Gerrard Jolly Ma, Cdp®

Gerrard Jolly has extensive experience in the field of community health and education. Gerrard has worked at the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) since 2007, starting as a Manager of Program Monitoring & Compliance for the Community HealthCorps and later moving up to become the National Deputy Director and then the National Director of the Community HealthCorps. In these roles, Gerrard was responsible for strategic planning, program evaluation, and managing partnerships to advance the health center workforce. Gerrard also oversaw the development of performance measures and the evaluation of education and career advancement initiatives.

In 2013, Gerrard also worked as a 2013 NGen Fellow at Independent Sector, where they collaborated with other professionals to provide consultation and recommendations to a national environmental organization on diversifying its workforce.

Prior to their work at NACHC and Independent Sector, Gerrard worked at the National Park Foundation as a Program Director and Grants Manager, where they managed corporate grants to national parks and delivered trainings in volunteerism and public history interpretation.

Before that, Gerrard worked at the National Park Service as a Park Ranger, gaining experience in park management and visitor services.

Overall, Gerrard Jolly has a strong background in community health, education, and nonprofit management, with a focus on workforce development and program evaluation.

Gerrard Jolly, MA, CDP®, has a diverse education history that includes both academic degrees and certifications. Gerrard obtained a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in History from The University of Akron, where they studied from 1996 to 1998. Prior to that, they completed their Bachelor of Arts degree in U.S. History at Alabama State University from 1992 to 1996. Before attending college, Gerrard graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1992.

In addition to their academic achievements, Gerrard has obtained several certifications throughout their career. Gerrard obtained the Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) designation from the Institute for Diversity Certification in January 2023. Gerrard has also received Adult Mental Health First Aid certification from the National Council for Behavioral Health in August 2020.

Gerrard recently pursued further education, earning a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Gerrard is currently enrolled in this program, which is expected to be completed by 2023. Prior to this, they completed a Certificate in Nonprofit & National Service Management from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, which concluded in 2017.