Jennifer Kolker, MPH
Drexel University School of Public Health
Friends Center, 1521 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.571.4018
jkolker@drexel.edu
Education
Master of Public Health, 1992
Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, 1987
University of Michigan, School of Public Health
Public Health Policy and Administration
Rutgers University, Major in English
Professional Experience
Drexel University School of Public Health
2004-Present
Director, Center for Public Health Practice
2010-Present
Co-Investigator, Pennsylvania Public Health Training Center
2010-Present
Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy
Teach public health policy and practice to first and second year students in Drexel’s Master of
Public Health program. Courses include Public Policy and Advocacy, Emerging Issues in Public
Health Policy, and Management of Public Health Systems, as well as lectures on public health
practice for other SPH graduate and undergraduate courses.. In addition to regular coursework,
assist in curriculum design and development, course revision, and development of methods for
collaborative teaching. Provide academic advising to MPH students, serve as faulty chair to
second year MPH full time and executive students, and serve as faculty advisor to the Health
Management and Policy Graduate Student Organization. Serve on the School’s Admissions
Committee, regularly attend the Educational Coordinating Committee, co-Chair the subcommittee
on Strategic Engagement for the SPH strategic planning committee, and participate in the
Maternal and Child Health Working Group. Manage the Department’s summer fellowship in
public health policy and practice, choosing students and finding placements.
Director, Center for Public Health Practice
Direct the Center for Public Health Practice, the Department’s professional linkage between
Drexel, the health departments in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and other community partners.
The mission of the Center is to be a dynamic academic-practice collaboration that effectively
pools the professional assets of both the university and its public health partners, through
collaborative projects and funded public health research projects, while the fundamental goal is
the improvement of public health in Pennsylvania. Examples of recent work includes
development of feasibility studies for local public health departments in several Pennsylvania
counties, an evaluation of a cross-system intervention for children exposed to trauma,
assessment of obstetric capacity in Philadelphia and its relationship to birth outcomes and
maternal health, and a study of health, economic, and social indicators for Berks County,
Pennsylvania and the development of a Federally Qualified Community Health Center in
Reading, Pennsylvania. Maintain close contacts with government public health and the regional
public health community.
Co- Investigator, Pennsylvania Public Health Training Center (PAPHTC).
Direct, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh,
the Pennsylvania Public Health Training Center (PAPHTC), one of 39 HRSA funded Public
Health Training Centers, housed at schools of public health throughout the nation. PAPHTC’s
mission is to improve Pennsylvania’s public health system by strengthening the technical,
scientific, managerial, and leadership competence of the public health workforce, by providing
foundational, competency-based training opportunities. Work includes development and delivery
of training curriculum, collaboration with regional training entities, and maintaining close contact
with regional county health departments, and federal and state government.
Jennifer Kolker Consulting
2004-2006
Principal
Consultant to private, non-profit, and government organizations focusing on public health,
community/urban planning, early childhood, and maternal/child health. Areas of focus include
program planning and project management, research and policy analysis, and grant
development and review. Clients include the City of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania,
The William Penn Foundation, The Reinvestment Fund, Philadelphia Safe and Sound, KidZone
Philadelphia, the Institute for Safe Families, and the Health Federation of Philadelphia.
Public Works, LLC
2001-2004
Senior Policy Associate
Senior policy associate offering public policy research, analysis, management consulting and
strategic planning to government agencies and officials, state and national non-profits and “think
tanks” across the country. Focus areas include policy and program development in public
health, early childhood and education, health systems, data management, Medicaid and welfare
reform.
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
1994-2000
Office of the Health Commissioner, Assistant Director, Health Planning and Analysis
Responsible for Department-wide planning and policy activities, including policy and procedure
development, funding and service analysis, grants development and compliance, departmental
program coordination and special projects. Liaison to Mayor’s Office, city, state and federal
agencies, not-for-profit organizations and academic institutions for citywide planning and program
development. Analyze program and fiscal functions of department and citywide programs.
Coordinate inter- and intradepartmental program policy in areas such as children and family
health, HIV/AIDS, managed care, welfare reform, health insurance, violence prevention, and
correctional health.
AIDS Activities Coordinating Office, Director of Policy and Planning
Director of planning, policy, program, and resource development for Departmental AIDS activities.
Developed all federal grant applications for HIV/AIDS services, resulting in over $14 million
annually in federal funds; maintained grantee relationships and reporting requirements with
federal and state funding agencies. Advised Health Commissioner on legislative and policy
issues, authored policy and testimony, and coordinated and communicated with external
community groups and local, state and federal government on HIV/AIDS policy.
The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium
1992-1994
Manager of Policy and Planning
Managed Planning Department of federally designated regional HIV Health Services Planning
Council. Developed and implemented community-wide HIV planning process for services and
programs for people with HIV. Prepared annual quantitative and qualitative needs assessment
and regional comprehensive plan for HIV and other public health services.
Reports & Publications
Kolker, J. Innovation in Public Health: Blending the Tried and True with New Directions.
Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, Fall 2011.
Gallagher, D., Kolker, J. Objecting to Public Health – Stories from Four Pennsylvania
Counties. Commonwealth, A Journal of Political Science. Special Policy Issue: Public Health in
Pennsylvania. December 2008.
