NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate, New Jersey
Dr. Jenny Schrum works as the NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate’s Research &Evaluation Strategy Manager. Her role includes establishing food security theoretical and operational understanding as well as implementing research efforts to recognize multi-sector best practices and gaps in understanding. Prior to this role, Jenny worked as Director of Strategy & Evaluation at City Green, a New Jersey non-profit implementing sustainable agriculture, environmental education, and a statewide Good Food Bucks program. Her work established organization wide goals, objectives, and evaluation as well as evolved the School Garden program and youth development efforts. Jenny started her career at Horton’s Kids, in Washington D.C. where she managed a community garden installed by Michelle Obama and established food security focused programming such as a food pantry, farmer’s market, and nutrition education. In addition to these positions Jenny has served on committees at the Capital Area Food Bank, the DC Diaper Bank, AmeriCorps, and Rutgers School of Social Work’s Doctoral Student Association. These experiences, coupled with her training as a Research Assistant throughout graduate school at Rutgers Center for Prevention Science has informed Jenny’s passion for strengths-based and community informed evaluation. Jenny holds a Ph.D. and Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University and a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University.