She joined Retail Strategies with a 10-year career in community development and downtown revitalization. She previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, a community development umbrella organization that consists of the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce, Starkville Visitors & Convention Council, Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, and Starkville Main Street Association. She first joined the Partnership in 2009, where she was Vice President for Tourism Development. She held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer before assuming the CEO position full-time in January 2013.
She was the founding principal of a consulting firm specializing in downtown rejuvenation with clients throughout the Southeast prior to her joining Retail Strategies. Jenn also brings extensive governmental affairs expertise from her tenure as Assistant Executive Director of a Federal legislative-branch agency on Capitol Hill.
Jenn was named a “Top 50 under 40” professional by Mississippi Business Journal in 2016. She serves as President of Parents for Public Schools Starkville and is the Executive Director/Vice President of Operations for Bully Bloc, a non-partisan political action committee supporting Mississippi State University alumni in political positions within Mississippi. She is a board member of the non-profit group Mississippi 30 Day Fund, an organization focusing on the private sector supporting small businesses the state and is a Governmental Relations Chair for ICSC. Jenn was recently selected for ICSC’s Next Generation Leadership Network, a two-year fellowship program for professionals under 40 in the real estate and community development industry.
Jenn is a graduate of Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and was honored with the inaugural Spirit of State leadership award. She currently serves on the Marketing Advisory Board for the College of Business at Mississippi State University.
James Carville at a New Orleans Saints game at the Superdome.
My two sons – Sims and Wells.