Meet Jenna Heath, Director of Student and Community Engagement for Liberal Arts and this month's Women's Council Spotlight. Jenna has worked for UNLV for ten years.  She started in admissions, then transitioned to Career Services and most recently Liberal Arts. She enjoys working with undergraduate students and helping others to feel empowered.  Read more about Jenna in her Spotlight interview. 

1. Can you tell us about the work you do and your experience at UNLV? 
I started at UNLV in 2015 as an out-of-state recruiter in admissions. I got to travel all over the country and talk to students about coming to UNLV, which was a rich experience. I also got to emcee New Student Orientation for two years, oversee orientation leaders, and meet almost everyone who went through orientation. Admissions was a great place to start because you meet so many people and get a holistic view of campus. From there, I moved to Career Services, where I worked for two and a half years during a time when their director had resigned, so it was me, two other full-time staff, and some amazing graduate assistants. That was a period of transition, and I got to help steward the department through it. Then, I moved into Liberal Arts, where I’ve been for about six and a half years. My role is at the intersection of community engagement and student engagement—connecting students with both their on-campus community and the broader Las Vegas community. We do this through internships, service, leadership council, scholarships, and our First-Year Seminar and professional development programs. I work for Dean Keene, who is one of the most exceptional female leaders I’ve encountered. She’s led our college through tough times, and I feel honored to be part of that. I also serve on various committees and other UNLV initiatives—I just love this institution and our students.

2. What’s your favorite thing about working at UNLV?
The students, for sure. UNLV students are gritty and diverse. I work primarily with undergraduates, and they are just incredible humans. I love hearing their stories—why they chose UNLV, why they stay. They make me believe there is hope in the future. That’s what keeps me in higher education.

3. What inspires or empowers you?
I'm deeply motivated by my values, one of the biggest being empowerment. I want to feel empowered to think creatively and be solutions-oriented, but I also want to help others feel empowered to use their voice and live by their values. For students, I try to create spaces where they feel their voices are heard and valued. I want them to know that they matter and that the institution can learn from them too.

4. What issues are women facing today that you want to help solve, and how are you helping?
Confidence. I think many women struggle with taking up space and feeling like they belong at the table. I might come off as very confident, but I also get anxious and scared. I want to help other women find their version of confidence and authenticity. One way I do this is through our Warrior Women Project, a women’s empowerment program for liberal arts undergrads. I helped create it—from meeting the donor to writing the proposal—and it’s now entering its fourth year with nearly 200 students having participated. We focus a lot on finding a voice and building confidence, so they graduate knowing they are confident women of character.

5. Tell me about a woman who’s been a mentor to you.
My first boss in higher ed was Andrea Dooley at San Diego State. She reached out to me when I was an undergrad, and we started getting lunch regularly. She helped me through a really confusing time when I was considering law school but didn’t feel sure about my path. She eventually hired me as her assistant in the president’s office at SDSU, which started my whole higher ed career. I learned so much about the inner workings of a university through that job. To this day, I send her a text every time I show the "Lollipop Moment" TED Talk in my class because she was my lollipop moment—someone who profoundly impacted my life without even realizing it at the time.

6. Who’s an unsung hero at UNLV?
Two answers come to mind:

Our custodial and groundskeeping staff : I once thanked a woman cleaning up after Homecoming and she said, “I’m just doing my job.” But the truth is, clean, beautiful spaces matter for students’ experiences. These folks are often unseen but incredibly impactful.

Dr. Kim Nehls : She’s been at UNLV for nearly two decades and has served in education, business, and now the medical school. Despite being in high-ranking roles, she always leads with care and authenticity. She’s been a mentor to me and deeply cares about the success of the institution and the people in it. She embodies what UNLV should be.

7. You have 30 minutes between meetings on campus—what do you do?
Starbucks with a friend. I’ve had lots of walking buddies over the years, and those walks to coffee have led to rich relationships. I don’t like being alone, but I also find those casual walks helpful for decompressing. Plus, our campus is beautiful. 

8. Tell me something that might surprise people about you.
People are often surprised that although I’m extremely extroverted, I deeply appreciate solitude. After a long day, I’ll just sit quietly with my dog or hold my husband’s hand without needing to talk. It’s not something people expect of me. Also, people assume I’m the decision-maker at home, but my husband actually manages a lot of our household logistics. That support system allows me to show up fully at work.

9. What trait do you like most about yourself?
Honesty. I don’t sugarcoat things and usually say what others are thinking. It can be misunderstood, but I believe there’s power in being the person willing to be direct especially in environments where people often tiptoe around truth.

10. If you could master one thing, what would it be?
Emotional intelligence. I didn’t grow up in a household where emotions were expressed, so I struggle to understand people with “big emotions.” My PhD dissertation is actually on emotional intelligence and leadership efficacy. I want to better understand and navigate emotions both mine and others.