Professor Jennifer Sorek draws on her professional experience as she acquaints students with challenges and experiences they may face in corporate jobs or the public sector. 

Before joining the Hope faculty in 2023, for 20 years she was part of the communication team of a Michigan county’s public health department. Her roles included four years as its crisis communication specialist and public information officer and 16 years as the agency’s planning and training manager, focusing on crisis and emergency communication. Additionally, she taught communication part-time at colleges and universities in West Michigan.

In her Public Presentations course, students learn to strategize to improve communication, critically considering their audience and experimenting with various techniques and speaking environments. She also teaches the department’s introductory course, The Communication Process.

AREAS OF Expertise

• Organizational communication
• Corporate communication and response
• Presentation skills

EDUCATION

• M.A., organizational communication, Western Michigan University, 2004
• B.S., business administration / public relations and marketing, Aquinas College, 2002

HONORS, GRANTS, AWARDS, & PUBLISHED WORK

• “Finding COVID: Testing in Ottawa County,” presentation with D. Chia, Preparedness Summit of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), 2022
• “Drive-Thru Vaccination” webinar, NAACHO, 2020
• “Points of Dispensing and Preparedness Collaborative Interaction,” presentation with K. Black, Higher Education Preparedness Conference, 2017
• “Michigan’s Comprehensive Capability Assessment Tool and Implementation,” presentation with J. Smith, NAACHO Preparedness Summit, 2017
• “Corporate Apologia and Business Fraud: The Case of Merrill Lynch”, with K. Hearit, Journal of Public Relations Research, 2004

Outside The College

When Jennifer is not teaching, she can be found working as a consultant, addressing public health emergencies. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, whether they are watching a sporting event, relaxing at their pool oasis or hosting gatherings of friends and family.