I won’t accept the premise that solutions to big problems cannot be found. I refuse to submit that the promise of our democracy will be left unfulfilled. And I will not stand by and watch members of our communities continue to have their concerns ignored, their rights eroded, and their voices silenced.
I grew up as a suburban kid in Battle Creek, the daughter of a pre-school teacher and a warehouse supervisor. My parents were honest hard-working people who taught me the progressive values and faith that guide my life. My dad served as a volunteer firefighter and a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol and my mom taught Sunday school and was on every committee from the Parent Teachers Association to the Neighborhood Watch. They spent their extra time and efforts making our community better and showed me that when we support one another we are our best selves.
I came to Kalamazoo in ’97 looking for my way in life. Here I began working directly with adults and children with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. I found profound purpose in supporting these vulnerable community members to live out fulfilling lives. I learned so much about compassion and the dignity inherent in all humanity through that service. Knowing more was needed to enhance care for vulnerable people, I focused on system change by moving into public behavioral health administration to improve outcomes for the very people I served all through my adult life.
America is in a crisis of conscience, and you deserve a legislator who understands the stakes, has a proven track record of solutions, and a burning drive for our community. That is why I am humbly asking to be your Democratic nominee for State House District 41.
I continue in that as a working mom, while also serving in public office. I am both raising a grade-schooler and supporting my launching young adult who each fill my life with challenge and joy. I am fighting for the future world they will live in. The future all of our children deserve to live in. A future where systems of racist, classist, and sexist oppression are dismantled and everyone has a real opportunity to live into their potential. A future where we create sustainable economic growth that doesn’t demand we make a choice between providing for our families or having a planet that is habitable. A future where healthcare is a right afforded to everyone in America. A future where young people can afford to buy homes again and where children are safe in schools.
Nearly two decades ago, I also began organizing in our community to bring people together to take action that held elected officials accountable to the people, and to bring results. I realized I could no longer wait for elected officials to create the needed solutions unless I was also willing to to step-up myself.
I first sought appointment, and was then elected, as a Trustee in Kalamazoo Township where I served for 3 1/2 years. In 2021, I went on to win an election as Commissioner for Kalamazoo County. Now, I am in my third term and serving as Chairperson of the Kalamazoo County Commission, this is work that has helped me truly see the potential of public service and the impact we can make for the community when we have the will to fight for it. And now, I want to bring my experience to Lansing and build on what Kalamazoo County has accomplished by serving as your next representative for State House District 41.
A Note from Jen
I grew up as a suburban kid in Battle Creek, the daughter of a pre-school teacher and a warehouse supervisor. My parents are honest hard-working people who taught me the progressive values and faith that guide my life. My dad served as a volunteer firefighter and in the civilian air patrol and my mom was on every committee from PTA to Neighborhood Watch. They spent their extra time and efforts into making our community better. And they showed me that when we support one another we are our best selves.
I came to Kalamazoo in 1997 looking for my way in life. Here I began my work with adults with developmental disabilities and found deep purpose in supporting our most vulnerable community members to live out fulfilling lives. It is humble work, not prestigious in status or pay, but one of sacrifice and love for others. I have spent years protecting the vulnerable, empowering them to determine their own futures, and I have advocated for them to be valued as full members of our community.
I continue in that as a working mother of two. I am raising a teen and toddler who fill my life with challenge and joy. I am fighting for the future world they will live in. The future all of the children deserve to live in. A future where systems of racist oppression are dismantled and everyone as a real opportunity to live into their potential. A future where we create sustainable economic growth that doesn’t demand we make a choice between providing for our families or having a planet that is habitable. A future where healthcare is a right afforded to everyone in America.
Over the past few years I began to focus more earnestly on organizing our community members into action and expecting our local elected officials to be accountable to the people and to bring results. Realizing that waiting for someone else to make change was no longer acceptable. I sought appointment and then was elected as a Trustee in Kalamazoo Township where I served for 3 years, and then I went on to win election to the Kalamazoo County Commission in 2021. It has been an honor to serve this community.
America is in a crisis of conscience. I won’t accept the premise that solutions to big problems cannot be found. I refuse to submit that the promise of our democracy will be left unfulfilled. And I will not stand by and watch Black and Brown members of our communities continue to have their concerns ignored. This work is just beginning and I am ready to Keep it Moving Forward!
“Jen is a superwoman. At home, she’s raising beautiful kids. At work she’s helping people with developmental disabilities. As an elected official, she’s fighting to make our communities better for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Jen is a summa cum laude graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in American Public Policy and Psychology. She is a Clinical Quality Specialist, Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional, and Qualified Mental Health Professional at Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Continuum of Care, Kalamazoo County Environmental Health Advisory Council, the County ID Advisory Board, Open Data Citizen Oversight Advisory Committee, Department of Health and Human Services Board, and she Chairs the Kalamazoo County Board Appointments committee. Jen has given leadership to several county initiatives including the Opioid Settlement Fund Taskforce, the Housing Allocation Ad-hoc Committee, the Responsible Bidder Ad-hoc Committee, and the Construction Public Art Ad-hoc committee.
She has previously served on the Kalamazoo Township Election Commission, the Public Transit Human Services Committee, the Regional Water and Waster Water Commission, Kalamazoo County Fair Council, Kalamazoo Metropolitan Planning Commission, and the Kalamazoo County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. She also served as Chair of the Bronson Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council and on the Board of Directors for Public Media Network. She has also volunteered her time with many other organizations and causes. Jen has been an involved activist for nearly 20 years supporting Democratic candidates and progressive initiatives. She has helped build several grassroots organizations to bring people into an active role in their democracy.
Jen lives in the Westwood neighborhood in Kalamazoo Township, she loves to spend time with her children Jude and Olive. She enjoys singing (badly) and dancing whenever there is the chance. She loves being near trees, reading, or baking something delicious.