Jennifer Blatz has spent her career improving child education outcomes through strategic organizational and affordable housing interventions.
Jennifer is the president and chief executive officer of StriveTogether, a nonprofit driving equitable outcomes for every child, cradle to career. For 20 years, she has designed, developed and implemented strategies that drive large-scale community change through partnership with local organizations.
She was integral to launching the Cradle to Career Network that is dedicated to achieving better child education outcomes nationwide, reaching more than 11 million young people. To date, the network has partnered with 70 different organizational communities.
Prior to working at StriveTogether, Jennifer began her career leading the Ohio College Access Network, creating programs that improved access to and attainment of post-secondary education. Her work later inspired and informed the work of the National College Access Network.
Leading StriveTogether, Jennifer has learned that interventions in the K-12 system alone will not improve education outcomes. Without a stable home in a healthy neighborhood, children are much less likely to be on a pathway to success. Access to reliable transportation, nutritious food, a safe place to play, equitable school funding and so many other indicators that impact a child’s success are tied to the neighborhood or zip code into which you were born.
Jennifer serves as the PolicyLink Ambassador for Health Equity, a Leap Ambassador and a board member of Raising a Reader. She was named a YWCA of Greater Cincinnati Rising Star and Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under 40. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree from Miami University.
