Jen joined the Women’s Fund in January 2026 as Policy Director. Her work focuses on advancing public policy that improves gender equity in Nebraska and the public policy interests of the Women’s Fund: economic security, freedom from violence, sexual literacy and reproductive health.
Jen graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, specializing in Gender and Race Politics. She was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2020, representing Legislative District 49. As a State Senator, Jen was chair of the State-Tribal Relations Committee and served on the Health and Human Services, Education, Urban Affairs, General Affairs and Performance Audit Committees. She successfully passed dozens of bills as a sponsor and co-sponsor; and highlights her work on addressing food insecurity with an extension on SNAP eligibility for 10,000 Nebraska families and opting Nebraska in to the Summer EBT program to feed Nebraska kids as high points. Jen won several awards as a senator, including the Woman of Excellence Award from the National Foundation of Women Legislators, the Frank and Eleanor Roosevelt Award, the Brad Ashford Courage Award, and ACLU of Nebraska’s Defender of the Bill of Rights Award.
Prior to her time in the Nebraska Legislature, she owned Artis Strength and Fitness alongside her husband, Jon, where she used her skills and knowledge as a competitive Olympic weightlifter and certified Eleiko Strength Coach to coach all barbell classes with an emphasis on women and girls in powerlifting and weightlifting. She served on several community boards during this time as well, which originally sparked her interest in public policy.
In her free time, Jen likes to read, travel, watch movies, and spend time with her husband, Jon, their two boys, Canyon and Noah, and her cat, Shiva.