About

Questions or Inquiries? Email me at jjudgehensel-at-gmail.com

Turning Vision Into Action

I love helping organizations dream big—and then actually make it happen.

I take complex ideas, distill them into clear strategies, and rally people around a shared vision. I thrive where strategy meets creativity and execution. I’m at my best when the challenge is complex, the timeline ambitious, and the outcome uncertain—but worth chasing.

If you’re looking to maintain the status quo, I may not be your person. But if you’re ready to push boundaries, evolve your organization, and reach for something more, that’s where I come in.

My Approach

My career has been built around one constant: helping people work better together to achieve extraordinary results.

I believe strategy only matters if it inspires action. I’ve seen a lot of great ideas fall flat because they never made it off the whiteboard. My work combines vision setting, organizational alignment, and communications strategy—anchored in values-based leadership. I help teams stay focused on purpose, translate ideas into achievable goals, and move forward with clarity even when the path is complex.

I’m passionate about connecting the “why” behind the work with the practical “how” that makes it real. My approach combines vision setting, organizational alignment, and communications strategy, all grounded in values-based leadership. I like to get people talking, ask questions that surface what really matters, and help turn shared purpose into progress.

Whether leading change, shaping a brand, or engaging stakeholders, my approach always centers on curiosity, collaboration, and meaningful progress.

Jennifer Judge Hensel, wearing black glasses and a black blazer.
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Experience & Impact

As Executive Director of Communications & Marketing for the University of Michigan College of Engineering, I lead an award-winning team of strategists, writers, designers, photographers, videographers, developers and marketers who advance one of the world’s top engineering colleges.

Together, we’ve built a modern communications and marketing operation that increased content creation and marketing output by more than 200%, while maintaining a 96% team retention rate through years of transformation. That’s something I’m deeply proud of. It says as much about the team’s trust and creativity as it does about our results.

I hold a Master of Science in Communications from Northwestern University, where I deepened my expertise in leadership, complexity, and organizational communication—skills that have shaped my approach to managing change, fostering culture, and aligning large, distributed teams.

My work has been recognized nationally with awards for excellence in communications, design, and leadership, including a CASE Grand Gold Award and a Michigan Emmy. But what means the most to me is when people tell me our work helped them see their own impact more clearly—that’s when I know we’re doing something right.

Friends and colleagues alike call me JJH. I have opinions—and I’m willing to share them—but I love to hear the perspectives of others and learn more about how individual experiences influence perceptions and actions.

My Consulting Practice: JJH Strategic Solutions

In addition to my executive role, I am the founder of JJH Strategic Solutions LLC, a consulting practice that helps mission-driven organizations clarify their purpose, strengthen their culture, and communicate with impact.

Through JJH Strategic Solutions, I partner with leaders to:

  • Develop strategic plans that align vision, values, and measurable goals
  • Create communications and marketing frameworks that amplify reputation and engagement
  • Build brand and identity strategies that reflect organizational purpose
  • Facilitate collaborative processes that connect stakeholders and inspire action

My work is guided by a values-based, people-centered philosophy—helping organizations build internal clarity so their external impact can grow.

I focus on strategy, planning, and communications, not technical or transactional services such as HR consulting, financial advising, or software and web development.

Current and past consulting partnerships include colleges of engineering, nonprofits, and higher-education institutions nationwide.

Beyond the Office

I’m endlessly curious and creative. Outside of work, I dabble in artistic endeavors ranging from music to knitting and practice mindfulness through physical and introspective endeavors. I’m also a proud parent of two teenage sons and an active volunteer in community and civic initiatives.

I believe leadership—like life—is a practice of continuous learning. Every project, every conversation, and every challenge offers the chance to grow, connect, and create something that matters.

What people say about me…

“Jennifer is an AMAZING team leader. She embodies the perfect combination of always being mindful of strategy, collaborative and inclusive, creative and organized. She made sure we were creating high-impact content – that would support our strategic goals. She worked to make sure folks within the office, as well as key players across campus were included as we developed plans. And her natural organizing abilities helped ensure that we delivered stories, magazines, and special projects on time. She is, in short, a creative powerhouse. She is able to create content, develop strategy, work with others and lead a team. It was a complete pleasure to work with Jennifer and I can only hope to work with someone as skilled and talented again in my career.”

Dan Kim, executive communications and marketing leader

“Jennifer is an outstanding leader and a keen communications strategist with a rare mix of competencies. She is trail-blazing and pragmatic, firm and compassionate, prudent and flexible, decisive and open-minded. She sets high bars for her team members, and at the same time, makes sure we have the support and resources we need to do our best work. Our office is the most collaborative office I’ve ever worked in. While it’s not always easy to invite so many stakeholders and contributors to projects, we’ve seen the pay-off in terms of products that are more widely appreciated and adopted.”

Nicole Casal Moore, media relations and public engagement expert

“Jennifer is an uncommon blend of a creative and an organizer that makes her a pleasure to work with and a tremendous asset on a team. She values new ideas and thinks big, but also helps to make sure none of the essential little details are lost along the way. She has strong leadership skills, is highly competent at tasks both large and small, and is a good colleague.”

Brad Whitehouse, strategic communications manager

“Jennifer is a master project manager and a creative content creator. She knows how to get her team out of their comfort zones in a way that fosters fresh, outside-the-box communications and marketing. She is a strategic risk taker, which is important in an ever evolving digital communication landscape. Her sense of humor and positive energy is contagious. I’ve learned a lot from her and look forward to all the fun, cool projects we’ll get to work on together.”

Ben Logan, creative marketing and content production manager

Awards I am most proud of