Jenny Woo, Ph.D. '22: bridging generations and cultures through emotional intelligence
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By Carol Jean Tomoguchi-Perez
May 10, 2024 Founder of Mind Brain Emotion and inventor of social-emotional learning games and courses Jenny Woo Ph.D. ‘22 has contributed to the social and emotional development of children and adults, transcending cultural and generational divides through her products such as the 52 Essential Conversations skill-building emotional intelligence card game. Before embarking on her Ph.D. journey at the UC Irvine School of Education, Woo had already made strides in addressing the gaps in emotional and social learning through 52 Essential Conversations, a card game that strengthens relationships and boosts learning by improving listening skills, confidence, emotional intelligence, self-control and cooperation with siblings, friends, peers, and adults. However, her experiences at UC Irvine deepened her understanding of the broader educational needs and inspired the development of additional tools aimed at fostering emotional intelligence, cognitive bias awareness, and coping skills. Influenced by topics such as positive youth development and the importance of home-school partnerships, Woo recognized the vital role of connecting generations, contexts, and cultures in learning. |
Jenny Woo
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“It was hard juggling founding a company with a full-time Ph.D. program, on top of being a parent,” she said. “However, I find translating research into practice deeply meaningful and rewarding, and creating card decks was my approach to synthesizing information through learning by doing, and benefitting others.”
Describing herself as a “knowledge smuggler,” Woo credits her experiences as an Asian American immigrant and first-generation college student with influencing her entrepreneurial goals. “Growing up with little social capital has honed my work ethic, resourcefulness, and scrappiness,” she said. “My mission is to create accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive resources to level the playing field and empower all to fully express their potential.”
Woo's ventures have reached a broad audience, helping people across all demographics to develop essential skills for emotional and social intelligence. Her card games, initially designed for children, have found applications in diverse settings, benefiting homeless youth, individuals undergoing trauma-informed care, speech-language therapy clients, veterans, and corporate teams seeking to improve emotional intelligence and team-building. “It's incredibly rewarding to see my creation benefiting people across race, gender, generation, and socioeconomic classes,” she shared.
Passionate about mental health education and prevention, Woo's research focuses on the resilience and well-being of students of color, emphasizing the need for mental health education and prevention in AAPI and underserved communities. She advocates for education programs that move from awareness to action, addressing the challenges of representation, stigma, and help-seeking behavior in securing mental health resources. In response, Woo developed the Emotional Intelligence certificate program at UC Irvine.
“I believe we need more modern-day and relatable education programs to equip students and adults with the skills, knowledge, and confidence for self-care and self-advocacy,” Woo said of the program, which incorporates interactive games and experiential learning to amplify the power of peer-to-peer conversations and connections. “My program focuses on educating and creating a sense of belonging, self-reflection, and psychological safety,” she said.
For current Ph.D. students and Asian American individuals with entrepreneurial dreams, Woo encourages accepting feelings of imposter syndrome and turning them into something positive. “It will always be there,” she said. “Know that we all have it; it never disappears. Embrace it and channel it to connect with others authentically.”
As she continues her journey, the mother of three aims to enjoy life fully while creating evidence-based resources that cultivate kindness, compassion, and purposeful living. Her goal to scale and broaden her impact through institutional partnerships underscores her commitment to empowering the AAPI community, and she hopes to invest in AAPI startups eventually. “I hope to continue to represent and inspire the AAPI community through my work,” Woo said.
Describing herself as a “knowledge smuggler,” Woo credits her experiences as an Asian American immigrant and first-generation college student with influencing her entrepreneurial goals. “Growing up with little social capital has honed my work ethic, resourcefulness, and scrappiness,” she said. “My mission is to create accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive resources to level the playing field and empower all to fully express their potential.”
Woo's ventures have reached a broad audience, helping people across all demographics to develop essential skills for emotional and social intelligence. Her card games, initially designed for children, have found applications in diverse settings, benefiting homeless youth, individuals undergoing trauma-informed care, speech-language therapy clients, veterans, and corporate teams seeking to improve emotional intelligence and team-building. “It's incredibly rewarding to see my creation benefiting people across race, gender, generation, and socioeconomic classes,” she shared.
Passionate about mental health education and prevention, Woo's research focuses on the resilience and well-being of students of color, emphasizing the need for mental health education and prevention in AAPI and underserved communities. She advocates for education programs that move from awareness to action, addressing the challenges of representation, stigma, and help-seeking behavior in securing mental health resources. In response, Woo developed the Emotional Intelligence certificate program at UC Irvine.
“I believe we need more modern-day and relatable education programs to equip students and adults with the skills, knowledge, and confidence for self-care and self-advocacy,” Woo said of the program, which incorporates interactive games and experiential learning to amplify the power of peer-to-peer conversations and connections. “My program focuses on educating and creating a sense of belonging, self-reflection, and psychological safety,” she said.
For current Ph.D. students and Asian American individuals with entrepreneurial dreams, Woo encourages accepting feelings of imposter syndrome and turning them into something positive. “It will always be there,” she said. “Know that we all have it; it never disappears. Embrace it and channel it to connect with others authentically.”
As she continues her journey, the mother of three aims to enjoy life fully while creating evidence-based resources that cultivate kindness, compassion, and purposeful living. Her goal to scale and broaden her impact through institutional partnerships underscores her commitment to empowering the AAPI community, and she hopes to invest in AAPI startups eventually. “I hope to continue to represent and inspire the AAPI community through my work,” Woo said.
