Biography
Jennifer Miller Oertel is CMF's Impact Investing Expert-in-Residence and a shareholder in the law firm of Bodman PLC, where she leads the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing Group. With a background in securities law, private equity and mergers & acquisitions, Jennifer utilizes her corporate law and governance skills to assist family and corporate foundations, community foundations, public charities, regional associations, trade and labor associations, chambers of commerce, religious organizations and other tax-exempt organizations as well as impact investors, impact funds, and social enterprises, in all aspects of their business.
Jennifer serves as co-chair of the Nonprofit Corporations Committee (Business Law Section) of the State Bar of Michigan, which holds the responsibility of reviewing and updating the state’s laws governing nonprofit corporations in addition to reviewing legislation that regulates the solicitation of charitable contributions. Jennifer was appointed by the Council on Foundations as a legal reviewer for the National Standards Board and was the founding Vice Chair of the Michigan chapter of Social Enterprise Alliance. She is one of five judges of “Crain’s Best Managed Nonprofits” and regularly judges social enterprise business plan competitions. Elected as a “Leader in the Law” and to “dBusiness Top Lawyers” and “Superlawyers,” Jennifer serves on the Impact Investing Committee of the Council of Michigan Foundations, the Impact Investing Advisory Committee of the Case Foundation in DC and the Let’s Get Social!, the impact investing and social enterprise advisory committee of the Johnson Center.
Jennifer is highly proficient in Spanish, has a background in social work and evaluation, and holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. She has spoken and published both locally and nationally on impact investing and philanthropy and has served as a trustee of several for-impact organizations, winning many awards for her volunteerism.
Jennifer serves as co-chair of the Nonprofit Corporations Committee (Business Law Section) of the State Bar of Michigan, which holds the responsibility of reviewing and updating the state’s laws governing nonprofit corporations in addition to reviewing legislation that regulates the solicitation of charitable contributions. Jennifer was appointed by the Council on Foundations as a legal reviewer for the National Standards Board and was the founding Vice Chair of the Michigan chapter of Social Enterprise Alliance. She is one of five judges of “Crain’s Best Managed Nonprofits” and regularly judges social enterprise business plan competitions. Elected as a “Leader in the Law” and to “dBusiness Top Lawyers” and “Superlawyers,” Jennifer serves on the Impact Investing Committee of the Council of Michigan Foundations, the Impact Investing Advisory Committee of the Case Foundation in DC and the Let’s Get Social!, the impact investing and social enterprise advisory committee of the Johnson Center.
Jennifer is highly proficient in Spanish, has a background in social work and evaluation, and holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. She has spoken and published both locally and nationally on impact investing and philanthropy and has served as a trustee of several for-impact organizations, winning many awards for her volunteerism.