Jenny Sawyer

Director of Communications

jsawyer@niet.org

Jenny Sawyer joined NIET in December 2021 as the director of communications. In this role, she leads external communications and messaging and provides communications support for colleagues throughout the organization.

Prior to joining NIET, Jenny worked in communications for two Tennessee public school districts, Metro Nashville Public Schools and Hamilton County Schools. In those roles, she strengthened engagement between schools, families, and the community, developed relationships with key stakeholders and community partners to support district goals, and crafted strategic messaging, materials, and initiatives to support the superintendent’s vision. She also brings communications experience in an agency setting, spending three years at MP&F Strategic Communications where she worked with a variety of clients on communications strategy, grassroots campaigns, coalition building, and government relations. Jenny is a proud graduate of Alabama public schools, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in radio, television, and film from Auburn University.

Jenny Sawyer

Why are you passionate about working at NIET?

I grew up in a strong public school system in Alabama, and I firmly believe every child – regardless of their zip code – deserves access to an excellent learning experience that prepares them for success in postsecondary. Educators are the single most important factor in whether or not a child excels in school, and I am proud to work for an organization that is laser-focused on supporting and developing excellent educators so that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to cook. There's no better way to show someone you love them than preparing and sharing a meal with them. I especially enjoy centering meals around a specific theme, country, or culture. I also spend a fair amount of my free time reading, preferably a suspense or thriller novel that keeps me coming back for more.

Who is your favorite teacher?

I've been fortunate to have many excellent teachers in my life, but one specific teacher that often still comes to mind is my third grade teacher, Linda Reagan. Mrs. Reagan was the first teacher I had that showed me learning could be fun. She always went the extra mile to engage her students with fun activities and found unique ways to reward them for their efforts - one lucky student even got to take a ride in Mrs. Reagan's convertible for being the top reader in the class! Mrs. Reagan was a wonderful educator because she met her students where they were at and made learning memorable for them. To this day, I still use the silly pneumonic devices she taught us to remember the names of all the state capitals.