Jenn Hoos Rothberg
Executive Director
I lead our team’s efforts to advance our mission in partnership with our Founder and Trustee, David Einhorn, including setting strategic priorities, monitoring progress against goals, and nurturing collaborations with key partners and peers.
Most rewarding moment since joining Einhorn Collaborative
Leading “Project Catapult” – our effort to look back at our first decade so we could launch significantly forward. This process was deeply informed by hundreds of voices and perspectives from every facet of our work. Because of that, I am confident that we have a better sense of our blind spots as well as our distinctive capabilities to make effective change going forward.
Something people may not know about me
I love exploring the intersection of public spaces and human connection. This passion started during my studies at Cornell University, first as an undergraduate in urban studies and then for my Master’s in Regional Planning. I have been especially inspired by the writings of William H. Whyte, who made me a junkie for secret pocket parks and people-watching in NYC; Jane Jacobs, who gave me a deep appreciation for the joyful, jumbled messiness of city living (and stoop life!); and Robert Putnam, whose lesser-known work about civic traditions in Italy inspired me to study community building in Rome. That’s where I discovered my inner evangelist for the power of social capital and also where I met and fell in love with my husband, Jon.
Something that inspires me
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou
Before Einhorn Collaborative
I feel very fortunate to have been in this role since 2007 and to lead a dedicated team that has come together around a shared question: How can we live and work together in ways that both embrace our differences and nurture our shared humanity? While seemingly simple, in so many ways, I believe centering that question in any effort can help unlock our individual and collective flourishing.
My passion for bringing people together and creating a sense of belonging has been a through-line in my career. Previously, as a fundraiser and grant writer, I connected resources with much-needed solutions that supported individual and communal well-being in the context of higher education and parent-child emotional connection. In my leadership journey, I also developed a deep appreciation for the power of open, honest, and trust-filled relationships that enable effective philanthropic partnerships and collaboration. When we create the conditions to sit on the same side of the table and look at the problem together as a team, magic happens. These experiences greatly inform my approach to philanthropy and social change today.
Caring for Each Other’s Wounds
The stories and experiences permeating our culture today seem to only divide our country into us versus them, but it’s helpful to remember that the majority of Americans want to live in a less polarized and more united country. We have more in common than we can imagine.
How to Foster Belonging and Embrace Our Differences: A Lesson From My Choir Teacher
I thought of the many times Mrs. Wich could have pointed out my mistakes but instead chose to catch me “doing something right.” She understood that positive developmental relationships between teachers and students could make an outsized difference in our social and emotional health and well-being, our self-confidence, and our ability to positively engage with others.
Finding Meaning in Serendipity and Chance Encounters
As a species, we humans have evolved and have made impressive progress thanks largely to our ability to tell and listen to stories. Yet along the way, the growing distrust, fear, polarization, and self-sorting in our society have prevented us from taking an interest in hearing each other’s stories.
