Jennifer passed on May 26, 2021 in Detroit resulting from a stroke.

After graduating from Rockville High School in 1965, Jennifer attended William Woods College, Indiana State University, and graduated from the Indiana University School of Dentistry. 

Jennifer began her career in the dentistry profession as an instructor at Indiana University School of Dentistry.  She completed a post-graduate fellowship program at the University of Washington Dental School and also served as a consultant with the Oral Health Research Institute.

During her faculty tenure, her accomplishments included:  publishing articles, presenting papers, contributing to textbooks, securing a United States Patent, and participating in starting a new dental program at a northern Indiana University campus. 

After ten years in academia, Jennifer transitioned to a senior business management and leadership role where she participated in developing a start-up business for two large clinical facilities.  From an initial patient base of zero, within five years, one facility had 8,000 patients and the other had 15,000 patientsJennifer changed careers again and became a Midwest Regional Sales Director and Vice President of National Accounts for an international sales and sales management training company.

After a sabbatical leave to help care for her terminally ill father, she became the National Sales Director for a subsidiary of Encyclopedia Britannica.  Her duties included leading the national sales and instruction teams of the Britannica Learning Centers and Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics.  She also headed a group that created, sold, and delivered customized information management and technical reading programs.

In 1993, Jennifer founded American Learning and brought together experts in many fields to offer customized services and solutions to provide training and education in leadership, management, sales, and strategies and systems to improve business performance.  She personally authored and delivered many programs and provided numerous consulting, training, and coaching services to diverse groups in both the public and private sectors, including Chrysler, Enterprise Car Rental, Ford, General Motors, Nordstrom, Northwest Airlines, the State of Michigan, and the US Departments of Army and Navy.

In 2012, Jennifer refocused American Learning to provide various assessments, programs, and services for special needs students and for blind and visually impaired individuals to help them acquire the education and training to become independent.  She also helped them to become employed.

In her personal time, Jennifer had a passion for historic preservation and enjoyed traveling, snow skiing, visiting museums, watching old movies, and listening to Mozart music.  She also volunteered for many social service, civic, and other non-profit organizations e.g., social services organizations, Red Cross, YMCA, Community Foundations, art galleries, and was a corporate member of several Detroit area PTA groups.  In addition to bringing together needed resources for groups she served, she wrote grants for hundreds of thousands of dollars that resulted in significant awards.

Jennifer was truly gifted and took pride in being a life-long learner.  She dedicated her life to being an advocate and helping others improve the quality of their lives.  A giving, caring, loving person, she was admired and respected by everyone whose life she touched.

Jennifer is survived by her husband Phelps Nichols, her mother Marjorie Hays,  one  sister, Judith Hays Bleicher (James) class of 66, one brother John G. Hays,Jr. (Holliday) class of 67,  stepson Seth Nichols (Kaitlin Saunders), step-granddaughter, Berkeley, step-grandson, Elliott, and many nieces and nephews.  She was pre-deceased by her father John Hays, President of the Parke State Bank.

In lieu of flowers or cards, please reflect on your memories of Jennifer, tell your loved ones how much you love them, do something kind or helpful for someone, and, if you choose, make a donation of money, time, or items to a cause you support.  Messages can be sent to jhays@americanlearning.org or 317-748-7916.