Leadership at Wilder
At Wilder, Jennie Hawkins serves as vice president of human resources, leading strategy and overseeing systems that support a positive, effective workplace culture. Since joining the organization in 1987, she has held several leadership roles and contributed steady, values-driven guidance across teams and initiatives.
She is known for her collaborative approach and strong commitment to aligning human resources practices with Wilder’s mission and values.
Career and Experience
With more than 20 years in management roles at Wilder, Jennie served as director of human resources for nine years before stepping into her current position. She has led major organizational initiatives, including the transformation of the foundation’s total rewards structure and systems infrastructure to better support staff and service delivery.
Her work reflects a deep understanding of human resources and organizational development in the nonprofit sector.
Roots and Local Commitment
Jennie holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota–Duluth and a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
She is passionate about collaborative leadership, continuous learning, and building equitable systems that reflect and support the people behind Wilder’s mission.
