Jennifer Blackman

Jennifer M. Blackman is dedicated to a proactive community relations approach that connects to deeply held values. Her nonprofit executive experience, civic and donor engagement skills and innovative solutions raise the game for Purpose Brand’s public affairs team and give the account manager’s clients confidence in a participatory and interdependent process.

In a range of nonprofit roles, Jennifer gained a deep understanding of how civic concerns are interconnected. As director of advocacy and outreach with the Illinois Association of School Boards, Jennifer lobbied for special issues in elementary and secondary education. She served as executive director for the Illinois Center for Civic Education and the Southeast Chicago Chamber of Commerce, where she helped develop the community’s local economy, increased youth civic engagement and enhanced public/private partnerships. Jennifer has engaged Chicago’s Woodlawn community in preserving a local landmark, connected 13,000 households in the South Shore and Greater Grand Crossing communities to the internet at the onset of the pandemic, assisted property owners with property tax appeals, connected schools to financial literacy resources, and supported local and state elected officials in chief of staff, campaign and advisory roles.

Jennifer earned a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois Chicago and a bachelor’s in Political Science and Sociology from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Now a doctoral student in Community Psychology, Jennifer’s research is a love letter to Black women, exploring how they endure and emerge from pain, neglect, exploitation, subjugation, discrimination and fetishization.

A licensed real estate broker, Jennifer supports the pursuit of Black generational wealth through homeownership. She is founder of Do Nation, a nonprofit formed to do, give and serve, and a charter member of the Tau Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. Jennifer lives on the South Side of Chicago with her son Jace and dog Jax.