Jena Wallander

Jena Wallander Gemkow MPH, BSN, RN is an Associate Research Scientist at AllianceChicago with a diverse background in healthcare and public health research. Since joining AllianceChicago in May 2019, Jena has held various roles, including Research Associate, Clinical Research Manager, and Research Coordinator. Previous experience includes serving as Communications and Evaluation Coordinator at the Illinois Hunger Coalition, where responsibilities encompassed data analysis, social media outreach, website management, and grant submissions. Jena also worked as an Outreach Coordinator for the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion and as a Registered Nurse in pediatric care and school nursing. Jena's educational background includes a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Nursing - Health Care Systems from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University.