Great work comes from great people. And we could not do the work we do at DRG without the many team members who share their expertise.
Meet Jennifer Fleischer, Senior Talent Consultant.
What is your role within DRG?
I’m a senior talent consultant for DRG. My work crosses several areas of DRG’s business including conducting leadership searches in schools and non-profits, serving as a certified-executive coach for school and non-profit leaders, and supporting organizations through a variety of projects like succession planning, board training, and 360 evaluations.
What are your areas of expertise?
Having spent 25 years teaching and leading in schools, I have a deep appreciation for the importance of making sure underrepresented voices have a seat at the table. In order to ensure our institutions are serving all of their community members and preparing them to change the world for good, leadership teams representing a full landscape of identities is crucial.
In addition to understanding and implementing systems for equitable and inclusive hiring, I spent years guiding curriculum and pedagogies. Outside of the informal mentoring and advising I’ve done throughout my career, I have gotten certified as an executive coach and especially relish the opportunity to work with new leaders, leaders tackling big challenges, or leaders looking to implement change either in their own paths or the paths of their institutions.
What are some of the biggest issues you see in the field? Or most impactful in schools?
Schools have always been sources of joy – there is nothing quite like playing a role in the development of young people. Schools are also phenomenally messy! The processes of growing up, making mistakes, learning, and making more mistakes need to be supported at all costs in schools.
Additionally, and most notably in the last decade, more and more parenting is happening and expected to happen at schools as young people spend increasingly more time away from home in a myriad of commitments. School leaders need to be more empathetic and more representative of the students and faculty they serve to be able to support the growth and learning of all involved. Our institutions need to support leaders at the highest level through coaching, mentoring, and feedback to serve the communities best.
What brings you the most joy in a search?
I love helping to prep candidates to show up as their best selves throughout the process. Having those pre-gaming conversations, pushing each candidate to prepare fully to show up excellently, and then watching them dazzle search committees always reminds me how crucial each step of the hiring process is. We serve schools and leaders best when we help both show each other what they are capable of.
What area of education/governance/leadership are most interesting to you?
Impactful and inspiring leaders come from all backgrounds and experiences. Helping organizations focus on the skills needed to do a job in their hiring is a big priority of mine.
Good leaders can create transformational experiences for organizations’ employees and beneficiaries. Supporting, training, advising, and coaching impactful leaders and working with organizations to understand and prioritize that support is incredibly fulfilling. Continuing to evolve and expand my own understanding of transformational leadership captures my interest.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Schools are magical places. Any day that I have learned something new, tried something new, experienced something new, is a day that I have been in school.
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