Jennifer Keeling

Director of City Policy

Jennifer joined CJC in January 2006, as a Policy Associate focusing on workforce development issues. Now, as Director of City Policy, Jennifer leads CJC’s citywide policy work, including advocating for the integration of the workforce and economic development systems, improvement of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) system, increased workforce development investment in the city budget, and meeting the workforce needs of particular disadvantaged populations. Jennifer also represents CJC on several committees of the Chicago Workforce Board. And, she co-facilitates CJC’s monthly Workforce Development group, which brings together providers from across Chicago to discuss relevant workforce development issues. 

As a graduate student at the University of Chicago, Jennifer interned at CJC, where she was the primary researcher for Big Shoulders, Big Challenges: Preparing Chicago’s Workforce for the New Economy and data collector for Partnerships for Job Training and Economic Development: An Evaluation of Illinois’ JTED Program.

Prior to moving to Chicago, Jennifer lived in New York City where she worked at New York Cares as the Adult Education Program Manager and the Coalition for the Homeless as a job developer. Jennifer has a Bachelor’s degree in sociology from Middlebury College and a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.