LETTER
A Letter from Dr. Jen
Hello and thank you for your interest in learning more about me. I am a New Jersey native with deep roots in my Asian American heritage. My journey intertwines with the military, as my spouse recently concluded a remarkable 24-year career, during which I stood by his side for 23 years. Our bustling and joyfully chaotic household includes five children, and I've now taken on the role of a military mother as our eldest has entered the service. Our nomadic military life has taken us through 8 states, fostering resilience amidst frequent relocations and separations. Professionally, I bring over two decades of nursing experience, culminating in a PhD. I've held various roles, including clinical nurse, educator, professor, and program manager, across private and public sectors. My dedication to healthcare spans clinical practice, education, and research.
EXPERIENCE
The Experience
In my journey, I've faced both enriching experiences and daunting challenges. Reflecting on moments of pain and uncertainty, I've
recognized how anxiety influenced my thoughts, actions, and leadership. There was a time when self-doubt consumed me, questioning my worth and purpose. However, with steadfast support and belief in my potential, I overcame this dark period. I chose to confront anxiety head-on, refusing to let it dictate my life. This decision marked the start of building my mental resilience and shifting my mindset. Through deep reflection, I delved into understanding my identity, striving to improve anxiety management and adopt a perspective that views life's challenges as opportunities for growth rather than constraints. This transformative journey has empowered me to seize control and acquire invaluable insights that I'm enthusiastic about sharing.
MESSAGE
Message
Drawing from these cumulative experiences, I've made a steadfast commitment to coaching individuals through their personal journeys and assisting businesses in recognizing the impact of their work environments on employee well-being. Additionally, I've had the privilege of sharing my narrative through my book and at various speaking engagements, shedding light on topics such as resilience, identity, and overall well-being.
You can discover more about me in the drop-down menus below.
I look forward to connecting soon!
~ Dr. Jen
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My Experience
Education
Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing
- Washington State University, Spokane, Washington, June 2018 –December 2020
Masters of Science in Nursing
- Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, May 2011 – June 2012
Bachelors of Science in Nursing
- Colorado Technical University, Pueblo, CO, January 2007 – June 2009
Associates of Applied Science in Nursing
- Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ, January 2002 – December 2003
Licensed Practical Nursing Diploma
- Monmouth County Vocational School, Long Branch, NJ, January 2001 – January 2002
Experience
I have 22 years of nursing experience, with:
Over 14 years of combined experience in Academia, Staff Development, Leadership and Program Management
Over 4 years of combined experience in Subject Matter Expert Contract Work
Over 6 years of experience in Clinical Nursing
Presentations
Thomas, J. Keeping kids in the classroom series: Military kids social emotional learning. Center for Continued Nursing Learning, Oral Presentation, Tacoma, WA, September 2022.
Thomas, J. My life as a military child: The military child perspective of high mobility. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing 46th Biennial Convention, Oral Presentation, Indianapolis, IN, November 2021.
Beckham, J., Kaiser-Schmidt, L., & Thomas, J. (2021). Preventing homelessness in women with mental illness: A meta-synthesis case study review. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing 46th Biennial Convention, Poster Presentation, Indianapolis, IN, November 2021.
Thomas, J., Trimillos, A., & Allsbrook-Huisman, S. MAPS:21. Military Child Education Coalition National Training Seminar, Harker Heights, TX (virtual), July 2021.
Thomas, J. & Smart, D. Military adolescents’ search for identity. TriService Nursing Research Program’s Dissemination Conference, Poster Presentation, San Antonio, TX, April 2020.
Berry, S., Thomas, J., & Fritz, R. L. Qualitative rigor in applied research for technology development. 2020 Western Institute of Nursing Conference, Podium Presentation, Portland, OR, April 2020.
Postma, J., Marko, T., Thomas, J., Suarez, M., Todorova, E., Grubbs, M., Walden, V., & Butterfield, P. Content analysis of health-related tweets during wildfires. 2020 Western Institute of Nursing Conference, Poster Presentation, Portland, OR, April 2020.
