Volunteer Coordinator
Jenny Ruland is the Volunteer Coordinator for Chicago Debates. Jenny supports the team when preparing for tournaments and helps make sure every volunteer vacancy is filled. She enjoys working with volunteers and is excited to contribute to improving the extracurricular opportunities for the young people of Chicago.
Jenny began her career in health care working as a Registered Nurse. She worked to improve the health of Chicagoans in numerous settings; from the ICU, cardiology clinic, to community outreach with the American Heart Association. Jenny enjoyed making a difference in the everyday life of her patients. She also spent 10 years exploring the world of sales and marketing as a Realtor in her community of Oak Park. She learned about the impact of Debate when her teenage daughter joined their High School team. She had a front row seat as she witnessed the kids on the Debate Team become engaged, improve their reading, writing and public speaking skills and find an accepting community. She quickly advocated for increased funding and support for debate in her community.
Jenny has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Iowa and a Master of Science in Public Service Administration from DePaul University.
