Before Jen Backof moved from Westminster, MD to Ocean City, she was already an active volunteer in the town she loved! In 2010, she was invited to join the OC Insiders, a group of frequent travelers to Ocean City that helped others plan their vacations. In 2015, she and her husband decided to move themselves, their son, daughter, and dog to West OC. Once settled, Jen volunteered in a variety of ways to support her children’s schools and extracurricular activities. She has served as the PTO president at BIS when her son was a student there and as a secretary on her neighborhood’s HOA board.
Jen is a teacher as well. She got a degree in elementary education from Towson University and taught fourth and fifth grades in Carroll County. Once her eldest was born, she worked part time for a company called Computertots/Computer Explorers. Teachers would form partnerships with schools and daycares in the area to bring lessons on technology use into the classrooms each week. It was here Jen discovered she really enjoyed working with preschool children. This opened her up to working with a variety of ages at the Red Doors Community Center. Her favorite classes to teach there were the ones that connected students to their community. After Red Doors closed in 2021, she was invited to teach preschool aged students at Training Station Preschool.
For fun, you will find Jen at the beach on a nice spring, summer, or fall day. Jen loves to read, travel, help plan community events, and to connect with people. She loves when she is able to connect individuals she knows to help them accomplish their personal goals. Jen is excited to serve as a board member on the Worcester County Arts Council. Her goal is to continue to help the WCAC support and strengthen the various arts programs in our schools during her time serving on the board.