Pam Jones joins McREL, will lead systems transformation programs and services

Denver — Dr. Pamela Jones, an expert in systems management, business development, and research administration, has joined Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) as a center director.

Jones comes to McREL after a 30-year career in health care administration and education, most recently as director of the Office of Grants and Contracts at the University of Colorado at Denver – Anschutz Medical Campus and Downtown Campus, where she managed a $420 million portfolio of research grants and contracts for nearly 4,000 researchers and investigators. Prior to that, she served as director of managed care and marketing at the University of Colorado School of Medicine/University Physicians, Inc., where she led program and business development, strategic planning, and marketing. She has also served as a clinical/adjunct instructor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, University of Denver, University of Hawai’i, and Metropolitan State University of Denver.

At McREL, Jones will direct the organization’s programs and processes that help preK‒20 schools and systems improve or transform their practices and policies by focusing on leadership as a collective concept, superior execution of high-performance and high-reliability processes, and a continuous and systematic approach to improvement.

“Pam is an expert in systems thinking and design,” said Tim Waters, president and CEO of McREL. “She is also a national leader in organizational improvement processes. Her expertise in systems and organizational change, in combination with her experience in managing major research and development projects, will be a tremendous addition to a mission-driven staff dedicated to improving life choices for children and families.”

Dr. Jones earned her Ph.D. in public administration from the University of Colorado at Denver. She also holds a master’s degree in applied and organizational communication from the University of Denver, and a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Colorado State University.