Jennifer Patrick Gaines

Jennifer Patrick-Gaines teaches COM 136 Interpersonal Communication, COM 339 Organizational Communication, and COM 135 Public Speaking (the face-to-face and the online courses). She specializes in curriculum development and creating learning experiences that are participative, experiential, engaging, and integrate the diverse needs of learners. She serves on Miami's Senate and is an advisor for University Studies and Strategic Communication majors.

Gaines has extensive consulting experience in the areas of Leadership, Management, Diversity and Inclusion. She worked with senior executives, senior leadership teams, human resources departments, corporate and community diversity councils, educators, and employees at all organizational levels. As a Management Consultant, she specialized in diversity, conflict resolution, process improvement, leadership, team building, improving interpersonal relationship dynamics, and corporate education and training. She authored several chapters in Practicing Leadership: Principles and Applications (2010, Shriberg & Shriberg).

Gaines received her bachelor’s of arts and master’s of arts at Xavier University in Cincinnati and her Ph.D. in Adult and Post-Secondary Education from Capella University in Minneapolis. Her research has included issues of equity, social justice, fairness, and disparate treatment. She has written several children’s books including, a graphic novel for older children, four picture books, and an emergent reader series. Gaines lives in West Chester, has two daughters that attend Miami, a daughter in the Lakota school district, and her oldest daughter graduated from the College of Mount St. Joseph.