An east-coaster for most of her life, and after graduating from Johns Hopkins University, Jennifer spent 15 years in New York City as an advertising executive working as the strategic marketing partner for blue-chip clients like Pfizer, ExxonMobil, US Bank, Tropicana, Seagram’s Martell Cognac and the Glenlivet, at lead agencies including TBWA\Chiat\Day and Kaplan Thaler Group (now Publicis North America).
Twelve years ago, she saw an opportunity to pursue a passion, moved west and opened a wine bar in Los Angeles, Vintage Enoteca, considered one of the most innovative, having been featured in The New York Times and named one of the Top 100 Wine Lists in the country by Open Table Diners’ Choice. Under the same brand umbrella, she opened a retail wine store, Vintage Wine+Market, and ultimately sold that part of the business to a like-minded purchaser who continued the concept.
In addition, she was been Director of Marketing for three different franchise-based restaurant groups in recent years, positioning each brand for aggressive growth phases. Her first brand was The Pizza Press, followed by Daphne's and Slater's 50/50, under the Elite Restaurant Group umbrella. In 2019, she joined Silvercrest, a marketing technology company that provides sophisticated marketing and media solutions for brands, specializing in franchises, as the Chief Marketing Officer. She is also a member of the Forbes Communications Council and has four published articles with her byline and four ghost-written articles.
Jennifer is now a Principal in JRJ Development, which she created with two business partners, to build new construction homes focusing on the Venice Beach neighborhood.
