Catching up with new Menlo Park City Council member Jennifer Wise

That new Menlo Park City Council member Jennifer Wise served on the Library Commission should not come as a surprise. “I am a voracious reader,” she says. “I read about 100 books a year, all checked out from the Menlo Park Library.”

That involvement led her to run for City Council. “A group of neighbors approached me about running,”  she says. “I was very moved that they reached out.  My husband encouraged me, saying if you can help, you should help.”

She won the election and was sworn in last December, representing District 5.  “Everybody has been so welcoming. That said, it’s quite a lot of work to get up to speed.

“I think it’s wonderful we have to much civic engagement — residents are really paying attention.”

Jennifer’s day job is with BNY Wealth Management. “That allows me to work with families — I love the client interaction.”

While her time is taken up with work and civic service, she gets great pleasure hanging out with the couple’s 100-pound dog Brewster. “His big day of the year is Halloween, ” she says. “He loves greeting the trick or treaters.”

Jennifer grew up locally and is pleased that she came back to the area after some time spent back East. “We are all so lucky to be living in such a great area.”

Editorial portrait by Scott R. Kline (c) 2025