MEET JENNIFER
EDUCATION STARTS AT HOME
For the past 25 years, South Pasadena has been home for Jennifer Thompson and her family.
Originally from San Diego, Jennifer attended UC Berkeley before beginning a career in media that eventually brought her to Los Angeles. She met her husband, a lifelong South Pasadena resident and graduate of South Pasadena High School, and together they chose to raise their three children in the community they now call home.
For Jennifer, being part of a community has always meant showing up. Over the years, she has volunteered through Holy Family School and Parish, participated in the National Charity League’s Pasadena and San Marino chapters, and contributed to local community organizations.
Raising three children has also deepened her understanding of the many decisions families make as they prepare their children for what comes next. Her daughter recently graduated from TCU and is attending law school at Notre Dame. Her son attends CU Boulder, and her youngest is in seventh grade at Holy Family Catholic School in South Pasadena.
Jennifer's own experience with higher education began in a family of six children, where college was never an “if”—it was always a “when.” Her parents made higher education an expectation while also being realistic about what the family could afford. Their one condition was that their children attend an in-state public university, giving Jennifer an early appreciation for both the value of higher education and the financial realities families face.
She knows that not every family's path looks the same, and that students may face financial circumstances, learning differences, family challenges, or other obstacles that shape their options. Jennifer believes every student should have the opportunity to discover their potential and find a path forward
A CAREER BUILT ON LISTENING
Jennifer spent more than 30 years in media, including two decades with iHeartMedia, where she built relationships, worked with clients, solved problems, and developed strategic communications campaigns.
Her career taught her something she believes applies far beyond the business world: good decisions start with listening.
Before you can solve a problem, you have to understand it. Before you can communicate effectively, you have to know who you're speaking to. And before you can move an idea forward, you have to find common ground.
Jennifer brings that perspective to her candidacy for the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees.
She doesn't claim to have all the answers. What she does bring is decades of experience listening carefully, asking questions, understanding different perspectives, and communicating with the community.
She believes those skills have value on a college board.
MAKING PCC PART OF THE CONVERSATION
Jennifer believes Pasadena City College is an important resource for the entire community—but too many people don't know enough about what it offers or how it can help them.
And that conversation shouldn't begin only when a student is ready to enroll.
Jennifer wants families to understand the possibilities at PCC earlier, including while students are still in middle and high school. She wants students and families to know about the programs, pathways, career opportunities, and resources available to them before they begin making decisions about college.
She also wants the broader community to understand why PCC matters—even if they don't have a student attending.
PCC provides opportunities for students pursuing four-year degrees, career changes, and new beginnings. It prepares nurses, technicians, tradespeople, business professionals, and other workers our communities depend on.
Jennifer is running for Trustee because she wants to help make those possibilities better known, while ensuring the college remains responsibly managed and accessible to the people it serves.