Jennifer Owens is the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at the Central New York Community Foundation and has held a variety of roles there since 2004. She is responsible for creating and implementing custom charitable giving plans for individuals, families and companies, with an emphasis on legacy planning.

She spent 7 years on the staff of two private foundations in Washington, DC before returning to Syracuse. Jenn holds dual degree in journalism and political science from American University, a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University, and a master’s certificate in historic preservation from Goucher College. She is also certified by the American College as a Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy.

Jenn was a founding member of 40 Below, a 2006 graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse and a board member of Syracuse Community Connections. She orients her volunteer work around creating the Central New York that others want to make their home. She and her husband reside in the city’s Strathmore neighborhood and are involved in various neighborhood and school-based activities, especially those relating to their two young daughters.