Jenny Laden

Director of Development

Photo by Marcus Maddox.
Bio

As the Director of Development for the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenny Laden plays a crucial role in supporting the ICA’s vision through individual donorship, foundation grants, and well-considered development communication. Her fundraising work will enable the new strategic planning for the next chapter of the ICA’s illustrious history.

Jenny’s previous role as the Senior Associate Director for Communications and Stewardship for the Development and Alumni Relations team at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design equipped her with extensive experience in nonprofit organizations. Before that, she worked for multiple nonprofits devoted to art and social progress, such as White Columns, C.O.L.A.G.E., ArtsConnection, InLiquid, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Pig Iron Theatre Company, and Art-Reach. Jenny’s commitment to social change through art is also reflected in her service on various boards and advisory committees, including Groundswell, a NYC-based organization for which she is a founding board member.

In addition to her impressive professional background, Jenny is a practicing artist and writer. She holds a B.A. from Barnard College in Art History with a concentration in Studio Art and a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from New York University. Jenny has also written and illustrated a young adult novel titled This Terrible True Thing, which focuses on the AIDS crisis in the early 1990s and will be published by Blackstone Publishing in 2023.