2025 recipient

Heather Jencks

Heather L. Jencks is an actor, director, and independent organizational development consultant specializing in organizational change management and learning design. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Grinnell College and an M.S. in Organization Development & Workplace Learning from Northwestern University. Over the course of 20+ years running her own consulting company, she has designed and developed learning and change strategies to enable small initiatives to enterprise-wide transformations for global Fortune 500 companies and not-for-profits.

In 2010, Heather began a journey to reconnect her mind, body, and soul—finally pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an actor. She has since been in continual pursuit of her craft, studying improv at iO Chicago, Second City, and The Annoyance; acting at Black Box Acting Studio in Chicago (Meisner and Viewpoints); and Shakespeare and movement at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (summer conservatory). It was at RADA that she was first introduced to the Alexander Technique—an experience that left a lasting and profound impact.

Heather now seeks to enable positive change through learning experiences that connect people to their possibilities—specifically, by helping introverted, underrepresented, and undervalued individuals gain confidence in their Self, express their authentic voice, and connect more freely with others. As she has discovered for herself, the Alexander Technique is central to this work. Heather is deeply honored and grateful to be a Judith Leibowitz Scholarship Fund recipient and is thrilled to continue her training as part of this beautiful community.