About Dr. Peets
Professional
info
I’m Dr. Jerrica Oliver Peets, founder of Voices to Vision Consulting. Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to work that creates opportunities for people and communities to thrive.
Becoming a researcher deepened that commitment. While earning my Ph.D. at Penn State, I learned that some of the most valuable insights don’t come from entering a community with answers—they come from listening. My research reinforced the importance of centering the voices of people closest to an issue and showed me how those voices can inform programs, strategies, and solutions that create meaningful impact.
That perspective has stayed with me throughout a career spanning education, mental health, research, philanthropy, and community partnerships. I’ve had opportunities to help develop programs, pursue resources, build partnerships, evaluate impact, and bring people together around shared goals. Those experiences also showed me that mission-driven organizations often have strong ideas and a clear understanding of their communities but may need additional capacity, strategy, or resources to bring their vision to life.
That is why I created Voices to Vision Consulting.
My approach starts with listening. I ask questions, learn what is already working, identify opportunities, and work alongside organizations to develop strategies that make sense for their mission and the communities they serve. Whether that means strengthening a program, pursuing resources, evaluating impact, conducting research, or facilitating a new strategy, my goal is to help organizations move from vision to action while keeping community voice at the center.
I earned my Ph.D. from Penn State, where my research explored mental health literacy among Black male youth football coaches. I also hold a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Miami, a master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Howard University.
Through Voices to Vision, I bring these experiences together to help mission-driven organizations build, expand, and sustain their impact.
Skills
Grant Writing & Resource Development
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Grant Strategy & Writing
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Funding Research
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Proposal Development
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Resource Development
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Partnership Development
Strategy & Capacity Building
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Strategic Planning
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Program Development
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Capacity Building
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Project Management
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Partnership & Coalition Building
Research & Evaluation
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Program Evaluation
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Qualitative Research
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Data Collection & Analysis
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Community Engagement
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Data-Informed Decision Making
Training & Facilitation
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Mental Health Training
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Workshop Development
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Group Facilitation
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Stakeholder Engagement Community Conversations
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Recreation, Park & Tourism Management | Pennsylvania State University | 2020
Dissertation Title: Coaches as gatekeepers: An exploration of the mental health literacy of Black male youth football coaches Advisor: Dr. Andrew Mowen
Research Interests: mental health in sport, community engagement, social justice, diversity & inclusion
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) | Mental Health Counseling| University of Miami | 2015
Master of Science (M.S) | Sport and Exercise Science| University of Central Florida| 2012
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) | Psychology | Minor: Sport Administration | Howard University | Magna Cum Laude | 2010
Experience
Experience That Moves Ideas Forward
Bringing together research, strategy, resource development, and community collaboration to help mission-driven organizations move from ideas to action.
$500K+
Resources Secured
Contributed to securing more than $500,000 in grant funding throughout my career, supporting programs, partnerships, and community-focused initiatives.
60+ Partners
Collaboration at Scale
Led and supported collaborative efforts across a network of more than 60 education, nonprofit, philanthropic, and community partners working toward shared goals.
Research → Action
Community-Informed Insight
Ph.D.-trained researcher with experience in qualitative research, evaluation, focus groups, and community engagement—turning data and lived experiences into actionable strategies.
Strategy → Implementation
Moving Beyond the Plan
Experience moving initiatives from concept to implementation through strategic planning, program development, project coordination, facilitation, and evaluation.