Jennifer H. Wider is the Vice President of Advancement and Chief Development Officer of the Council for Opportunity in Education. As a member of the senior leadership team, she has overall responsibility for leading fundraising and the business development function for COE. In this role, she is a key leader in advancing COE’s mission and strategic direction through program development and partnerships.
Jennifer previously served as the executive director of the Center for Advancing Opportunity (CAO) at Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMC), an initiative that develops research-based solutions to the most pressing issues in fragile communities and supports the develop of research institutions at public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Prior to that role, she served as the Vice President of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives at TMCF where she led two significant programs totaling nearly $70 million. Jennifer’s career includes past positions with UNCF and The New York Public Library.
Over her career, Jennifer has delivered more than $250 million in private and federal grants in various areas, including education, research, economic and community development, technology, and health. Her track record demonstrates a breadth of knowledge and experience in developing and implementing innovative solutions to some of today’s most critical challenges. She has dedicated much of her professional career to advancing access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students. Jennifer is a native of New York and a graduate of Syracuse University.