Jennifer is a native Hoosier and earned her Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development (BUPD) at Ball State University. She began her career as an intern at the City of Fishers, IN and then as an associate at a Chicago consulting firm, contributing to comprehensive plans, zoning codes, and feasibility studies. Jennifer relocated to South Florida for a change of pace and to accept a fellowship at Florida Atlantic University in Fort Lauderdale. She earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA), focusing on environmental growth management, with a small cohort of fellows.

Returning to Indiana, Jennifer spent more than a decade working in housing. At a regional home builder and land developer focused on first-time buyers, she managed a small team to conduct research on the customer experience and on demographic and economic trends. Combining this with a planner’s insight into communities and zoning, she helped to develop a unique position for each new neighborhood and worked on cross-departmental teams to integrate this position across marketing, sales, merchandising and home design. This strategy resulted in top sales figures for the company and its neighborhoods. Following this, she worked at the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), where she gained knowledge and experience in funding mechanisms like the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), HOME, and CDBG, and many valued relationships.

Jennifer is known for her holistic perspective, including an understanding of public and private interests and the important roles of urban, suburban and rural communities. This perspective is well leveraged as she works with ULI’s member volunteers to develop programming that engages ULI Indiana members and sponsors, embodies ULI values, and benefits Indiana communities.

Jennifer’s specific responsibilities at ULI Indiana include Content & Brand Management, Membership & Member Engagement, Sponsorship & Finance, and our Community Impact Initiatives – currently a Real Estate Diversity Initiative, Technical Assistance Panels, UrbanPlan, and the Central Indiana Council of Elected Officials (CICEO). Learn more. Other contacts.

Jennifer serves on Ball State’s College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) Executive Alumni Board and is a past Board member and strong supporter of HAND (formerly Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development). She is married to Jeff Milliken, AIA, LEED AP, Principal at Ratio Design, and they have two teenage children.