JCL Strategies, LLC

Jennifer Lee – Jennifer is the founder of JCL Strategies, a grassroots consulting firm that enables movements, campaigns and causes to lead with a vision that creates more just and equitable communities. On the JB Pritzker campaign for Governor she served as the Director of Grassroots Outreach. She is the founder and co-leader of Action Illinois, a progressive advocacy organization based in central and downstate Illinois, focused on promoting effective action to protect and improve our democracy for today and tomorrow. Action Illinois recently was instrumental in helping ratify the ERA in Illinois. Jennifer led the steering committee of coalition groups to ensure that Illinois would become the 37th state to ratify the ERA across the nation. Jennifer is also the founder and leader of Women Rising - Illinois, an organization based in downstate Illinois that recruits, trains and helps elect progressive women to office. In the most recent municipal elections, three of the four endorsed Women Rising candidates won their elections.

She has previously worked with the Labor Education Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to establish an Advisory Board made up of labor leaders across the Midwest. Also, under her direction the Project for Middle Class Renewal, a policy institute with a budget of over one million dollars annually, was created that is dedicated to improving the lives of the middle-class in Illinois through applied research and trainings. In her role there she also co-directed the Regina Polk Women’s Labor Leadership School.

Jennifer has organized the sister rally each year since 2016 to the National Women’s March in Springfield, Illinois and was a co-chair of the Illinois Women March on Springfield event at the State Capitol in 2017 which saw 2000 community members rally for a responsible state budget with a progressive agenda. She is the founder of the The Pink Hat Run, an annual 5K held in Chicago which benefits women’s organizations in the Chicagoland area. The first run saw over 1000 participants running, walking and rolling on the South Side of Chicago to support organizations that help women and families improve their lives.

She also serves as the Co-President of the Illinois Democratic Women.