J’Aime Jennings, PhD
University of Louisville, School of Public Health & Information Sciences
Job Title: Associate Professor
Member of KHC for: 3 years, however, SPHIS has been a longtime member of the KHC
Provide a brief description of your job: My role at UofL focuses on research, teaching, a commitment to service within academia at-large, and community engagement. I also serve as the Co-Director of the National Science Foundation funded UofL Center for Health Organization Transformation (CHOT). My primary research interest is investigative strategic initiatives to improve health care quality and access.
What are you currently working on that you are most excited about? How do you think it will drive improvements to health and healthcare in the community?
In my current capacity with CHOT, I work with industry partners to generate research projects that address the direct needs of their organizations in improving health. Collaborations such as these are vital for putting research into practice for more immediate opportunities to improve healthcare quality and access. For example, I have led projects focused on developing telehealth services for a burn clinic, exploring interorganizational collaboration to address social determinants of health, and engaging employees in employer sponsored well-being programs.
What are you most excited about working on in the future around health and healthcare improvement?
I have recently taken on new roles that are providing me with an opportunity to reevaluate my research agenda. However, overall, the future of my work as a health services researcher is in understanding and developing innovative practices for the administration of health services. Accomplishing this feat will require establishing interdisciplinary teams and cross-section collaborations, which I foresee as an exciting pathway.
Why do you think a multi-stakeholder coalition like the KHC is needed in the community?
Progress does not happen in a vacuum and it takes interorganizational efforts to create community-wide change. Despite the importance of these relationships, they can be quite difficult to build. The network of stakeholders around the table at KHC allows for varied expertise, diverse perspectives, and creative problem-solving. It is a “no-brainer” that we need coalitions like the KHC!
What is your favorite quote?
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou
What do you do in your spare time?
Photography. I have taken classes to learn about the various aspects of photography, such as my camera lenses, lighting, angles, and so forth. I really enjoy capturing moments while on vacation or with my family.
