Jennifer Russell is a 1994 graduate of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She earned a Masters in Public Administration from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1998.

Jennifer began working with University of IL Extension, Calhoun-Jersey Unit in May 1999. As County Director, Jennifer manages several local, state and federal grants, oversees the direction of educational programming for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Community and Economic Development.

Jennifer is a member of IL-NACDEP, an Illinois chapter of the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals.