Jennifer Scott Mobley, PhD
Executive Coach
Supporting mid-level and senior leaders as they prepare for the future of higher education and the next steps in their careers.
Jennifer is an executive coach and trusted advisor who helps higher education leaders and their teams cultivate the mindset and skill set needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Drawing from nearly 20 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education, she brings deep institutional knowledge to her coaching practice, specializing in cultivating the critical competencies that enable leaders to break down institutional silos, forge powerful collaborations, and create flourishing organizational cultures.
Jennifer has held a variety of leadership positions in academic and student affairs throughout her career, including program director, department chair, and assistant dean. She currently serves as a director of strategic initiatives where she works closely with the provost on developing and coordinating high-priority strategic planning initiatives.
Her coaching practice focuses primarily on chairs, deans, provosts, and vice presidents who are leading institutional change while advancing their own career trajectories. Jennifer’s approach combines evidence-based frameworks with practical communication strategies, ensuring leaders can effectively navigate complex challenges while building sustainable success.
Jennifer has coached hundreds of leaders across institutional types, from R1 universities to community colleges, including Duke University, Emory University, University of Chicago, New York University, University of Tennessee, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, and Middle Tennessee State University. She has also worked with corporate clients like Microsoft and GE Aviation.
In addition to her work as a higher education leader and coach, Jennifer is an experienced trainer of professional development programming for emerging and senior leaders in higher education, ranging from department chairs to provosts.
Jennifer holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Ohio University and earned her executive coaching certification from the Center for Executive Coaching. She was named a “Top Leadership Development and Executive Coach to Follow in 2025” by USA Today. Her research has been featured in several journals, including The Department Chair, The International Journal of Appreciative Inquiry, Communication Studies, and The Journal of Applied Communication Research, among others. Her forthcoming book, The Department Chair Playbook, offers a practical roadmap for leading effectively without sacrificing well-being.
Testimonial
“Working with Jennifer transformed my mindset about leadership and work. What previously had seemed like obstacles and frustrations became opportunities for creative problem-solving. She coached me throughout my first year as a department chair and enabled me to feel competent and resourceful in this new role even at the most challenging times. Her coaching style was, for me, the perfect blend of active listening, frank advice-giving, and resource-sharing. She gave me tools for meeting facilitation and collaborative thinking that allowed me to engage my faculty in visioning and problem-solving in ways that felt intellectually meaningful and productive. The faculty feedback to these methods has been positive so far, and I plan to continue using these tools throughout my tenure as chair. Thank you, Jennifer, for helping to make a daunting job manageable and sometimes—dare I say it—even fun.” -Sarah W. Beck, Chair, Department of Teaching and Learning, New York University