Jennifer Wong Christensen
Jennifer is Senior Consultant.
Since Jennifer joined CS&A, she has worked on a diverse range of searches across the country and has proven to a quick study on a variety of schools and organizations. Head of school searches include Helios (CA), Marin Primary & Middle School (CA), Mary Institute St. Louis Country Day (MO), Oregon Episcopal (OR), Rowland Hall (UT), Spence (NY), Waverly (CA), and Woodside Priory (CA). Recent senior administrator searches include diversity, equity, inclusion positions at Lawrenceville (NJ), Marin Country Day School (CA), and University Prep (WA); division head searches at Bush (WA), Chadwick International (Korea), Head-Royce (CA), Kamehameha (HI), and Seoul Foreign (Korea); director of enrollment searches at Buckley (CA), French American and International (CA), Keystone Academy (Beijing), and University Prep (WA); and director of college counseling searches at Buckley (CA), Dalton (NY), Hillbrook (CA), Milken Community (CA), Stevenson (CA), and United National International (NY). She has also conducted searches for the Bridge the Gap (CA), McMillan Education (NY), and the Northwest Association for Independent Schools. The range of her work enables her to get to know a wide and diverse range of candidates.
In the higher education sphere, Jennifer conducted searches for the admission/enrollment teams at Case Western Reserve University, Colgate University, Colorado College, Macalester College, and the University of San Francisco.
Previous Experience
Jennifer began her career in college admission and served as the Director of Admission at Saint Mary’s College of California and Claremont McKenna College. She “switched sides of the desk” and directed the college counseling programs at The Archer School for Girls, Mayfield Senior School, Sonoma Academy, and Marin Academy. In these capacities, Jennifer visited over 500 different high schools and 250 colleges and universities and developed an appreciation of the distinct cultures and missions of each school.
In her previous roles, Jennifer focused on facilitating matches between students and educational institutions, and she views her search work with CS&A in the same vein: striving to understand individuals and schools to make the best match. The skills and expertise she developed during that time translate directly to her work as a search consultant: deep appreciation and interest in people; understanding and respect of institutions and their distinct missions and cultures; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; and belief in schools and education.
Education & Interests
Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree at Claremont McKenna College and did graduate work at Saint Mary’s College of California and Stanford University.
Jennifer spent 10 years as a College Horizons volunteer. She enjoys all things culinary, learning about wine, traveling, playing mah jong, knitting, and running amok with her dogs, Kirby and Sona. She and her husband own and operate a small business, Brian’s Comics: For All Fankind, in northern California.