Jennifer Bruen
Executive Director @United Way
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WORK HISTORY
Executive Director @United Way
Steamboat Springs, CO, US
As Executive Director of United Way of the Yampa Valley, I lead regional efforts across Routt, Moffat, and Rio Blanco Counties to strengthen education, financial stability, health, and community resilience for the residents of Northwest Colorado, focusing on measurable results and collaboration that help working families transition from crisis to stability. I manage a $1.2 million annual budget with balanced fiscal oversight, a cost allocation policy, and strong financial transparency. I engage with hundreds of donors and manage our CRM. I oversee in Routt County human service grants and direct in United Way community funds across three counties through partnerships with over 30 nonprofit agencies. In collaboration with the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, we raised for wildfire recovery and long-term community resilience. I also led the Peak Giving campaign at Steamboat Resort, raising in its first year to support local nonprofits serving families in need.I secured multi-year funding from CHFA, Rotary, Wells Fargo, the Boettcher Family Foundation, the Iron Horse Family Foundation, the Lufkin Foundation, and the Colorado Office of Just Transition, collectively over in grants. I lead with a team-centered approach that combines strategy, storytelling, and accountability to strengthen the social infrastructure, enabling every household and community in the Yampa Valley to thrive.I initiated the Western Slope Opportunity Project and the Skilled Trades Scholarship to expand workforce opportunities and financial education for families transitioning from coal energy and service-based jobs. Participation in these programs tripled under my leadership. I implemented reforms in human resources, grants, audits, finance, insurance, and accounting that reduced administrative time by 40 percent and improved compliance across three counties.
EDUCATION
Indiana University Bloomington
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Cultural Anthropology
Eastern Michigan University
Master of Science (MS), Urban and Regional Planning
Steamboat Springs Chamber
Leadership Steamboat
Michigan State University
Fellow 2021 Cohort, Great Lakes Leadership Academy
Eastern Michigan University
Graduate Certificate, Historic Preservation
SKILLS
ABOUT JENNIFER BRUEN
I’ve always believed that community is built person by person, through connection, trust, and shared purpose. As Executive Director of United Way of the Yampa Valley, I have the privilege of leading an incredible team and network of partners dedicated to helping families and individuals across Routt, Moffat, and Rio Blanco Counties in Colorado US, move from crisis to stability and toward long-term self-sufficiency.Each day, we focus on strengthening education, financial stability, health, and community resilience. Our work centers on the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), a hardworking group of people who often earn too much to qualify for assistance but too little to afford the basics. By bringing local nonprofits, businesses, and governments together, we turn shared challenges into shared solutions that keep our valley strong.I am a team supporter through and through. I love helping others grow, collaborate, and find their place in the work. I also lead behind-the-scenes systems, including financial planning, HR, and grants management, that keep our organization sustainable and accountable. For me, good leadership combines heart with structure so the mission can thrive long after the moment.Before moving to Colorado, I worked with Michigan State University and the U.S. Department of Commerce on projects focused on research, economic development, and workforce strategy. That experience taught me how data, policy, and collaboration drive long-term change, insights I now apply to regional development and nonprofit leadership in the Yampa Valley.My commitment to community extends beyond the United States. Since 2013, I have collaborated with schools, the U.S. Department of State, Rotary International, Engineers Without Borders, universities, businesses, and NGOs on health and entrepreneurship initiatives in Tanzania, East Africa, to secure grants and lead projects. These have focused on STEAM education, infrastructure improvements, and women\'s health. This work encompasses building and equipping computer labs, enhancing classrooms, expanding access to clean water, and providing menstrual health education to girls, thereby ensuring that students, educators, and entrepreneurs have the necessary tools to learn, grow, and lead.Whether supporting wildfire recovery in the Yampa Valley or helping communities in Tanzania strengthen opportunity, the most meaningful change happens when we show up for one another consistently, compassionately, and with the belief that every person and every community has the potential to thrive.
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