Dr. Jenifer Lewis is an Associate Professor in the NU Graduate School of Business since 2016. She first joined Nazarbayev University in 2011 as part of the first cohort of NU faculty members. Prior to joining GSB, she was a professor in and (Acting) Chair of the Department of Communication at NU in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr. Lewis earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Communication Studies from The University of Kansas with emphases in Political Communication and Leadership. She teaches classes in Business Communication, Leadership, and facilitates the team building modules during student orientation.
Her current research examines issues of leadership in Kazakhstan and views related to gendered expectations of leaders. She is keenly interested in studying how leaders develop, what are the necessary components of “effective leadership” in Kazakhstan, and how these differ based on the gender of the leader and followers. Dr. Lewis established and leads the Women’s Leadership Development Program at NU, and is currently the director of the NU Women Lead Association. Prior to her career in academia, Prof. Lewis worked in state government in the United States for the Kansas Department of Human Resources, and as a political appointee in the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.