Jennifer MacDougall

Senior Program Officer, Healthy Active Communities
Jennifer.MacDougall@bcbsncfoundation.org
(919) 765-2128

As Healthy Active Communities Senior Program Officer, Jennifer oversees the Foundation’s investments focused on increasing physical activity and access to healthy food.  Jennifer’s vision for Healthy Active Communities is that everyone in North Carolina, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status, has access to healthy, local food as well as safe places to play and be active.

More about Jennifer:

Prior to the BCBSNC Foundation, Jennifer worked with NC State University’s Recreation Resources Service where she assisted parks and recreation departments to develop new parks and acquire new parkland through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and Land and Water Conservation Fund.  In addition, Jennifer worked collaboratively with parks and recreation agencies across the state to help develop partnerships between parks and recreation and public health agencies for the benefit of community health. Jennifer’s other professional experience has been from working in a cross section of other North Carolina nonprofits including the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, Special Olympics North Carolina, and North Carolina Amateur Sports-Cycle North Carolina.

When not at her desk:

Currently, Jennifer serves as on the Board of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, the Eat Smart Move More Leadership Team, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force Steering Committee, the Advocates for Health in Action Executive Committee, the NC FoodCorps Advisory Team, and North Carolina Convergence. In 2009 Jennifer was selected to the Hull Fellows Program through the Southeastern Council of Foundations and served on the NC Institute of Medicine Prevention Task Force Steering Committee. From 2006-2008 Jennifer served as chair of the Wake County Council on Fitness and Health. In 2008 Jennifer was inducted into the YWCA Academy of Women in the area of Exercise and Sport Science. Jennifer is a member of the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association professional society as well as the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers. Since 2006, Jennifer has served as the volunteer assistant event manager for the North Carolina Senior Games State Finals long jump competition.

Like any working mom, Jennifer has limited time, but makes sure to engage in some kind of physical activity most days.  She runs, bikes, swims, or joins friends and coworkers in incredibly painful but productive workouts with a local trainer.

As a member of the Produce Box, Jennifer looks forward to seasonal, local produce each week during the growing season.  She also enjoys weekend visits to various Farmers’ Markets with her husband and son and prioritizes restaurants that source local.

Education:

B.S. '95, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management: North Carolina State University
M.S. '99, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management: North Carolina State University

Hometown:

Cary, North Carolina