What people are saying…
Chief Revenue Officer, Kong Inc.
“I worked closely with Jean at Kong and saw firsthand the impact she had on our business. She was instrumental in helping us execute our sales kickoff and other critical company programs. I always knew that when she owned something, it would be completed to a high standard. Jean brings an elite level of organization, structure and follow-through. She is excellent at managing a lot of moving pieces, keeping people accountable, anticipating problems before they become problems, and making sure the details are right. That was particularly valuable in an environment like ours, where things move quickly and the stakes are high. What I appreciated most about Jean was her ownership and commitment. She consistently did whatever was necessary to deliver for the business. For example, most people don't realize how complex and frantic a Sales Kickoff can be. Some issues arose that required overnight supervision. Jean handled it, working overnight without anyone knowing. That example stuck with me because it shows her commitment and selflessness. That’s who she is. She cares about the outcome, not just her piece of the work. Any company would be fortunate to have Jean. She is someone I would trust with a critical program, a complex initiative, or a high-pressure situation without hesitation. I would strongly recommend her for a strategic program management or operations leadership role.”
Founder & President, RTW Photography | Corporate Event Photography & Video Production
“I worked with Jean as an outside partner, not a colleague, and I think that vantage point says something. Vendors see a version of a company that internal teams don’t, and Jean was the best possible version of Kong to work with. Our team produced the sizzle reel for Kong’s Silverback Circle President’s Club trip, and the turnaround was tight. Jean made it work. She gave clear creative direction up front; she got us fast and specific feedback at every round instead of vague notes, and she coordinated the stakeholders on her side so we were never guessing who needed to weigh in. When we did need to change course, she was direct about it, which saved everyone time. Anyone who has produced creative work on a deadline knows how rare that combination is. Any team that brings Jean in is getting someone who runs programs cleanly, treats her partners well, and makes the work better. I hope our paths cross again.”
Executive Director of Reading Rescue, Teachers College-Columbia University & Author of Purposeful Play
“Jean is by far one of the most accomplished people that I have encountered in over my 30 year career in education. Jean’s ability to look at topics from multiple perspectives gives her insight in seeing the whole picture. She is masterful at determining the root cause of a problem and discovering a solution that takes the needs and feelings of everyone involved into consideration. In fact, she has become the “go-to” person for facilitating collaboration and consensus. One of Jean’s greatest strengths is her ability to validate colleagues in a way that is authentic and meaningful…When faced with challenges, Jean effectively synthesizes knowledge, facts and data to assess problems and find solutions. I often think of this quote from Albert Einstein, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited.” I admire Jean’s creativity and her ability to imagine unlimited possibilities…Jean’s ability to think differently, sometimes unconventionally and from a new perspective was instrumental in achieving our goal of excellence.”
Co-Founder & Principal Investigator, CUNY Reading Fellows & Founder of The Reading Institute
“I have worked with Jean for five years. Our working relationship began when she was the Director of the Reading Rescue Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. As the Academic Advisor of the Reading Rescue program, when I founded CUNY Reading Corps (which started in the depths of Covid-19), I needed to bring on a director who was well-versed in the Reading Rescue program content, but also someone extremely competent with program implementation. Jean was my first call to take the director role, and I’m so grateful she accepted the job. Jean supported the development of CUNY Reading Corps from its inception of simply being part of fieldwork for courses I teach at Brooklyn College, to it now being a university-wide initiative for preservice teachers…CUNY Reading Corps was a pilot initiative with a small budget causing all staff members to work at full capacity under tight deadlines. Jean worked this way for an extended period of time because she deeply believed in the mission of the work. Her contributions to the program are immeasurable.”
Director of Literacy Initiatives, CUNY Central
“Jean was integral in launching a pandemic response initiative that supported literacy development of hundreds of striving readers enrolled in the NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE). She was able to use her knowledge of high-dosage reading interventions to create a sustainable program model that supported 1st and 2nd graders across NYC, while also contributing to the development of pre-service teachers enrolled at the City University of New York. Jean led a staff of full and part-time employees, built and managed data systems, reported to a wide variety of public and private funders, and contributed significantly to overall program quality. Jean never lost sight of the importance of the work and devised creative solutions to advance our mission. She also maintained grace and professionalism while working under tight deadlines and high work demands, and served as a role model for other staff.”
Program Operations Manager, City University of New York Research Foundation – CUNY Reading Corps
“I have worked with Jean for the last few years and from the very beginning, she impressed me with her dedication to making a difference for children and her community as a whole, her flexibility under pressure, and her ability to move mountains when necessary. Jean’s ability to think through tasks and manage many moving parts effectively is quite something to behold. Because of her passion, she makes seemingly insurmountable projects seem effortless. She leads by example and provides her team with support, understanding and patience. Jean’s presentation skills and technical abilities are second to none. She can take on the work of 3 people without missing a beat. I could go on and on with accolades about what Jean accomplished while I worked with her. I think what has Jean stand out most is not only her work ethic and results, but also the amount of respect and love that she has from her colleagues. She is one of a kind.”
National Sales Manager, American Tradeshow Services
“I had the pleasure of working with Jean Barnla during Kong’s SKO FY27 event, where we supported their team with print-on-demand badging and RFID passive tracking. Jean was incredible to work with – professional, quick to respond, organized, and always brought a great sense of humor to the process. She made everything feel easy and enjoyable, and I truly appreciated how collaborative and positive she was throughout the event. I’m grateful we had the opportunity to work together and looking forward to working with her again in the future!”
Director of Global Revenue Programs, Kong Inc.
“I worked with Jean to create a bespoke registration website for our annual incentive trip. From our initial briefing through to the final delivery of the project, I could not have been happier with her work, artistic flair, ability to navigate curveballs, and adherence to delivery dates. Jean goes above and beyond to satisfy clients’ needs, being extremely proactive in studying any new software she is utilizing, anticipating adaptations that may be needed, and using both her coding and artistic ability to provide real-time options during our working sessions. In addition, she is friendly, approachable, and easy to work with. I couldn’t recommend Jean and her services more highly. In fact – we are about to start our 2nd freelance project with her!”
Proud Parent of a Surf Therapy child with A Walk On Water (AWOW)
Jessica Megginson
“I cannot express how grateful I am for Bob and Jean, and all of the other people who give up their free time to make a difference in these children’s lives…Thank you for making my kid feel included, accepted, and a part of something…It has been truly a place he is accepted and loved and treated with kindness and inclusion regardless of his bad or good days. It truly is life-changing.”