Jennifer Bowman, 34

By Brian Leaf

At 19, Jennifer Bowman could never have imagined working at a non-profit health care organization.

But that all changed when her father Bill was diagnosed with acute leukemia at the age of 50. Bowman, who was working at RadioWorks in Rockford, became a champion of blood and marrow drives.

She was so effective at volunteer PR that the Rock River Valley Blood Center hired her as spokesperson and public advocate for blood, marrow and organ donation.

“I’ll never be a millionaire, but I’ve gotten myself into a position in life where I can work at something that I enjoy and get involved in the community,” said the University of Iowa graduate who lives with Sunshine the basset hound.

Bowman’s work in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin has drawn her into the national scene. She’s chaired the National Marketing Committee for America’s Blood Centers, and worked on steering committees for communications, education and legislative affairs.

“We do some pretty innovative things. I became nationally recognized as a leader and was able to get some synergy among competing organizations and people.”

Locally, Bowman helped found the Red Shoe Run for Donor Awareness, which has raised more than $180,000 to cover tissue typing costs for the marrow donor registry. She also volunteers for The River District, Golden Apple Foundation, Junior Achievement, All In for the Kids, MS Foundation, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society, Next Rockford, Carpenter’s Place and chambers of commerce committees throughout the region.

“It does take people coming together and putting their immediate needs aside for a bigger group, whether it’s a community, an organization, a school or a cause.

I’ve found a lot of personal satisfaction in making a little bit of a difference.”