Jessica Bacal
Jessica Bacal directs the Wurtele Center for Work & Life at Smith College, an independent women’s college in Massachusetts with students from every state and from 60 countries around the world. The center’s programs teach leadership skills, life skills, stress reduction and reflection, asking students to think about questions like: What is your story? Where have you been and where are you going? What matters to you? What skills will help you to pursue what matters? What do you do if you don’t know the answers?
Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong emerged from her experiences with students, and from her own steep learning curve as she transitioned into higher education. You'll find articles about Bacal's work on Inside Higher Ed, HuffPost Women and The New York Times blog "The Choice."
Before coming to Smith, Bacal was an elementary school teacher in New York City, and then worked as a curriculum developer and consultant. She received a bachelor's degree from Carleton College, an MS.Ed. from Bank Street College of Education and an MFA in writing from Hunter College, part of the City University of New York. She lives in Northampton, MA with her husband and two children.
