Penrose Jackson '70

Penrose Jackson has dedicated her career to building connections that strengthen the Vermont community.

Whether developing Church Street as the commercial heart of Burlington, conducting multiple community health needs assessments for the UVM Medical Center, or serving on a wide range of boards and advisory groups, she has always worked to make life better for the people of this region. Seeing clearly that UVM and its alumni have a critical role to play in the vitality and health of all Vermonters, Penrose has been a passionate volunteer for UVM and the UVM Alumni Association since the early 2000s.

As a member, and then president, of the UVM Alumni Association Board of Directors, Penrose was instrumental in developing a diversity, equity and inclusion committee, recruiting a more diverse board, and reaching out to underrepresented alumni. She also led the charge to bring the UVM Alumni House to life as a community hub that honored the historic (and beautiful) fabric of the building itself. Penrose graduated from UVM in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. She continued her studies and worked at UVM for several years before becoming the first executive director of Burlington's Church Street Marketplace. She went on to serve as executive director of the National Gardening Association, Intervale Foundation, and Vermont Health Foundation.

From 2003 to 2018, she was director of the UVM Medical Center's Department of Community Health Improvement. Today, Penrose is the CEO of the Vermont Public Health Institute and remains active in numerous causes. She is an inaugural member of the UVM Libraries Board of Advisors and a member of the UVM Foundation Leadership Council.

With her husband Schuyler, Penrose has generously supported a range of University initiatives, including the UVM Alumni House and undergraduate scholarships. The couple reside in Hinesburg, Vermont.