Jen Cross

Vice president of donor relations
Great Outdoors Foundation

Age: 32

Partner: Kye

Children: Brixton

Mentor: Hannah Inman, CEO of Great Outdoors Foundation 

Why she’s a Forty: She is leading the largest capital campaign in Central Iowa’s history, reaching over $20 million for Central Iowa Water Trails, even through a pandemic. She serves as chair of the John Stoddard Cancer Center board and assists in the Rally Against Cancer annual event. While being a new mom and spending time with her family, she continues to be involved in the community through voluntary efforts with Winefest, St. Ambrose University and Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation. She is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Community Leadership Program Class of 2019, helping Youth Community Concepts construct and launch the brand for the ADA-accessible Stowe Heights Challenge Course. 

What are your goals in your role at your company? 

In my role at the Great Outdoors Foundation, I am pushing to finish the Central Iowa Water Trails capital campaign, with a goal of $33.5 million in private donations by the end of 2021. Outside of Central Iowa Water Trails, I work with jurisdictions, Polk County Conservation and other initiatives to raise money for individual projects that help our environment and restore our natural spaces, as well as donor engagement and retention.

What are your goals for your community involvement? 

As chair for the John Stoddard Cancer Center Advisory Board, I hope to bring more advocacy to the work that John Stoddard Cancer Center does, not only in cancer care, but to the measures and efforts they put into their care for their patients. John Stoddard Cancer Center provides many low-to-no-cost programs for cancer patients, which helps make their cancer journey a little more bearable. Many of these programs are funded through philanthropy, and broadcasting that to a wider reach and instilling advocacy is part of my 2021-2022 goals as chair.

What’s your biggest passion, and why? 

Bringing positivity to every situation has always been a passion of mine. My parents have always told me that since I was little, I had a big heart and an even bigger smile. Our world, especially lately, has continually been overshadowed by negativity. Obviously, 2020 was a very tough year for everyone, but instead of weighing myself down in the negativity, I kept a positive attitude and collaborative nature, and our organization was able to see success in troubling times.

What is it that drives you? 

I lost a close friend at a young age to cancer, and since then I have always had the mindset that life is too short to be anything but positive. In turn, a positive approach creates a collaborative environment, and that helps make you successful. Sure, there are things that happen that are out of your control, but it’s the attitude you bring to each situation that determines the outcome. If it’s approached with positivity and a collaborative nature, the outcome will more than likely be better than the latter. In Central Iowa, I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by community members that bring positive, collaborative attitudes to the table, which is why we are able to complete these large-scale projects with significant community backing. Collaboration puts egos aside and puts the project first. That continually drives me to pursue success.

What are your aspirations for the future? 

We have a significant number of community members, both current and retired, behind Central Iowa Water Trails, and I want to make sure the campaign is finished by the end of 2021. This project is the most transformational project of our region and will reshape Central Iowa, helping put Greater Des Moines on the map. I lived in Chicago for one year after graduation, and came back to Des Moines for my family and because I knew the potential our community had. The efforts being put forth for fundraising ensure this has the long-term success the project, and Central Iowa, deserves. 

Three hobbies: 

Cheering on Iowa State in football and basketball, spending time with my family on the boat or biking our trails, and enjoying a delicious glass of wine, preferably on our patio with my husband, son and dog. 

Fun fact: 

Her passion for wine goes beyond just drinking it. She has been to the Italian wine country and will be traveling for the fourth time to Napa this summer.

ONE word: 

Synergistic. 

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? 

To bring Portillo’s to Des Moines. 

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? 

Many people think that I went to Iowa State because of how passionate a fan I am, but I actually graduated from St. Ambrose University and played collegiate basketball.