Jenn Burden

Finding the root of the problem is one of Jenn’s missions in life. She knows that when you go upstream in your problem solving, a befitting solution generally follows. She also knows that to truly understand a problem, you have to listen. Jenn brings both approaches to her role as LOR’s Buffalo community officer, listening to community members and helping them find and fund their solutions.

Jenn’s curiosity led her to a career in storytelling, connection, and community in newspapers and marketing. As editor of the Buffalo Bulletin, Jenn documented stories that connected people and place while learning to see Buffalo in a new way. She witnessed the significance of local traditions, the impact of economic decisions on families, and the quiet ways people show up for one another. Jenn has won Wyoming Press Association and National Newspaper Association awards for her feature, news, and editorial writing. She’s served as an Inland Press Association fellow, trained in leadership at the Poynter Institute, and participated in the Brio Collective, a Wyoming leadership course for women to “reflect, connect, and ignite their spirit.” And she currently serves as the chair of Johnson County Friends Feeding Friends, a local nonprofit that packages weekend meals for food insecure children.

As a fourth-generation Johnson County resident, Jenn’s roots run deep in Buffalo. After graduating from Buffalo High School, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication at Mesa State University (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction, Colorado. She hopped around a bit before ultimately choosing to return home to raise a family. Jenn knows there is something special about living in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains. She feels grounded in the wide-open spaces, the clean air, and the familiar faces.

Jenn joined LOR to connect people and ideas and to support the community where she grew up and is now raising her children. When not at work, Jenn enjoys watching her children play sports, hiking, traveling, reading, and attending concerts with her husband, Erik. There’s always music playing in her world. And she often turns the volume up to 11.