Synod Office Assistant
As a preacher’s kid, Jennifer grew up steeped in the Lutheran Church in small Minnesota towns. She attended Augsburg University in Minneapolis where she focused on choir, theater, and global education, including a semester in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She went on to earn a BA in American Studies and Women’s Studies at St. Cloud State University and a Master of Social Work with an administrative focus from the University of Utah.
Jennifer is a systems-thinker, enjoying the collaborative process of supporting people in their work. Her most recent positions include system and database administrator for the Grünewald Guild (2021 to 2024), assembly coordinator for the Oregon Synod (2023), and parish executive at St. Andrew Lutheran (2012 to 2021).
Jennifer finds joy singing in her church choir, attending to the paraments, and volunteering at a local equine-assisted therapy facility. She feels most embodied and able to hear the spirit within while creating with mixed media and be-ing with animals. She lives in Portland with her partner of over 30 years and together they love two amazing children, three demanding cats, one smart dog, and a small flock of chickens.
