ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SHE BELIEVES, is a powerful vehicle for expanding economic opportunities, building wealth and realizing a more equitable society.
Earlier in her career, Jeanie served as editor-in-chief of MBE magazine and was the co-founder and editor of Women’s Business Exclusive, the first national newsletter covering programs and policies to accelerate the growth of women-owned businesses. She was appointed by the Governor of California to the first statewide council supporting women’s entrepreneurship and was later named by the U.S. Small Business Administration as National Media Advocate of the Year for her advocacy of entrepreneurial women and diverse founders.
She later pursued graduate studies at the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University, where she earned a master’s degree in Public Administration. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Jeanie is passionate about public service. Following her undergraduate studies, she taught high school science as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, West Africa. She later served as Executive Director of a nonprofit providing microfinance, entrepreneurial training, and educational scholarships to women and girls in Ghana. An advocate for equitable access to affordable healthcare, she also served for six years as Communications Director of New York-based Cancercare, a national nonprofit which provides free psycho-social support services to people facing cancer.
A native of the Chicagoland area, Jeanie more recently served on the board of directors of The Chicago Help Initiative, a nonprofit providing nutritious meals and social services to Chicagoans experiencing hunger and homelessness.
She currently resides in Northern California.
