Leadership at Wilder
Jennifer Thao serves as chief of staff at Wilder, where she serves as a strategic partner to the president and chief executive officer, board and executive leadership team. She leads organization-wide strategic planning and execution, board governance, and public policy strategy. Her work focuses on building systems and structures that help Wilder operate with clarity and alignment, while staying grounded in its mission and values.
Jennifer partners across programs and departments to ensure that planning, decision-making, and implementation are inclusive, adaptive, and impact-driven.
Career and Experience
With more than 15 years in nonprofit leadership, Jennifer has led long-term strategic planning, strengthened governance and board development, and guided cross-functional teams through complex change. Prior to joining Wilder, she held senior leadership roles focused on advancing organizational learning, inclusive planning, and mission-driven collaboration.
She brings a thoughtful, equity-centered approach to strategy, operations, and governance—helping organizations align their work for lasting impact.
Roots and Local Commitment
Jennifer holds a Master of Arts in management from the SIT Graduate Institute and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Passionate about building inclusive, responsive organizations, she contributes to her community through board service and volunteer work.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and three children.
