Jenn Gallagher
Vice President

After nearly 30 years as an East Cooper resident, Jenn has watched the community evolve and seen how even hardworking families can struggle to make ends meet. Drawing from her background as the daughter of an educator and her own experience in education, she understands that many families won't ask for help, but schools know exactly where the need exists. That's what brought her to Friends of Santa in 2018, where she finds deep meaning in being just the "Friends" of Santa, helping families while preserving their dignity.

When she's not working in real estate (she's been serving East Cooper since 2010 and now runs a small team), Jenn is busy "wrangling a pack of young adults" for her annual FFO, the Forced Family Outing. Each year brings a surprise adventure, from Aquarium Aglow to hockey games, German Christmas markets to the Cistern Lights. Her three kids, Caitlin (25), Pete (22), and Maeve (20), probably never know what to expect, but they show up anyway.

If Jenn were a Christmas movie character, she'd be the mom from The Family Stone (minus the dying part), admittedly "flawed and a little bossy, but just want everyone together, happy and healthy." At home, she shares her space with two Irish Doodles, Fenway (described as "a prince among dogs") and Wrigley (who "will never turn down a snack"), plus Fergus, who holds the dubious honor of being "the world's worst orange cat." Her parents also live in town, making the Charleston area truly home. Beyond Friends of Santa, Jenn volunteers with the American Cancer Society's Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and the Hope Lodge.