Originally from Scotland, Jennifer obtained a BSc in Psychology & Criminology before building her career in London, advising the UK Government and implementing national early childhood and education policy. During this time, she secured universal free pre-K provision for children in England, opened new schools, and built lasting strategic partnerships across the social sector.
Jennifer later moved into both strategic and grassroots roles at one of the UK’s leading child advocacy nonprofits, the National Children’s Bureau. She helped design, and subsequently managed, a groundbreaking 10-year program, working in partnership with some of London’s most under-served communities to improve outcomes for young children and build new evidence to catalyze systems change.
Now based in NYC, Jennifer runs her own “tiny business,” an online vintage store, alongside her work at Common Impact. Although not obviously connected, she sees both as pieces of the bigger picture around how individual action can contribute to sustainability and equity. Jennifer is a skills-based volunteer on writing projects for small BIPOC-led nonprofits, and – as part of her local Community Fridge team – spends a lot of time talking about and cleaning refrigerators. She also enjoys fostering rescue kittens (photos available on request!), reading spy novels, and walking the Brooklyn waterfront.
I've seen the potential of unlikely partnerships to really drive innovation and change. The two-way learning in Common Impact’s skills-based volunteering model is so powerful, building desperately-needed capacity in nonprofits while unlocking in our corporate partners new skills, insights, and passion that strengthens the social sector and our communities.