Jan Garfield

Jan Garfield is an independent consultant and coach for organizations across all sectors (e.g., manufacturing, business, health care, education, government/nonprofit) that seek to improve performance and results. Her area of expertise is using the systems-based Baldrige Excellence Framework and Criteria for Performance Excellence. Garfield is an alumni examiner and training facilitator for the national Baldrige program and immediate-past chair of the board of directors of the U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award (SPQA), the state-level Baldrige program for Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Garfield was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Garfield earned a bachelor of arts from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and a master's degree from the School of Music at Northwestern University. Garfield completed a PhD at Northwestern University.
Garfield has served in a variety of leadership roles in higher education. She was associate dean for Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies and directed fundraising and sponsored programs for National-Louis University. Garfield also directed the degree program for adult women at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. She served as associate provost for Columbia College Chicago, responsible for faculty, curriculum, and international programs. Garfield is a team leader for the peer review corps of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, which is the regional accrediting body to which Walden applies for reaffirmation of accreditation.

Research interests:
Garfield is an active scholar; her research interests include community leadership development and the implementation of the Baldrige model as a framework for assessment and performance excellence in colleges and schools. Garfield is a frequent facilitator, trainer, and presenter on these topics at professional meetings and conferences.
Garfield promotes Walden's mission of social change by helping organizations, individuals, and her country through volunteer activities as a Baldrige examiner, Baldrige training facilitator, past chair of the board of the state-level Baldrige organization for Virginia and Washington, DC, and coach. The journey to performance excellence--for organizations and individuals--strengthens the nation's ability to compete successfully in a global economy, which helps to ensure positive social change locally, nationally, and on a global scale.