behind the scenes
About Jeanette
Jeanette Koncikowski, Ed.M. is the founder and primary principal at Thrive Community Consulting LLC.
Jeanette is a community educator, organizer, and advocate. Born and raised in a working-class family in Buffalo, she witnessed the disparities that kept some families surviving while others were thriving. For over 25 years, she's worked intensely with communities who have been affected by poverty, violence, trauma, and other systemic forms of oppression. She has worked as a crisis counselor and family therapist, an instructional designer and adult educator, a writer, and a nonprofit Executive Director. In addition to consulting, she is currently a lecturer in the Psychology Department at SUNY Buffalo State University, where she teaches Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Child Abuse and Maltreatment, and Professional Approaches to Child Abuse and Advocacy.
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She earned her Bachelor's in Psychology and Women's Studies from the University at Buffalo and her Master's of Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. She also holds a certificate in Trauma Counseling from the University at Buffalo School of Social Work.
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​​Never lacking in energy for the causes she cares about, Jeanette has volunteered extensively on health education and environmental campaigns and also worked as a consultant with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network to develop resources for bereaved families. In 2024, she published her first book about the challenges of being widowed with young children and parenting through loss.
Jeanette firmly believes that thriving requires external access to community resources for health and well-being. But she also sees it as an internal process about learning to stand in your power and propel your life towards your dreams. Thriving is an act of resistance to a world that says you are not enough!
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Download Jeanette's resume here.
Download Jeanette's full CV here.
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