See a history of Jen’s achievements on the Board
Jen has lived in Columbia with her husband, Ted, for nearly 30 years. They have three adult children who have graduated from Wilde Lake High School. She has been a community advocate, leader, and problem solver in the field of education since her kids began preschool. For nearly 20 years, Jen has worked in classrooms and schools while her kids attended Swansfield ES, Harper’s Choice MS, and Wilde Lake HS.
Jen is the only Board member and candidate who has served on multiple policy advisory committees, which review and revise the school system’s policies. She has been a PTA President, PTA Secretary, Coordinator for the Carson Reading Room at Swansfield Elementary School, Science Fair Coordinator, grants writer and project manager, literacy project lead, Cultural Arts Coordinator, and parent volunteer for individual school-based efforts for robotics, orchestra, and soccer while my own children attended Swansfield Elementary, Harpers Choice Middle and Wilde Lake High Schools.
Jen first began her career as a language analyst co-op working for the Department of Defense (DoD) when she was in college at Wittenberg University. Jen’s bachelor’s degree is in Economics and East Asian Studies. She continued her employment after undergrad with the DoD while completing her master’s degree at George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs in East Asian Studies. Jen also taught an area studies course at the National Cryptologic School while working for the DoD. She left the government to dive firsthand into parenting, but quickly rediscovered the drive to get involved in her community. First, she served as President of Moms Club of Columbia and then to better meet the local needs of the community, co-founded a support organization for stay at home parents in Howard County.
Jen is an avid photographer, voracious reader, and amateur hiker.
