Jennifer Wegbreit, ScD MPH
Jennifer is Principal and Founder of Wegbreit Impact Consulting. Jennifer partners with philanthropic and non-profit clients and provides tailored strategic advising services. She specializes in strategic planning, philanthropic advising, landscape research, program evaluation and developing strategic partnerships. Jennifer is passionate about building effective and impactful organizations that create positive social change.
Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Jennifer worked in leadership positions at both academic and nonprofit institutions. She has more than twenty years of experience providing high-level strategy, research, and evaluation services for the University of California Global Health Group, the University of California Women’s Global Health Imperative, the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, the Clinical Excellence Research Center at Stanford University, and numerous family philanthropies and social impact organizations.
Jennifer has published papers on social impact in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the National Center for Family Philanthropy, and BoardSource. Topics cover intergenerational philanthropy, funding advocacy initiatives, philanthropic education, and navigating nonprofit founder departures.
Jennifer received a Doctorate of Science at the Harvard School of Public Health, a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. Jennifer is a 21/64 Certified Philanthropic Advisor.
Jennifer leverages her network of consultants who have a wide array of expertise and share the mission of giving our clients the tools to change the world.
Social Impact Writing
An essential part of driving social impact involves engaging in dialogue and sharing ideas. Jennifer's writing, published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the National Center for Family Philanthropy and BoardSource supports and elevates the field of social change.
Working Towards Foundation 2.0: Professionalizing Your Family Foundation
The National Center for Family Philanthropy, Online February 2020
Creating and running a family foundation can be rewarding and impactful. However, when a family foundation grows and hires non-family or family staff to operate the organization, it is imperative that systems are put in place to professionalize the foundation. These systems will introduce clarity and objectivity in decision making, reduce potential conflicts, and ensure the foundation follows best nonprofit practices.
Making Advocacy a Family Philanthropy Affair
The National Center for Family Philanthropy, Online August 2018
Advocacy is an important tool for family philanthropists seeking to address mounting issues of inequality or for those who recognize that funding direct services alone is not enough to create lasting change. Despite the legacy of family foundations funding advocacy, many philanthropic families are in the dark about how to contribute effectively to advocacy campaigns. This paper addresses common barriers and provides steps to simplify and demystify the process of funding advocacy work.
Traveling the Road of Philanthropy as a Family: Tailored Education to Improve the Journey
The National Center for Family Philanthropy, Online June 2018
Framing philanthropy as a journey is especially helpful when engaging multiple generations in family giving. The developmental phases provide a map for understanding family members’ evolving philanthropic learning and remind everyone of where they have been and where they are going. As family members blaze their own unique philanthropic paths, mutual support of one another's journey facilitates shared understanding and catalyzes effective family giving.
Mitigating Challenges in Multigenerational Giving
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Online April 2018
Multigenerational philanthropy offers opportunities for strengthening personal bonds and creating social impact, but families must be aware of common challenges and have a plan to address them.
Nonprofit Founder Departures: Five Challenges; Five Novel Solutions
BoardSource, Online January 2018
Nonprofit leadership changes that involve the departure of the founding chief executive are notoriously thorny and can test the strength of an organization. Ineffectively managed transitions can diminish organizational effectiveness and the quality of programs, and can even result in the dissolution of a nonprofit. But when deftly
managed and carefully planned, these transitions can be opportunities to strengthen the nonprofit organization. In fact, they can be a turning point, one that leads to new directions and growth.
Peer Reviewed Publications
Jennifer's publications contribute to the evidence-base for strategic decision-making. Below is a selected list of her peer reviewed publications, including articles, reports and a book chapter on HIV/AIDS program effectiveness, malaria elimination and other global health issues. She also co-authored a series of papers to inform The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s programmatic investment strategies.
Bennett A, Avanceña ALV, Wegbreit J, Cotter C, Roberts K and Gosling R. “Engaging the private sector in malaria surveillance: a review of strategies and recommendations for elimination settings.” Malaria Journal 16:252. 2017.
Ohrt C, Roberts KW, Sturrock HJ, Wegbreit J, Lee BY, Gosling RD. “Information systems to support surveillance for malaria elimination.” Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul;93(1):145-52. 2015
Gosling J, Case P, Tulloch J, Chandramohan D, Wegbreit J, Newby G, Gueye CS, Koita K, Gosling R. “Effective program management: a cornerstone of malaria elimination.” Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul;93(1):135-8. 2015
Newby G, Hwang J, Koita K, Chen I, Greenwood B, von Seidlein L, Shanks GD, Slutsker L, Kachur SP, Wegbreit J, Ippolito MM, Poirot E, Gosling R. “Review of mass drug administration for malaria and its operational challenges.” Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul;93(1):125-34. 2015
Sturrock HJ, Roberts KW, Wegbreit J, Ohrt C, Gosling RD. “Tackling imported malaria: an elimination endgame.” Am J Trop Med Hyg. Jul;93(1):139-44. 2015
Wegbreit, J. Bertozzi, S. De Maria, L . Padian, N. 2006. “Effectiveness of HIV Prevention Strategies in Resource-Poor Countries: Tailoring the Intervention to the Context.” AIDS, 20(9): 1217-1224, 2006.
Bertozzi, S. Padian, N. Wegbreit, J. Feldman, B. De Maria, L. Garnett, G. Gayle, H. Gold, J. Grant, R. 2006. "HIV/AID: Interventions in Resource Poor Countries." Disease Control Priorities Project. Bethesda, Maryland: Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health.