Jen Heymoss is an equity-focused leader leveraging nearly 20 years of experience in education, youth development, and philanthropy to advocate for anti-oppressive practices. Her love for facilitation comes from the start of her career keeping young people engaged in the classroom. She continues to speak and teach in many settings and sectors. In 2023, Jen was awarded the inaugural Innovations in Equity Philanthropy award from the Council of Michigan Foundations for her leadership of the Initiatives and Public Policy Team at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, where she served as a vice president.

A proud first-generation college graduate, Jen holds an M.A. in Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education and a B.A. in Secondary Education from Western Michigan University. In 2023, she was selected by the Center of Community Philanthropy at the Clinton School of Public Service to participate in the Racial Healing Certification Program and is currently working and learning with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders across the country.

Jen has long resided in Kalamazoo, MI, with her spouse, Nate, and two children, Henry and Hugo, who make her laugh every day. Jen is a co-founder of the Michigan Transformation Collective, a project that brings people together to dismantle harmful systems and narratives on a foundation of hope, courage, and love. Jen‘s current passion in her community is leading community violence intervention strategies and projects that are rooted in a public health lens.