Jen's commitment to public education led her to run for the Lunenburg School Committee in 2003. She has served for over five years on the committee and is currently the elected Chair. Jen began her tenure on the board during a difficult time for the schools and was instrumental in rebuilding the relationships between the schools, the town, and the other town boards.
- As a member of the Lunenburg School Committee, Jen has brought the schools and town together to create a balanced budget for five straight years, while also improving the education and test scores of our children.
- As Chair of the School Committee, Jen is responsible for a budget of $15 million and has worked effectively as liaison to the Finance Committee and member of the Capital Planning Committee.
- As member of the Primary School Building Committee, Jen worked with architects, builders, and town officials to build an outstanding new school while completing the project on budget.
Jen has also served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Lunenburg Democratic Town Committee, where she re-energized community activists and helped to elect strong leaders to represent our towns.
Jen and Brent Benson have been married for 15 years. Brent works for Oracle Corporation as a Software Applications Architect. Jen and Brent have three children, Hannah, 14, Maya, 12 and Noah, 8 who all attend the Lunenburg public schools.
Jen grew up in Rochester, NH. She attended Rochester Public Schools and graduated from Spaulding High School. She began her college career at Rochester Institute of Technology for photography but transferred to Florida Atlantic University where she graduated with a BA in Art History.
Her father, Bill, worked as an apprentice patternmaker at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, but when he was laid off, just as Jen was due to arrive, he became a letter carrier for the US Postal Service. After 13 years as a letter carrier, Bill went on to become a realtor and then back to patternmaking in Beverly, MA.
Jen's mother, Betty, began working in the post office as a clerk after Jen started kindergarten. She soon moved up to her own rural route, and started taking night courses. She graduated with a BS in Accounting from New Hampshire College. She began to work her way through the US Postal Service. After receiving her MBA at the University of New Hampshire, she worked all the way up to the USPS Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Jonathan, Jen's brother, is an architect in Concord, NH. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. He still lives in Rochester with his wife Lisa, and their 2 children, Emily and Sarah.
- Acton, Precincts 3, 4 and 5: Blanchard Auditorium
- Boxborough: Town Hall
- Harvard: Bromfield School
- Lancaster, Precinct 1: Town Hall
- Lunenburg: T.C. Passios Elementary School
- Shirley: Town Offices
- October 31, 2008 – Nashoba Publishing: Nashoba Publishing endorses Jen Benson
- October 30, 2008 – Acton Beacon: Acton Beacon endorses Jen Benson
- October 29, 2008 – Telegram & Gazette: GOP group's tactics blasted
- October 28, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Finance Report Shows Support Across District
- October 27, 2008 – Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Telegram & Gazette endorses Jen Benson
- October 26, 2008 – Sentinel and Enterprise: Benson, Hayes outline plans to strengthen local economy
- October 14, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson to create a business help-desk
- October 10, 2008 – Harvard Press – Harvard Press Guest Commentary
- October 8, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Proposes Help for Small Businesses
- October 1, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Releases Policy Paper on the Environment
- September 8, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Releases Education Policy Paper
- August 29, 2008 – Acton Beacon: Benson, Hayes outline disparate visions for government
- August 19, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Announces Series of Policy Papers
- July 30, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson to Debate in Acton and Shirley
- July 12, 2008 – Press Release: Tsongas endorses Benson
- July 8, 2008 – PolitickerMA.com: Benson swings through Lunenburg, Harvard
- July 7, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Connects With Voters at July 4th Festivities
- July 1, 2008 – PolitickerMA.com: Hayes-Benson race picks up steam
- June 4, 2008 – Acton Beacon: Sullivan out of House race
- June 2, 2008 – MassEquality: MassEquality PAC Announces First Round of Endorsements for 2008
- May 29, 2008 – Press Release: Massachusetts Nurses Association Endorsement
- April 29, 2008 – Acton Beacon: Lunenburg Dems endorse Benson
- March 10, 2008 – Telegram and Gazette: Benson seeks Eldridge's old seat in Statehouse
- March 5, 2008 – Sentinel and Enterprise: Lunenburg official gets backing for House run
- March 3, 2008 – Press Release: Jen Benson Announces District-Wide Endorsements
- February 27, 2008 – Lowell Sun: Lunenburg school official puts hat in ring for Eldridge's seat