Jennifer Wong Christensen is a Senior Consultant and the College Counseling Practice Leader with the Search & Consulting Group. Jennifer joined Carney Sandoe in 2016 and has led a broad range of leadership searches in independent schools, community-based organizations, higher ed, and other educational institutions. Prior to joining Carney Sandoe, she served as Director of College Counseling for four independent schools in California: Marin Academy, Sonoma Academy, Mayfield Senior School, and The Archer School for Girls. She began her career in higher ed and ultimately served as Director of Admission at Saint Mary’s College of California and Claremont McKenna College.

After 25 years of connecting students with colleges and universities, Jennifer joined Carney Sandoe to connect educational leaders with schools. The skills and expertise she developed through her previous positions in admission and college counseling translate directly to her work as a search consultant: deep appreciation of and interest in people; understanding and respect of institutions and their distinct missions and cultures; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; and talent for connecting people with educational institutions.

Having facilitated over 150 searches, Jennifer is one of our most experienced consultants. She has earned the confidence and respect of school clients who often request her partnership for Head of School and senior administrator searches. She has facilitated multiple searches at The Bush School (WA), Chinese International School (Hong Kong), Dalton School (NY), Mary Institute St. Louis Country Day School (MO), Oregon Episcopal School (OR), San Francisco Friends School (CA), San Francisco University High School (CA), Seoul Foreign School, Sidwell Friends School (DC), St. John’s School (TX), and United Nations International School (NY).

Jennifer also leads Carney Sandoe’s College Counseling Practice and helped to launch our College Counseling Assessment service. She has presented at recent Association for College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), NACAC, and WACAC conferences and authored the following thought pieces: Building a Future Ready College Counseling Program and The Journey from Higher Ed to K-12 Independent Schools.

Jennifer earned her B.A. at Claremont McKenna College and did graduate work at Saint Mary’s College of California and Stanford University. Jennifer is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is an active volunteer with Canine Companions. She and her husband owned and operated Brian’s Comics: For All Fankind for a decade.