Jennifer Groce

Jennifer Groce's picture

User Profile

Jennifer Groce's picture
United States

Jennifer Groce is the Executive Director of Re:New DeKalb, Inc.(a not-for-profit economic development corporation) and a Research Associate at the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA . Jennifer specializes in community and economic development and has extensive project development and project management experience within various governmental entities. Jennifer also assists with the coordination of PASCAL communications and project development and at the Northern Illinois University Center. Jennifer is an active economic development professional currently overseeing a multi- million dollar comprehensive downtown revitalization project in DeKalb, Illinois USA. Groce has extensive experience in organizational management, business development, downtown revitalization, public and private strategic redevelopment planning, and community development. Groce works collaboratively with various governmental agencies and community organizations on policy development to enhance economic and business development opportunities. Jennifer provides practitioner-oriented analysis of public/private community development needs and challenges.

Interests/Expertise: 

Revitalization project development and oversight - Municipal planning and government accountability - Strategic collaborations - Public/private partnership development - Economic analysis and identification of public and private project funding sources - Organizational management and board engagement - Policy and legislative development - Business and commercial district enhancement - Civic engagement and community building

Recent research/consultancy: 
  • Serves as the downtown construction coordinator and Architectural Improvement Program consultant for the City of DeKalb www.renewdekalb.com
  • Guest lecturer for the Masters of Public Administration Program at Northern Illinois University on local economic development
  • Development of the Downtown DeKalb Design Guidelines www.renewdekalb.com
  • Development of the ReNew Downtown DeKalb Comprehensive Redevelopment Plan, www.renewdekalb.com
  • Development of the DeKalb Streetscape Plan, www.cityofdekalb.com • Guest writer for the DeKalb Daily Chronicle and MidWeeks newspapers, Shaw Suburban Media Group. www.daily-chronilce.com
Recognitions, positions, memberships: 

• DeKalb Chamber of Commerce National ATHENA Award Recipient • City of DeKalb Economic Development Committee Member • Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition Board of Directors • Northern Illinois University Communiversity Cares Committee Member • Serves on numerous philanthropic and community outreach committee’s throughout DeKalb


History

Member for
14 years 33 weeks
Blog
View recent blog entries