Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer

 

Dr. Jolly serves as Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer for Wexford. She is a Senior Researcher and directs Wexford's Texas office.  As Chief Development Officer, she supports the continued expansion of the Wexford client base both nationally and internationally. In addition, she is the lead researcher on Wexford initiatives that involve school reform and change, college entry for minority students, incentive pay, special needs populations and educational technology. She is a member of the Wexford Investigating Autism development team. She is also charged with governmental relations work both at the state and national level, and holds a seat on the Wexford Quality Assurance Board and Wexford's Institutional Review Board.

 

Dr. Jolly joined Wexford in 2006 from Texas A&M University. While at A&M for nine years, she held numerous leadership and administrative positions, most recently as director of intergovernmental relations, and supported funding initiatives through the Office of Research for the College of Education & Human Development. Prior to this, Dr. Jolly was vice president of a U.S. Department of Education National Regional Educational Laboratory (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory/SEDL) and for over 10 years served in various leadership roles with SEDL.

 

Before moving to Texas she was an Area Director for the St. Louis County Special School District, one of the largest incorporated special school districts in the country, where she was an area administrator charged with introducing large-scale change efforts. She has been a special-needs teacher, administrator, private business owner, private school owner, has published extensively as a principal investigator, and is a founding board member of numerous educational associations. In addition, Dr. Jolly has served on a host of state and national committees, and has been consultant to school districts, research institutions, and departments of education as well as private industry. 

 

Dr. Jolly earned her Bachelor of Science in Educational Psychology from Southern Illinois University, a Master of Arts in Special Education from St. Louis University and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University.  She has authored over 300 local, state, national and international publications and presentations in the areas of technology and telecommunications, rural and urban schools, leadership and change processes.

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