JENNIFER THOMAS is the director of the Civic Innovation Lab, a project of the Cleveland Foundation that offers mentorship, training, and funding.

Jennifer Thomas is the director of the Civic Innovation Lab, a project of the Cleveland Foundation that offers mentorship, training, and funding of up to $30,000, for great ideas that have a measurable economic impact on the Greater Cleveland community. Since its launch, in September 2003, the Civic Innovation Lab has granted over $1.2MM to 43 new initiatives, and offered communication and strategic coaching to more than 600 entrepreneurs. Included in the Lab's successes are Coolcleveland.com, a weekly email newsletter profiling arts and cultural events, E Prep School, a new community school educating inner city youth, and Policy Bridge, and African American led think tank addressing public policy issues.

Previously, from 2000 - 2003, Jennifer founded and was director of ClevelandClicks, an organization that showcased local high tech businesses and organized panel discussions on technology issues. Many of the new companies that presented during this time are now thriving businesses today.

Prior to ClevelandClicks, Jennifer was a director of business planning at Sony Music in New York City, structuring deals between Sony Music and artists such as Pearl Jam, Barbra Streisand, and Mariah Carey. Prior to that, Jennifer was a senior financial analyst at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in New York City, analyzing and developing business relationships with key managed care customers.

Jennifer holds a BA from Denison University and an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business.

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