Jane Hodgdon

Jane Hodgdon has stepped into the role of Executive Vice President of Partners for Rural Impact where she will advance place-based partnerships that center local leadership; support the alignment of systems for greater impact across education, workforce, and health; and grow rural talent and leadership.

Colorado-born and Maryland-raised, Jane is a teacher, anthropologist, armchair philosopher, herder of cats, and lover of people. She grew up building forts in the woods of Croom, MD, and followed generations of family into teaching. Jane earned  a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder and became a licensed secondary level teacher.

Jane taught in Chihuahua, Mexico; Denver; and Colorado Springs before returning to the Old Line State, earning a Masters of Applied Anthropology from the University of Maryland College Park, and embarking on a 25-year career in the civil service. Jane’s work at the U.S. Department of Education focused one supporting school and community partnerships that improve outcomes for students, families, and community members. She is proud to have worked alongside so many others on the design, implementation, and iterative improvements to the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative (2000-2010); Promise Neighborhoods Program and Promise Zones Initiative (2010-2019);  Statewide Family Engagement Centers (2018-2019); State and Grantee Relations and COVID Relief funding (2019-2022); and - the feather in her cap - the expansion of the Full-Service Community Schools (2022-2025).

Jane is not much of a home chef, but she does make a mean stone soup; she builds partnerships that support student success, including those growing up in rural places. She founded the first farmers market in Upper Marlboro, MD. She volunteers in her hometown of Ellicott City, MD. She learns from her teenage sons. She is adored by her dog, Maxine. And she spends as much time outside as possible.