Jennifer Ciardelli
Director of the Initiative on the Holocaust and Professional Leadership, United States Holocaust Museum
2021, 2022, 2023
Jennifer Ciardelli directs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Initiative on the Holocaust and Professional Leadership (IHPL) which creates educational resources and programs for professionals charged with protecting life and liberty. Through the work of IHPL, law enforcement, the judiciary, the military and select government professionals examine the Holocaust in ways that prompt self-reflection about professional roles and responsibilities, decision-making in complex environments, and mass atrocity prevention. Jennifer has developed numerous resources and programs including serving as one of the authors of Ordinary Soldiers: A Lesson in Ethics, Law and Leadership which has been included in the R.O.T.C. national curriculum. Jennifer serves on the United States delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) where she chaired the Education Working Group in 2017 and co-led the refresh of the IHRA’s foundational Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust which has been formally adopted by 34 member countries and translated into 20 languages. Prior to joining the Museum in 2008, Jennifer taught high school social studies and workshops for graduate students. Jennifer holds degrees in History and English and a Master’s degree in Education.
The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.
