Dr. Jennings holds a Ph.D. from the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR). She is a conflict resolution professional and scholar-practitioner with deep understanding of societal and structural issues that often contribute to social conflicts. She is interested in human development and empowerment within the context of transformation of social and structural barriers that hinder groups from fully realizing their potential. Dr. Jennings has the ability to conceptualize, design, implement, and evaluate collaborative process and social transformation projects and programs focusing on conflict resolution and peace-building, as well as leadership, group and community empowerment and development within a multicultural context.
Dr. Jennings taught at the Department of Rights and International Studies at University of Azuay in Cuenca, Ecuador, and presented at Facultad Latinamericana de Ciencias Sociales Sede Ecuador–Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences Headquarters Ecuador (FLASCO) in Quito. She lectured at the School of International Service at the International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program at American University in Washington DC and at S-CAR at the George Mason University. In 2009, Dr. Jennings co-founded Partners for Sustainable Peace (PSP), a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that she co-founded in Virginia and served as Chief Executive Officer until 2014. In the past, she held a wide range of conflict resolution and peacebuilding positions, and conducted mediation training and facilitation sessions for Northern Virginia Mediation Services, the U.S. Institute of Peace Haiti program, the Fairfax Country Public Schools system, the George Mason University International Student Office, and the Arlington City. Dr. Jennings has also traveled to Liberia, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Ecuador for various professional activities and research related to conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and social transformation. She worked for the World Bank for over twenty years and held positions in personnel management, administration, budget and resource management, risk management, internal controls, and internal auditing collaborating with World Bank offices in Washington DC and around the world. For instance, she worked with the World Bank offices in Argentina, Peru, Honduras, Venezuela and many African countries, such as Chad, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Togo. She worked in the private sector in Haiti, for over ten years, where she served as office manager overseeing several staff.
Dr. Jennings’s areas of work interest include:
- Teaching peace and conflict analysis and resolution courses
- Carrying out professional development and skill-building training in areas related to conflict analysis, prevention, management, and resolution
- Developing and implement women empowerment, gender mainstreaming, gender equality and gender relations projects and/or activities
- Developing social transformation programs, projects, design, implementation, and evaluation
- Contributing to civic engagement, social transformation, and political participation skill-building, and collaborative processes work
- Undertaking community-driven development, grassroots empowerment, civil society engagement, leadership development, peace-building, and multi-track diplomacy projects
- Monitoring and evaluation peacebuilding and development projects
Conflict Transformation Across Borders 