Jennifer Cochran was reelected Tuesday to her position on Athens City Council.
For Jennifer Cochran, a perfect day in Athens includes an afternoon hike with friends and family, dinner at Casa Nueva and an evening stroll down Court Street.
Cochran, 41, is a native of Southeast Ohio, specifically growing up in Jackson County. She was reelected to her at-large position on Athens City Council.
She has been heavily involved in community work for most of her life and has strived toward making Southeast Ohio a better place to live.
"I thought I could be a good voice for the people of Athens," Cochran said. "It's important to me to be that voice for the families out there."
She has lived in Athens for more than 15 years and is working as a licensed massage therapist at both the Athens Wellness Cooperative and Ohio University's Ping Center.
After earning her bachelor's degree in journalism at Otterbein University in 1995, she spent some time in Philadelphia. Cochran then joined the Peace Corps, serving as an English teacher in Armenia for two years.
Cochran returned to Southeast Ohio to complete a master's degree in international affairs at OU. After another brief stint in Philadelphia, she came back to Athens — this time for good.
"I feel deeply connected to this region and to this area," Cochran said. "It was a homecoming for me."
She took a job with OU for a short time, but once she started a family she decided to complete her massage certification at Hocking College. She also became more involved in politics and the organizations around the area that were striving to make Southeast Ohio a better place.
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"She has proven she is a leader in the community," Athens County Democratic Party Chair John Haseley said.
Now that she has been reelected, she said she wants to build a stronger and more resilient community.
"There isn't just one thing that I am focusing on," Cochran said."We need to be creating places for community members to meet up. We need to also be supporting the wellness of our city."
Some specific projects that have peaked her interest include a new indoor and outdoor pool at the Athens Community Center and plans to make some renovations to the bike path to improve the commute for people who want to walk or bicycle around town.
"Her interest in the environment and transportation at the local and regional level is very important," Athens City Council President Chris Knisely said. "She brings a ton of expertise to the table."
Looking forward, Cochran said she hopes her contributions and impact on the community will still be felt 10 or 20 years down the road.
"I see myself continuing to work to make Athens a better place to live," Cochran said. "Will I still be on city council? No, I don't think so. But I will still be contributing to the community some way or another because I am a lifelong public servant."
