About Jennifer Esterline
Executive Director - KDK-Harman Foundation

Jennifer Esterline serves at the Foundation’s Executive Director. Jennifer was born in Austin and raised in Dallas. She returned to Austin in 1994 to attend the University of Texas at Austin and received her B.A. in Latin American Studies in 1998. After graduation, she studied abroad in Mexico and Costa Rica and also spent a year interning at the State Capitol. In 1999 Jennifer returned to UT to get her Master’s degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Latin American Studies and philanthropic studies at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Upon graduation, she stayed on at the LBJ School working to develop domestic and international programs for the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service. She then focused her work in the field of resource development as Director of Development at both Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and UT’s Office of Development. Jennifer joined the KDK-Harman Foundation in the fall of 2006 as its first program officer and was promoted to executive director in 2009. Currently, Jennifer serves as Chair of the Central Texas Education Funders and Chair of the Development Council for a local early literacy nonprofit, A Community for Education (ACE). She is also serving a term on the University of Texas Elementary School board of directors. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband, Horacio, and two young sons.

What was the "aha" moment that got you started in your current career?
My "aha" moment in philanthropy was actually not one moment at all, but a series of moments over a span of many years. I have actually watched foundation work up close from a very young age when my dad went to work at the Meadows Foundation over 25 years ago. I watched him come and go to work with a huge smile on his face and heard him talk passionately abut his work as a young girl. As an older teenager and adult, I was able to visit with him about the amazing work the foundation did partnering with nonprofits all over the state to make a real difference in people's lives. I thought, "this seems like a pretty great thing" and I knew I wanted to do that. After that, I planned on working for a foundation some day, pure and simple, although the opportunity didn't present itself for many more years.
What is the most rewarding thing about working in public/social service?
There are so many rewarding things about my job. The most rewarding part is probably the ability to be a thought partner with our grantees, funder colleagues, and other education leaders and stakeholders on issues that affect low-income students. I so enjoy and appreciate learning from my colleagues in the foundation, nonprofit, and education worlds and every day I learn something new. I really enjoy being able to work together to develop innovative solutions to the education challenges in our region. I'm also so inspired by their passion and commitment to this work. I know now why my dad was smiling every day when he left for work.
What is the one thing you want to tell the Austin community about your organization?
I would like the Austin community to know that the KDK-Harman Foundation is committed to providing quality educational opportunities to all Central Texas students and that we believe this is truly the human and civil rights issue of our time. There is nothing more important to our city, our state and our nation than ensuring all students--regardless of income status, ethnicity, or geography--have access to an excellent education. We must make education the priority.
Do you want to Keep Austin Weird? Why?
I do want to Keep Austin Weird. I grew up in Dallas and most of what I experienced growing up was far from "Austin Weird." When I arrived in Austin in 1994 to start my freshman year at the UT, I felt like I was home. (I actually was home because I was born in Austin and lived here until I was seven, then moved to Dallas.) Everybody was so open and accepting compared to the Dallas neighborhood I grew up in, and it was such an exciting time in my life. I lived in Hyde Park for many years and watching a guy ride down the street on a unicycle or saying hello to Leslie (the homeless drag queen) on 6th Street was just an ordinary part of life in Austin. I do feel like Austin has lost some of that with all the growth, but I also appreciate the fact that Austin is becoming more sophisticated and cosmopolitan, two qualities I always appreciated about Dallas. My kids will definitely grow up in an Austin that is way different from the Austin I knew when I was young, but it's still Austin and I am still completely in love with my city.
If you were trapped in a desert island, what would be in your survival kit?
That depends, would my kids be with me? If so, then coffee, Thomas the Train DVDs and goldfish. If it was just me, then coffee, red wine, authentic Mexican food, a TV with HBO, lots of good books, and my iPhone. (You didn't say it had to be a practical survival kit!)