Jennifer A. Daum MPA ’12, a senior leader with extensive experience managing large-scale humanitarian and development programs and operations in the United States, Latin America, and Africa, has been named associate dean of admissions, career development, and alumni affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Her appointment is effective September 21.
“Jen brings to the School an unyielding commitment to service and a deep appreciation for the various career paths available to students committed to it,” said Princeton SPIA Dean Amaney Jamal. “Her mission-oriented background and proven ability to build relationships will help us to recruit the best and brightest to serve as the next generation of public servants, as well as to ensure that our deeply united, global alumni community remains engaged with the School – and with each other.”
Daum comes to Princeton SPIA from the global humanitarian nonprofit Mercy Corps. Based in Bogotá, Colombia, she served in a variety of positions with the organization, including country director since early 2023. In that capacity, she set strategic priorities, managed day-to-day operations, fundraised for new programs with institutional and private donors, and supervised a dedicated team of more than 350 staff members. Prior to her time with Mercy Corps, Jen was with the Juan N. Corpas University Foundation, also in Bogotá, where she co-created and managed the Department of Global Initiatives, focused on student mobility and research.
Daum has also held positions with Catholic Relief Services in Chad, Abt Associates in Burkina Faso, and the Grameen Foundation in Washington, D.C. In addition, she was a two-year Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea.
“I understand firsthand the transformative impact Princeton SPIA has on a student's career and sense of purpose,” Daum said. “The faculty, staff, alumni, and classmates I encountered there shaped my humanitarian career in meaningful ways. I am excited and honored to return as an associate dean and ensure future generations of students are equally well prepared to launch their public service careers.”
In addition to her Master in Public Affairs from Princeton SPIA, Daum earned a bachelor’s in international studies and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer A. Daum MPA ’12.