Academic Dean / English Instructor
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, California State University Northridge
Master of Arts in English, Northern Arizona University
Mrs. Jennifer Novotney joined the MMI faculty in 2013 and currently serves as Academic Dean while also teaching English courses. Over the past decade, she has held several leadership positions at MMI, including English Department Chair, Director of the Joseph A. Turri ’45 Library and Learning Center, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. In her current role, she oversees academic programming, faculty development, curriculum design, and student learning initiatives while continuing to guide students in the classroom.
Before joining MMI, Mrs. Novotney taught English and coordinated the Gifted and Talented Program in the Los Angeles Unified School District. After relocating to Northeast Pennsylvania, she taught writing and literature at Penn State University, Misericordia University, and Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State University, Northridge, and a Master of Arts in English from Northern Arizona University. Mrs. Novotney holds Pennsylvania Instructional Credentials in both English (7–12) and Library Science (PK–12).
Her dedication to education has been recognized with several honors, including the 2016 National Council of Teachers of English High School Teacher of Excellence Award and the 2017 YWCA PEARL Award for Professional Achievement in Education. Under her mentorship, MMI students have excelled in national and state programs such as Poetry Out Loud, Scholastic Art and Writing, and the Pennsylvania School Press Association Student Journalism Competition.
Originally from Los Angeles, Mrs. Novotney lives in Freeland with her husband, Tim, and daughter, Serena. She enjoys reading, watercolor painting, and spending time with her family.
