Barbara Jenks, SHRM-SCP

Lead with Influence. Communicate with Clarity.

Meet Barbara

Most leadership problems start with one thing: a conversation gone sideways.

No script, strategy deck, or leadership book can save you if your message doesn’t land the way you expected it to. Because communication goes beyond words - it’s energy, body language, and the ability to read a room and adjust in real time.

I’m Barbara Jenks, recovering HR exec, improv nerd, and the strategist leaders call when their communication gaps start leaking trust, clarity, and revenue.

I’ve seen it all.

In my 20 years in HR across Fortune 500 and mid-size companies taught me one thing:

Communication makes or breaks everything. I’ve witnessed, mediated, coached, or cleaned up the aftermath of thousands of conversations, each one proving that clarity, tone, and timing can either build momentum or blow it all up.

Teams spinning in circles. Managers dropping the ball. Execs losing credibility. Deals lost because customer-facing teams weren’t aligned. All from one root cause: poor communication.

And that’s exactly what I fix.

My clients learn to ditch the overthinking, deliver messages that land, and shift out of reactive mode for good.

I blend my HR experience, neuroscientific tools and techniques and an improviser’s mindset to help you:

Pay attention and respond to your team’s nonverbal cues (tone, body language, facial expressions)
Clarify direction so your team actually follows through
Handle hard conversations without losing your cool
Listen so your employees FEEL heard

SHRM-SCP, Paralegal BA, Advanced Cornell certifications, Human Interaction Tech, 20+ years HR experience

“The fastest route from confusion to clarity is to change how you communicate.”

Let's Talk

Why Me

I’ve spent two decades coaching leaders from the C-suite to the front line. I’m trained in brain-based communication and equine-assisted leadership. (Yes, horses. They mirror your blind spots in a heartbeat.)

I won’t throw fluff or theory at you. I’ll hand you tools you can use mid-meeting, mid-misstep, or mid-meltdown.

What I bring to Speaking Engagements

Every keynote, breakout, or workshop comes with…

Human-centered expertise from two decades in HR.

Practical neuroscientific tools leaders can use immediately.
Improv games and exercises that engage and move people safely beyond comfort zones.
Audiences leave with clarity, confidence, and tools they can start using the very next day.

Beyond the Boardroom

I volunteer with a horse-based therapy nonprofit and lead employment readiness programs for survivors of sexual exploitation. For me, leadership is never just about results—it’s about helping people rise.