Jennifer Rodriguez joined the Youth Law Center as a YLC Fellow in 2007. Jennifer grew up in California’s foster care system, and personally experienced the impact of institutionalization, inappropriate mental health services, and inadequate education support. Jennifer also has personal experience with the juvenile justice system, and the issues faced by youth without family or support systems. For the past seven years, Jennifer served as the Legislative and Policy Manager and a youth organizer for the nationally-recognized foster youth advocacy organization, the California Youth Connection, leading policy efforts to make the child welfare system responsive to foster youth. Jennifer brings these experiences to the Youth Law Center with hopes of improving conditions for other young people in the foster care and juvenile justice system. She is currently working on projects to improve services for infants and toddlers in foster care, and to increase incarcerated youth’s access to their children.

Honors:
California Foster Care Change a Lifetime Award, 2007
Bergstrom Child Welfare Law Fellow, 2002