Her Story
About Jheri
Jheri Clark is the Assistant Director of Education at an allied healthcare college in Texas, where she has spent nearly eight years building a career dedicated to student advocacy and accessible career pathways. She entered the field as a part-time medical assisting instructor after becoming an empty nester, drawn to teaching because it let her connect with students facing struggles similar to her own experience as a teenage mother and single parent working her way through school. From that starting point, she advanced steadily into roles as Program Director and eventually Assistant Director of Education, earning recognition along the way, including Instructor of the Year, a Curriculum Innovation Award, and Faculty of the Year honors.
Academically, Clark holds an associate's degree in English Language and Literature from Tyler Junior College and a bachelor's degree in Technical and Scientific Communication from the University of Houston-Downtown, where she was inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society. She is currently just three credits shy of completing her master's degree and also holds a medical assisting certification from a nine-month program — training that first opened the door to her career in allied health. Beyond her institutional role, she serves as an auditor for accrediting organizations and mentors rising leaders through a company leadership academy, reflecting her broader commitment to lifting others as she advances.
Outside the classroom, Clark is an active literacy advocate, volunteering for years as a reading tutor with both the Tarrant Literacy Coalition and Reading Partners. She views education as a non-negotiable, generational tool — one capable of lifting families out of poverty and reshaping what's possible for the next generation. Guided by values of authenticity, resilience, and servant leadership, she draws strength from writers and thinkers like Brené Brown and Anita Phillips, her faith, and personal pursuits such as hiking and crafting, all of which help her navigate the particular loneliness that can come with leadership as a woman in her field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jheri
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, servant leadership, and authenticity, along with a deep belief that education creates opportunity. My own lived experience — including becoming a mother at seventeen and balancing parenthood, work, and school — shaped how I connect with my students today. Seizing opportunities to grow within my institution, and finding real purpose in teaching, have also been central to my journey.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I carry with me is that even the biggest dreams are achieved one step at a time. I often describe it as eating an elephant one bite at a time — no challenge is too large if you break it down into manageable pieces. I also hold firmly to the belief that education is non-negotiable; it's one of the most powerful tools for creating opportunity and breaking cycles of poverty.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I tell my students to take things one step at a time, no matter how overwhelming the challenge may seem. Education is the single best investment a woman can make in herself, because it's something no one can ever take away. It is non-negotiable — it's the surest way out of poverty and a powerful example to show your children that anything is possible.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Allied healthcare education offers one of the greatest opportunities for women to build financially stable, meaningful careers while making a lasting impact on others. There's growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals, and vocational education gives us a real chance to expand access to careers that can transform entire families in a short amount of time. At the same time, women in leadership face real challenges — self-doubt, heightened expectations, and the isolation that can come with responsibility. I believe that through mentorship and intentional leadership development, women can overcome these barriers and lead with confidence, compassion, and purpose.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Leadership can be lonely as a woman, so taking care of myself has become essential. I lean on reading, and I seek out voices that resonate with me — like Brené Brown and Anita Phillips — along with my faith community. Becoming an empty nester also pushed me to rediscover what brings me joy outside of work, like hiking, crafts, and cozy gaming on my Switch.
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