Jennifer Husbands, a true Chicago Wilco fan, talks to Mary and Meredith about her fandom origin story, the things that make Chicago Wilco fans distinct, and her uplifting experiences with the "Wilco-mmunity." In lieu of links, we'll share Jennifer's self-penned bio today: While school improvement is Jennifer Husbands' vocation, her avocation is seeing live music. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Jenn grew up in a house filled with music (Motown, Jazz, Reggae, and Pop). In her teens, Jenn's lifelong obsession with live music was initially sparked by the Grateful Dead, but soon she branched off into Folk, Americana, Hip-Hop, and R&B. Music that heals, espouses positivity, and speaks to the human condition has informed and fueled her passion for education, philanthropy, and social change over her life, and she still attends 2 or 3 live music shows a month in her adopted hometown of Chicago. Throughout her 25 plus years in educational leadership and administration, she has convened networks of schools, consulted leaders at low-performing schools on improvement strategies, and trained staff starting new schools. She led the nation’s first charter school-based, state-approved teacher certification program and launched an innovative graduate school of education within a K-12 charter network in San Diego. Jennifer earned her PhD in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University's Graduate School of Education and her BA with Highest Honors in Rhetoric & Communications and Afro-American Studies from the University of Virginia. She is committed to lifelong learning, whether from her colleagues, her child, or through reading and listening to music and podcasts.
