Jennifer Bryan (previously Team Finch Consultants) is a nationally recognized and trusted expert in helping PreK-12 communities address gender and sexuality.

Why Address Gender & Sexuality?

  • Gender & sexuality are central components of healthy identity development for all children and adolescents.
  • Students bring their individual/collective experiences and questions about gender & sexuality to school every day.
  • Teachers need concepts and language for engaging with these essential aspects of human identity.
  • Gender and sexuality stereotypes disrupt classrooms, recess, friendships and critical thinking.
  • To create a safe learning environment for all members of your community, you must address Gender and Sexuality Diversity.

Jennifer understands that gender and sexuality are, first and foremost, human issues. Engaging with Gender and Sexuality Diversity (GSD) in educational settings creates essential opportunities for learning and building community. By focusing on the mission of your organization, Jennifer contextualizes the learning about Gender and Sexuality Diversity in ways that feel relevant, both philosophically and practically. She helps educators build literacy, competency and confidence as they navigate this challenging terrain.

Personalized Assessment

Jennifer works to understand the uniqueness of each school by beginning with a thorough assessment.

This process may include:

  • speaking/meeting with administrators
  • looking through policies, reports, strategic plans
  • examining the school website’s intentional/unintentional messaging
  • reviewing previous professional development efforts related to GSD
  • reading student, parent, faculty handbooks
  • assessing curriculum

Programs

Jennifer is a master teacher who creates open, inquisitive learning opportunities where it is okay to know and not know, acceptable to agree and disagree, safe to take risks. Whether she is working with a group of 200 or cohort of 10, Jennifer provides dynamic, up-to-date programs for Administrative Teams, Faculty and Staff, Parents, Trustees and Students that appeal to a range of learning styles.

School Visits

Being immersed in your community lets Jennifer offer immediate support and demonstrate ways to use a variety of pedagogical tools. She can:

  • model developmentally appropriate language and skills
  • read GSD books with kids
  • facilitate discussions in classrooms
  • build/test curriculum with teachers
  • discern what your students know and invite them to know more
  • meet student groups; join lunch table conversations
  • observe social dynamics; offer recommendations
  • deeply appreciate the work that you do as a school

“Jennifer Bryan is one of the best presenters I’ve worked with in my career. She frames gender, sexuality, gender expression and other identity markers in an accessible way for her audience that has us all thinking critically about our school practices and how we care for the people in our communities. Her presentations are both thought-provoking and practical, offering equal opportunity for deep reflection and pragmatic planning. Her humor, kindness and openness all make her workshops fun, too. Jennifer’s presentations have enduring influence on me and my colleagues and I will happily and eagerly work with her again.”