself every day. Always try with something. If it's too big of a job, break it down into something smaller.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Know your niche. Whatever your niche is, you have to work hard at it. Regardless, whatever it is in life. You have to work hard at it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Everybody's trying to create businesses and sell many different things. I think it goes back to finding something in the business that you haven't seen before, and creating that. Finding a need and validating that through your services or your products. ... figuring out what is it that you're good at, and monetizing off of that. You cannot go wrong with that. If your heart's not in it, it's not gonna work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
For myself, being an African-American woman that came from an urban area and a low SES status, I would say it's hard feeling half professional, and half who you were, and half who you want to be. You're still in that path of discovering who you are, elevating your professionalism, and trying to cultivate who you are, and how you want to be seen, versus where did you come from. So I think for me, it's shaking off what I came from, my background, the negative aspects of my background, and trying to show something new to everybody.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Doing what you love. Because I feel once you do what you love, and you find your niche, everything that seems like work to others would just be a joy to you, and it would be more of an elevation of your mind. ... being a contributing person to this world is important. ... Know your strengths, know your weaknesses.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.