Jannell MacAulay
Jannell MacAulay, MS, 1999, graduate of Exercise Physiology
Her Kinesiology degree laid the foundation for her to think up innovative solutions to the challenges so many high-performance cultures and leaders struggle with today.
Jannell’s experience at Penn State was unique. Spring of 1998 she finished her BS degree at the United States Air Force Academy. Her first assignment as a 2nd Lieutenant was to attend Penn State and get her Master's Degree in Kinesiology - in one year! Coursework and thesis needed to be completed before she started Air Force pilot training Fall 1999. Because of the amazing support of her advisors, instructors, and classmates she made it the finish line. It helped that she studied a topic she loved, exercise physiology, with a focus on female athletes. Jannell’s thesis results, which looked at the Air Force cycle ergometry test as a predictor of VO2 max, helped drive Air Force fitness policy decisions. While at Penn State she was able to develop lasting friendships, learn more about her capabilities to do hard things under tight timelines, and realize the power we all have as individuals to make a difference and drive change in our organizations.
When Jannell arrived in Happy Valley, she didn't quite realize it at the time, but her education and experience at Penn State set her life on a trajectory that paired with her passion for wellness and performance along with her military leadership skills. Her Kinesiology degree laid the foundation for her to think up innovative solutions to the challenges so many high-performance cultures and leaders struggle with today. Before meditation and training the mind was mainstream, Jannell was the first military leader to develop leadership initiatives around mindfulness and human performance, demonstrating that individual and organizational performance in rugged environments require a trained and disciplined mind. From the military to first responders, and even C-suite executives, her job is to help other high-performing leaders and teams optimize their performance in stressful circumstances.
Currently Jannell is the President and Founder of J MacAulay & Co LLC in Ogden, Utah. She is a Human Performance and Mindfulness Specialist/Consultant, former Air Force Pilot, and Combat Veteran, a Transformational TEDx speaker, retired Lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force, and Co-founder of Warrior’s Edge High-Performance Mindset Training. Along with her M.S. from Penn State, she holds a BS in Biology from the United States Air Force Academy, an M.S. in Military Operational Art & Science from the Air Command & Staff College, an M.S. in Military Strategy from the School of Advanced Air & Space Studies and a Ph.D. in Military Strategy from Air University.
No one forgets their first Penn State football game and Jannell is not different. Coming from the Air Force Academy where she was a cheerleader, she was no stranger to football. But the energy of a Penn State crowd is like no other!
Jannell has done some interesting things in her life. Many of which she could not have imagined while a young student at Penn State. From flying airplanes around the world and into combat zones, to leading military teams through difficult challenges, and even stepping outside her comfort zone and solving an international chemical weapons crisis in Syria (ref: Rolling Stone March 2022 Issue), her work ethic, risk-taking, and innovative problem-solving skills were influenced by her experience at Penn State. She is forever grateful to the people who challenged her and believed in her while here.