Jennifer joined MidPen’s Board in 2020. As the Director, Housing Affordability at The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Jennifer’s passion lies in the development and action of grassroots leadership to advocate for racial, economic, and housing justice. Jennifer was formerly Chief Strategy Officer for PICO California. An organizer since 2001, Jennifer’s work has focused on housing justice, immigrant rights, restorative justice and quality education. In addition to MidPen’s board, she serves on the Regional Impact Council with All Home, a housing advocacy cohort.
Jennifer has a BA from Stanford University and an MA and PhD from the University of Nottingham, England. Her graduate research focused on social movement strategies in the struggle for housing and land rights in Venezuela and South Africa, and in 2011, her PhD won the British International Studies Association thesis of the year award. Jennifer was born into a Mexican-Irish family in Southern California, and now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home.