Jennifer Van Dam

Jennifer serves as Digital & Community Engagement Manager at Innovation Works (IW). In this role Jenn manages the online presence for the Innovation Works' programs, develops messaging and branding for the organization, designs marketing collateral, and works with IW and Riverfront portfolio companies to develop their marketing strategies. Another piece of Jenn's role is engaging with the community, she does this through outreach, relationship building, collaboration, and events. Jenn is committed to supporting and empowering people of color, LGBTQIA folks, women, and underserved communities to prosper in tech and entrepreneurship. Not only does Jenn focus on this work through her role with Innovation Works, it's programs, and companies, she also brings that commitment to her role on the boards of ALPFA Pittsburgh and Invest In Her. Prior to taking on the role of Digital & Community Engagement Manager, Jenn served as the Program Coordinator at IW's startup accelerator, AlphaLab. Before joining the IW team, Jenn served as a Customer Specialist at Squarespace, a New York-based technology start-up. In this role Jenn worked directly with clients to build their websites using the Squarespace CMS platform, communicated issues to engineers, developed help guides, and advised customers on their website design strategy. Recent work experiences also include The New School, and The Third Wave fund. Jenn possesses a strong background of skills and experiences in the areas of marketing, fundraising, event planning, and client engagement. Jenn holds a BA in Communications and Cultural Studies with a focus on African-American studies from Chatham College for Women at Chatham University. She has been a guest speaker and panelist at local and national conferences, including the Lesbians Who Tech Summit in San Francisco, and the TechUp Summit in Washington, DC where she has spoken about "bro-culture" and the ways that startups can develop a culture that is inclusive of everyone. Jenn has also been noted for her work in tech and economic development most recently as one of the The Incline Pittsburgh's "Who's Next In Technology."