My Journey
I am a progressive educator and a passionate equity leader from New York City! Through J. Benedith Coaching Services, I facilitate interactive workshops, 1:1 coaching sessions, and group coaching programs.
I earned a doctorate in education from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point. I am an ICF certified coach—having completed my training through FLOW Coaching Institute and Transformation Academy.
Currently, I am the Director of Alumni & Network Engagement at Teach For America D.C. and a Career Advisor at George Mason University. Over the past decade, I have amassed a wealth of experience in education as a classroom teacher, an instructional coach and a talent development specialist.
My coaching expertise is in helping Gen Zers, Millennials, and early career teachers manage their mindsets to achieve their goals.
My approach is grounded in my experiences as an educator, a coach, a graduate student, and a mindfulness practitioner.
I am a member of the Association for Talent Development and a founding member of the Teach For America PRISM (LGBTQ+) Board. I have presented at numerous events, such as The Thriving Teachers Project, the 2021 Kappa Delta Pi (KΔΠ) Convocation, the 2022 National Wellness Conference and the 2024 Coming Together For Action Symposium.
I am a contributing writer for Truth for Teachers and Edutopia, and a resident coach at Reach University and Access Coaching Collective.
I live in Washington, DC with my fiancé Ben. I love to explore museums, hike new trails, and belly dance!
Fun Fact!
“The Friends of Southwest scholarship for graduate study is named after the late Southwest community activist Coralie Farlee, and the inaugural award was presented to graduate scholar Julia Benedith (UW-Stevens Point).” The Southwester
What People Are Saying
“Jay’s coaching helped me correctly put the pieces of my puzzle together after having had them misaligned for years.”
— Morgen L., Nonprofit Professional
“Jay's energy and ability to hold space was calming and reassuring. I experienced feeling heard.”
— Maria T., Educator and Coach
“I gained a lot from each session, such as new wellness habits (i.e. meditation) and a clear vision of my career goals. These were realms I could not explore on my own; Jay helped me step out of my comfort zone!”
- Chelsea D. , Doctoral Student
“I would recommend a JBCS session to any organization that wants to provide space for its staff to reflect and grow. “
— Kate Boyle, GO-NYC Fellowship Director
“Jay has a unique skill set that integrates her knowledge of K-12 settings; after school programming; and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategies. She exceeded expectations with an interactive and engaged presentation!”
— Dr. Cathy Scheder, Consultant with Wisconsin Afterschool Network (WAN)
“I wanted my team to work well together so I reached out to JBCS. I can’t think of any audience that would not benefit from this workshop!”
Dr. LaNell Williams, Founder
The Women+ of Color Project