Thomas, J. & Smart, D. The lived experiences of highly mobile military adolescents and their search for identity. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing 45th Biennial Convention, Poster Presentation, Washington D.C., November 2019.
Publications
Thomas, J., Trimillos, A., & Allsbrook-Huisman, S. (2022). Military Adolescent Pandemic Study 2021: MAPS21. Journal of School Health (online ahead of print). doi: 10.1111/josh.13227
Thomas, J., Smart, D., Severtsen, B., & Haberman, M. (2021). The lived experiences of highly mobile military adolescents in search of their identity: An interpretive phenomenological study. Journal of Adolescent Research, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584211006469
Thomas, J. S. (2021). The lived experiences of highly mobile military adolescents and their search for identity. [Doctoral dissertation, Washington State University] ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Thomas, J. & Baumann, S. (2020). The loss of a parent to suicide in military families. Nursing Science Quarterly, 33(4), 339-345. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318420943142
Thomas, J. S. (2018). Servant leadership. In Grand Canyon University (Ed), Nursing leadership & management: Leading and serving. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.
Thomas, J. S. (2018). Organizational culture and values. In Grand Canyon University (Ed), Nursing leadership & management: Leading and serving. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.
Thomas, J. S. (2018). Professional development in nursing. In Grand Canyon University (Ed), Trends in healthcare: A nursing perspective. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University
Testimonials
Kind Words
Jennifer Thomas has impacted my life in a way I didn’t think was possible. She has given me vision for what my life could look like at my fullest. Jenn has a way of helping me visualize my personal “Mountains” as more of “Mole Hills” that are much more manageable and passable. Making plans and goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based with her has been so helpful to my personal success. I throughly enjoy working with her and will continue to spread the word about her professionalism and expertise in helping others achieve their fullest potential.
Dr. Thomas is a fantastic mentor, coach, and cheerleader. I have had the pleasure of being a student in several of her classes and she has always over-delivered in terms of content, organization, approachability and kindness. I highly recommend working with Dr. Thomas.
Dr Thomas AKA Jen has been a positive influence in my life! I met her through my grad program preceptorship and she's one of those people that you instantly connect with! Without asking, Jen has volunteered her time and shared her knowledge with me as well as my family! I recall a time when I had an emotional breakdown because of one of my children. The only person I could think of calling was Jen! She took over without hesitation and helped me get through that part of my life!
Having over 16 years working in the Financial Industry and exiting my career as a VP Branch Manager, I was in the middle of some major life changes. Over the course of a few months, Dr. Thomas spent several hours coaching me through some major life adjustments, as well as helping me navigate my passions for my next career opportunity! She is very passionate about helping others. She also does an outstanding job finding what motivates you and offers creative ways to help you understand how to reach your potential.
Not only did Dr. Thomas build a workplace resilience and wellbeing program from the ground up, but her approach to doing so ensured that what she did was in alignment with what people needed the most. Her background in qualitative research positions her well to help individuals, teams, and organizations articulate what they need and the confluence of factors that impact those needs, her trauma-informed approach ensures brave and safe spaces are created for collecting candid information that identifies the right needs in the right way, and then her follow up always includes actionable recommendations and co-creative opportunities that ensure solutions are driven by the people who need them most.
Teaching Junior and Senior High School students at times can be a tough crowd to motivate. It was the beginning of the school year. Dr. Jennifer Thomas was invited to talk about her journey of overcoming obstacles in her life to motivate and inspire the students. She spoke in a way the students would understand. From the heart. Dr. Thomas was successful. She motivated and inspire the students.
I highly recommend Jennifer as a speaker for any company or event. Her insightful presentation on finding your identity and workplace well-being resonated greatly with the military spouse and caregiver population that she recently spoke to in our Hiring Our Heroes Fellows huddle. She left a lasting impact on the group she spoke to providing valuable insights and actionable takeaways. Her expertise and engaging presentation skills captivated the audience and encouraged them to work towards reaching their full potential.