Jenny is nationally regarded as both a knowledgeable expert on issues impacting transition aged youth as well as one of the hardest working and most generous advocates in the field. Whether she is drafting statutory language or sample motions to support other advocates in enforcing the law, working with youth to draft op-eds and white papers and preparing them to lobby for the policy changes they want, supporting jurisdictions to implement policy in a youth-focused way, or creating resource materials and training for lawyers, judges, advocates, and stakeholders, Jenny has led, supported, and contributed to most of the positive, wide-spread reforms for transition aged youth we’ve seen in the past 20 years. One of the most extraordinary qualities about Jenny, given her intelligence and excellence, is that she is deeply humble and content to stay behind the scenes, supporting other advocates and always willing to trade acknowledgement or credit to simply get critical changes made for youth.
Jenny’s role as one of our field’s most outstanding legal advocates became critical during the pandemic, when the suffering of so many youths was met with scarce resources. In response, Jenny facilitated a national advocacy coalition for transition aged youth, organizing national advocacy groups to coordinate efforts and resulting in pandemic aid being provided to young people in foster care and a moratorium on youth aging out during the pandemic. As part of this work, Jenny included and centered youth-led advocacy organizations, creating an agenda informed by youth priorities and recommendations. Jenny has supported these youth in their local, state, and federal advocacy and invested in the leadership of young leaders. Jenny’s advocacy demonstrates her deep commitment to youth leadership and involvement, and she has consistently used her power and privilege as a lawyer to elevate the voices and perspectives of directly impacted youth as well as to involve them in policy advocacy and invest in their leadership.
As we move into a new phase of the pandemic, Jenny is tackling re-imagining extended foster care to prepare youth to thrive in a world that is rapidly changing due to public health emergencies, climate disasters, a fluctuating economy, and technology reliance. Jenny and YLC are working with futurists to train current youth in harnessing transformational future forces that could allow them to ensure future young adults are connected to family and have guarantees of economic, employment, housing, and postsecondary supports in the coming decades. Jenny sees this as the least we can do. As she says, “When we have failed to connect youth with family, we must redouble efforts to provide housing, education, employment, and public benefits. However, there is no service that can ever replace family, so it is imperative that we prioritize and never stop trying to strengthen youths’ family connections."
For Jenny, being fearless means being in the work for youth for the long haul. An interest in teaching steered her toward children's issues even before law school. Then, an internship at the Child Advocacy Unit at the Legal Aid Bureau in Baltimore, Maryland, made the path to law school clear. Jenny has spent the last two decades at some of the country's leading youth justice organizations, including her current role at the Youth Law Center. No matter the role, Jenny shows up consistently with her colleagues, with youth, and with the world—kind, humble, and a wonderful team member with an extraordinary work ethic, unmatched expertise, and a clear vision for an equitable, just future for youth in foster care. Jenny continues to be impactful and fearless. And we are lucky to have her in the child rights community.