Jake Penders

Jake Penders currently serves as the Director of Institutional Giving at The Brookings Institution, a position held since August 2025. Prior to this role, Jake Penders worked at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) from April 2019 to August 2025, where responsibilities included Associate Director of Development as well as roles as a Senior Development Officer and Development Officer. Earlier experience includes positions at Elevate | Smart Grants for Powerful Social Change, HELP USA, and the Fulbright Program, where Jake Penders was awarded a Student Award by the United States J. William Fulbright Commission for assisting in English language instruction in the Slovak Republic. Jake Penders also contributed to various organizations such as AmeriCorps, the International Rescue Committee, Nicholas & Lence Communications, and the NYC Department of Small Business Services. Academic qualifications include a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University at Albany and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government, History, and Humanitarian Affairs from Fordham University.