Posted on July 8, 2026
True leadership is measured by the depth of your impact and the voices you lift up along the way. At Penn-Mar Human Services, we are thrilled to celebrate a leader who embodies this idea every single day.
Our inaugural Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Jennifer Hobbs, has been named one of The Daily Record’s Leading Women Under 40 for 2026. This honor recognizes women for the incredible accomplishments they have made early in their careers, judged on professional experience, community involvement, and a proven commitment to inspiring change.
With nearly 15 years of dedicated experience in the intellectual and developmental disability field, Jenn has spent her career reshaping how we talk about inclusion, community, and opportunity. Since joining Penn-Mar in 2017, her strategic approach and devotion to our mission has helped drive our path forward. Jenn oversees a comprehensive strategy that encompasses donor engagement, public relations, internal communications, marketing, and advocacy. But in everything she does, her primary focus is ensuring that the stories of the people we support are told in respectful, authentic, and powerful ways, giving everyone the dignity they deserve.
As Jenn says, “Working for a mission-driven organization is a true privilege. It has connected me with extraordinary people — people I’m honored to serve, support, and work alongside every day.”
Jenn’s dedication to service extends far beyond her professional role. She balances her executive role at Penn-Mar with a commitment to the greater community. Jenn serves as the Board Secretary for Action for Kindness, a nonprofit focused on spreading empathy and connection, and as a Board Member for the Carroll Technology and Innovation Council in Maryland, where she champions digital equity. You can even find her spending her summer Saturday mornings volunteering at the Hampstead Farmers Market, helping local farmers and artisans connect with the neighborhood.
For Jenn, the common thread running through her career and volunteer work is a dedicated belief that we are stronger together. She adds, “We each have a role to play in making the world a better place.”
Her unique blend of mission-driven empathy and strategic excellence empowers the entire Penn-Mar team to live courageously. The success of that team and their impact on the community they serve is what she considers to be her greatest achievement.
“My greatest professional accomplishment is having the honor of leading an exceptional team at Penn-Mar to secure the resources needed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live their best lives.”
We invite you to join us in congratulating Jenn on this wonderful, well-deserved milestone and thanking her for her unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive world.