Influential Women spotlights Meals on Wheels San Diego County assistant Jenny Roberts

Influential Women is highlighting Jenny Roberts, an executive and external affairs assistant at Meals on Wheels San Diego County whose career spans marine biology, environmental policy and nonprofit advocacy. Her path shows how mission-driven work can connect conservation, social justice and services for older adults in San Diego. Why it matters: - Roberts’ career spans environmental conservation, reproductive health advocacy and senior services, showing how nonprofit leaders often move across issue areas while keeping a public-service focus. - Her work at Meals on Wheels San Diego County supports food security and dignity for older adults in the region. - Her advocacy experience includes policy work tied to abortion access, gender-affirming care and clean water protection. What happened: - Influential Women is spotlighting Jenny Roberts, who serves as Executive and External Affairs Assistant at Meals on Wheels San Diego County. - Roberts is based in San Diego and has worked in nonprofit, policy and conservation roles. - Her background includes a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and a master’s degree in marine affairs and policy. The details: - Roberts began her career in Hawaii working on whale research and marine conservation as a naturalist and conservation manager. - Her early work focused on marine debris, plastic pollution and protecting humpback whale habitats. - She also contributed to a Clean Water Act case with the Surfrider Foundation’s Maui Chapter that reached the Supreme Court. - At Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Roberts worked as an executive assistant in the executive office. - After the Dobbs decision, she supported senior leadership during a fast-changing policy environment. - Her duties included coordinating board affairs, tracking legal developments tied to abortion access and gender-affirming care, and supporting organizational priorities. - At Meals on Wheels San Diego County, Roberts manages C-suite scheduling, supports the Board of Trustees, and helps with fundraising and external engagement. - The role places her inside an organization that serves older adults across the region. - Roberts is also working on a memoir centered on intimate partner violence. - She says the project is intended to educate and empower young women through shared experience and awareness. - Her personal priorities include women’s rights, senior dignity and environmental stewardship. - She says her career has been shaped by mission-driven advocacy, collaboration, resilience and intentional self-care. - Roberts says the best career advice she received was to find a mission she is passionate about because nonprofit work can be emotionally demanding. - She also advises young women in nonprofit and advocacy roles to watch for burnout and set boundaries. Between the lines: - Roberts’ path reflects a broader pattern in mission-driven work, where the same skills can transfer from environmental policy to health advocacy to direct social services. - The emphasis on burnout and self-care suggests that long-term impact in nonprofit work depends as much on sustainability as on passion. - Her move from conservation to senior services shows how advocacy backgrounds can translate into operational support roles, not just public-facing activism. What’s next: - Roberts is continuing her work at Meals on Wheels San Diego County while advancing external affairs and fundraising support. - Her memoir project could expand her advocacy work by adding a storytelling and educational platform. - Influential Women is directing readers to Roberts’ profile for more information. The bottom line: - Jenny Roberts’ career blends science, policy and service, with a throughline of mission-driven work aimed at protecting both people and the environment.