Jennifer Pieratt, PhD
Jennifer Pieratt, PhD, is a nationally recognized educator, author, and thought leader in Project-Based Learning (PBL) based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the founder of CraftED Curriculum, an educational consultancy that partners with schools and districts across the country to design and implement sustainable, real-world learning experiences. With a PhD in education and over 20 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership, she specializes in helping educators integrate PBL and emerging tools like AI in ways that strengthen critical thinking and student engagement.
Jennifer began her career as a classroom teacher, where she spent more than a decade teaching humanities and interdisciplinary courses in innovative school settings such as High Tech High. Her work there and with national school networks deepened her expertise in experiential learning and instructional design, leading her to support schools across the U.S. as a coach and trainer. She later founded CraftED Curriculum in 2016 to bring practical, “real-talk” PBL strategies directly to educators while balancing the demands of family life and professional travel.
Today, Jennifer continues to expand her impact as a speaker, consultant, and curriculum designer, with a strong focus on making PBL both achievable and scalable in modern classrooms. She has also served in leadership roles such as Chair of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Learning at Providence Day School, where she helped launch an entrepreneurial studies diploma program. Passionate about the intersection of PBL, AI, and durable skills, she remains committed to preparing educators and students for an evolving world of inquiry-driven, real-world learning.
• Certified Paralegal
• Instructional Design: Adult Learners
• AI in Design Thinking
• Advanced Microsoft Office
• LexisNexis Part 1: Proficiency Certification
• LexisNexis Certification Part 2: Practice-Ready Certification
• Paralegal Certificate
• Claremont Graduate University- Ph.D.
• San Diego State University- Bachelor's
• University of San Diego
• University of Oxford
• Published Author
• SmartBrief Education Editors Content Choice Award
• ASCD
• ISTE
• YMCA
• YMCA
• Young Men's Service League - YMSL National
• Meals on Wheels San Diego County
• Encinitas Little League
• Cardiff Schools
• San Diego STEM Ecoystem, k-12 Ed. Work Group
What do you attribute your success to?
I don't think it's just one thing. Probably my passion for what I do. I think that makes me really authentic and relatable for people, and then I would say probably my organization and work ethic. I don't think I could do what I do without any of those things.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd say don't be afraid to try a lot of different things. I know for me, I felt this pressure to know what I wanted to be and know what I wanted to do, and every time I was really honest with myself, it led to a shift in my trajectory. I always felt bad about that, and when I look back on it, I'm like, no, that's what got me to here, and I wish I'd never felt guilty about those things. I wish those things were celebrated a little bit more, and everyone wasn't just expected to have it all figured out right away.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I'm really excited about the challenges that are presented to us in schools right now with AI. Obviously, there's so much around being compliant and keeping up, but I really am excited and energized by it, because I know when I went back to the classroom last fall, I used it in ways that pushed me as a teacher and pushed my students and their thinking deeper than I had ever done in the 21 years prior to that. So I'm really excited to kind of rethink how AI can be used to help teachers to push students in their thinking. It's an exciting time for sure.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Well, integrity, I think probably first and foremost. So much comes with that - loyalty, honesty. I think authenticity is probably one that I preach to my kids the most about. You know, be you, and be proud of who you are, as God made you, and your people will find you.