“Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader, they set out to make a difference.” Having gained leadership experience in several roles across various industries, Jennifer continues to make a difference in every capacity that she serves. Jennifer began her career with the Lauder Corporation as an Account Coordinator for Clinique, overseeing twelve retail counters with revenue of $4.5M for the Bon-Ton. She later relocated to Los Angeles where she worked for Warner Bros. (WB) in the Business & Legal Affairs Department. In this role, Jennifer liaised with creative staff, managers, and talent to secure releases for DVD special features. She also served as Director of Events, for a WB sponsored Affinity Group where she was nominated for the Andrew Heiskill Award for Community Service. Jennifer went on to fill a Contract Recruiter role for Warner Bros. through the Spherion Corporation, recruiting for administrative/clerical and entry-level IT and finance positions, before relocating back to Rochester. Upon her return, she became a Staffing Consultant with Spherion Professional Services. In this role, she oversaw business development and recruitment, successfully building administrative/clerical and customer service lines of business which exceeded their goal by 191%. In 2007, Jennifer joined the Human Resources team at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, a nonprofit organization serving 20 counties across Upstate and Western New York. By 2010, she transitioned to Senior HR Executive, leading a team of seven. Under her leadership, the People Resources team revitalized the Performance Management System, launched a peer recognition Spirit Award and the Wealth of Health Award-Winning Good Health Program. In December of 2017, Jennifer took on an expanded role of Vice President of Donated Goods Retail and People Resources. Her responsibilities included the oversight of donated goods retail operations including 13 stores grossing $17M annually, 10 attended donation centers, and transportation and logistics which generated an almost $3M surplus for mission programs. Jennifer continued to serve on the Senior Leadership team, seeking new ways to transform org culture and operations through organizational development, strategic planning, learning initiatives, and change management–ensuring that Goodwill remained an employer of choice. Currently Jennifer serves as the President & CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes (GFL). Today, GFL is a $57M social enterprise generating 85% of its own funding for mission programs and services. GFL employs more than 700 people across our Goodwill Vision Enterprises (GVE), 211/LIFE LINE, Contact Center, Donated Goods Retail, Food Services, Manufacturing, Administration and Mission Programs. Jennifer continues to demonstrate her commitment to “growing people” through the expansion of traditional learning opportunities and the development of resources and skill building for employees and their families. In March 2020, Jennifer became a member of the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes’ Systems Integration Team. This diverse network of local leaders works together to promote community collaboration by putting people at the center of care in an interconnected system of education, health, and human services. Doing so ensures that people will have better access to information and services, and providers will be better informed to help their patients and clients. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Learning and Human Resources Development from St. John Fisher College, where she was recognized with the College Leadership Award. Jennifer has earned a number of professional awards and certifications including the Senior Professional in HR Certification from the HR Certification Institute (2010), Senior Certified Professional Designation from the Society for Human Resource Management (2015), the Leadership Coaching Certification Program through the University of Rochester Warner School and the Ramerman Leadership Group (2015), the Rochester Business Journal Forty Under 40 Award (2016), the Goodwill Industries International Executive Development Program (2017) and most recently, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate Program through the University of South Florida Muma College of Business (2021). In May 2022, Jen was also named a Rochester Business Journal 2022 Women of Excellence Honoree. These achievements and recognitions are a testament to her professional achievements and her ongoing commitment and contributions to the Rochester community. Jennifer currently serves as Chair of the Bivona Child Advocacy Center’s Board, a member of the Rochester Broadway Theater League Board, Monroe County 911 Operating Practices Board, TogetherNow Board, Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) Steering Committee and a proud member of the United Way Women’s Leadership Council. She previously served as President at the National and local level for the National HR Association (2017 to 2018), member of the HR Advisory Board for Rochester Works! and the Advisory Board for the Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development Program at St. John Fisher College. Jennifer also serves as an Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford where she previously Chaired the Christian Education Committee.