Bio for Jess Gregg

Jess works on multiple initiatives involving the use of data analytics to inform curricular improvements and drive conversations with faculty and college leadership around student success. She has been part of UCLA’s Center for Education Innovation and Learning in the Sciences (CEILS) since 2016, and designs and facilitates many educational programs and training workshops targeting faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars. With expertise in instructional design, educational development, and counseling psychology she provides individual support to faculty including observation of teaching, consultation on course design and active learning, and training on educational technology implementation.

Jess has a Masters of Arts and Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. After years of working as a mental health therapist in San Francisco, she shifted careers and started working in 2010 in instructional design and then educational development.  Over the past decade she has collaborated with professionals and instructors at various organizations, community colleges, and 4-year universities to develop workshops, facilitate trainings, and design courses for varying modes of delivery. While professional roles have differed in many ways throughout her career, the common thread has been helping individuals and groups build community and create authentic and meaningful learning experiences.  Her interests include group dynamics, active learning pedagogy, educational research and assessment, online learning, and cultivating equitable and inclusive classrooms.

Jess is a PI on the NSF INCLUDES Aspire Award, leading regional collaborative efforts to increase diversity in the STEM professoriate across 2- and 4-year institutions and collaborating with national partners. Through this initiative UCLA’s graduate students and postdocs receive support and coaching on how to successfully obtain regional teaching positions. Additionally, UCLA strives to serve as a hub and connector to regional institutions and organizations that promote equity and increasing the diversity in higher education through internship experiences, professional development, and other regional learning communities and events.

Outside of work: Jess grew up in New Jersey and has lived in New York, Copenhagen, San Francisco, Vancouver (Canada), Washington DC, and now lives in Santa Monica. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Nathan, their young kids Henry and Charlotte, and cat Izzy. Jess’s favorite things include – Maine, tacos, Korean BBQ, boba tea, coffee, binge-watching dramas, beaches.

View Jess’s CV here.