Jun 1, 2021
Community Leader Starts at Not-for-Profit Organization on June 7
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has appointed Jennifer L. Boutte as vice president of community engagement, a new position for the organization. President and CEO Jennifer Lake announced the new leadership hire to Goodwill’s team of 600+ this morning. Boutte will join the organization on June 7.
“This leadership position is one that is personally important to me,” Lake said. “Over the past year, Goodwill needed to integrate with the communities we serve in new ways — in better ways. There are still walls to break down at our organization as we continue to support the community through our mission and impact. I’m proud to have Jennifer on the Goodwill of the Finger Lakes team, and we can’t wait for her to officially join us next week.”
As vice president of community engagement, Boutte will be responsible for strategic leadership, development and oversight of the organization’s Community Engagement & Marketing team. She’ll develop relationships with stakeholders and serve alongside Lake as official organizational spokesperson and community liaison.
“Working at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes will afford me opportunities to do what I love the most: strengthening community-wide impact efforts by advocating for the unheard, building and bridging relationships between the seen and unseen, and securing resources for the underserved,” Boutte said. “When we emphasize collective impact, we must equally emphasize inclusion to ensure that the needs of all people are addressed.”
Most recently, she served as director of development and community engagement at CDS Life Transitions. Boutte also has held leadership roles as interim associate development director at Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester, sustainability manager at Quad A for Kids and finance manager at Wilson Commencement Park.
Boutte was previously a Democratic Monroe County clerk candidate and has made significant contributions to the Edna Craven Estates in Rochester and Olympic Avenue Apartments in Buffalo, both CDS Housing developments. She has a personal mission of helping women and girls in Rochester find hope on their journey to achieving economic self-sufficiency through her volunteer role as community mentor at Our Lady of Mercy and as a volunteer with Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley.
She is a member of the Edison Tech Community Engagement Team, US government relations chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Genesee Valley Chapter), second vice president of the Rochester Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Purse for a Change auction chair with Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley.
Boutte earned a master’s in strategic leadership and bachelor’s in organizational management from Roberts Wesleyan College. She earned the 2017 Roberts Wesleyan College Christian Service Award.