Gallagher, D., Kolker, J., Rubinstein, S., Duden, M., Epstein, N. Program Narrative for New
Access Point Application. Berks Community Health Services, December 2010.*
Gallagher, D., Kolker, J. Federally Qualified Health Center Feasibility Study for Berks County,
Pennsylvania, September 2010.*
Kolker, J. Multiplying Connections Year 3 Evaluation Report. Health Federation of
Philadelphia. October 2010.*
Kolker, J. Pregnant Woman’s Companion Guide. Norristown Alliance for Healthy Babies.
June 2009.*
Kolker, J. Environmental Scan of Food and Fitness in Pennsylvania. Report to the Kellogg
Foundation. May 2009.*
Kolker, J., Gallagher, D., Davidson, J., Rubinstein, S., Enhancing Public Health in Berks
County. Report to the Berks County Community Foundation. July 2008.*
Gallagher, D., Kolker, J. Building a Model for Financing Local Health Departments in
Pennsylvania, Drexel University /Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, December 2007.*
Kolker, J., Lim, Suet, Maus, K., Line, C. Obstetric Care for Philadelphia Residents. An Analysis
of Obstetric Capacity from 1997-2004. July 2007.*
Gallagher, D., Kolker, J., Davidson, J., Rubinstein, S., Enhancing Public Health in Dauphin
County. Report to the Dauphin County Health Improvement Project. July 2007.*
Kolker, J., Davis, M., Dempsey, S. A Blueprint for Responding to Children Exposed to
Domestic Violence in Pediatric Health Care. Institute for Safe Families: Safe and Bright
Futures. September 2006.*
Kolker, J., Schewel, S. Medicaid Coverage for Abortion: Estimating the Need in Southeastern
Pennsylvania. Report to the Women’s Medical Fund, June 2006.*
Kolker, J. Supporting Child Development: A Role for the William Penn Foundation. 2005.*
Kolker, J., Gallagher, D., Davidson, J. Feasibility Study for a Lancaster County Health
Department. Report submitted the United Way of Lancaster County, April 2005.*
Kolker, J. Children Exposed to Trauma: Inventory of Philadelphia’s Capacity to Respond.
Report to the Health Federation of Philadelphia, June 2005.*
Kolker, J., Osborne, D., Schnurer, E. Early Care and Education: The Need for a National
Policy. The Center for National Policy, Washington, DC, September 2004.
Kolker, J., Schnurer, E., Stateline Policy Papers on Welfare Reform. Center for National Policy,
2002-2003.
Kolker, J., Licensing and Regulation of Child Care in Philadelphia: Issues, Findings, and
Recommendations. City of Philadelphia, Office of the Managing Director: June 2003.*
*denotes final report from funded activity.
Selected Presentations
Advocacy and Public Health. Facilitation of Panel. Pennsylvania Public Health Association
Annual Meeting, October 2010.
Analysis of Obstetric Care in Philadelphia. Drexel University College of Medicine, Women’s
Health and Education Program. January 2008.
Politics & Policymaking in State Coverage Expansion Efforts, 2008: State Update Academy
Health Research Meeting: Special Panel Presentation. June 2008.
Typhoid Mary to Andrew Speaker: A Panel Discussion of Public Health, Medical History &
Ethics.
Drexel University College of Medicine, Program on Medical Humanities. November
2007.
Obstetric Closures and Birth Outcomes: Presentation to Stakeholders, June 2007.
Impact of obstetric closures on birth outcomes and quality of care. Academy Health Health
Annual Research Meeting: General Poster Session and Gender and Health Interest Group
Poster Session. June 2007.
Politics & Policymaking in State Coverage Expansion Efforts, 2007: Challenges & Opportunities.
Academy Health Research Meeting: Special Panel Presentation and Kaiser Webcast. June
2007.
Developing Local Health Departments: Stories from Pennsylvania.
Association Annual Meeting, November 2006.
American Public Health
Child Care and National Policy. Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young
Children (DVAEYC) Annual Meeting, May 2005.
Review Activities
Reviewer, Department of Health and Human Services, Health Services Resources
Administration. Various proposal reviews for national programs.
Reviewer, Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 2011.
Reviewer, Women’s Health Issues.2009.
Reviewer, Association of Schools of Public Health Policy Fellowship selection. 2008-2010.
Chair, Review Committee, Healthy Start Request for Proposals for Maternal and Child Health
Home Visiting Services, Philadelphia Department of Public Health., 2008.
Reviewer, Healthy Start Request for Proposals for Maternal and Child Health Home Visiting
Services, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 2007.
Community Engagement
Service Learning in Public Policy, Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation Summer Program,
Lecturer, 2011
Community Health Planning Process Facilitator, Chester County Health Department, , present.
Multiplying Connections Professional Advisory Committee. Health Federation of Philadelphia,
2007-present.
Evaluator, City of Philadelphia, Civil Service Examination for Health Services Administrator for
the Department’s Community Health Centers, 2010.
Steering Committee, Norristown Alliance for Healthier Babies, 2006-2009.
Obstetric Services Task Force, Data Subcommittee. Delaware Valley Health Care Council:,
2006-2009.
Clinical Network for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence, Institute for Safe Families, , 20042006.
Professional Memberships
National Network of Public Health Training Centers
American Public Health Association
Pennsylvania Public Health Association
Academy Health