Senior Director, Innovation
Jeffrey Zimmer serves as the Senior Director of Innovation at Campus Compact. In this role, he leads the development and execution of new initiatives that strengthen civic engagement, democratic practice, and community partnerships across higher education. His work focuses on building scalable, practice driven models that connect students and institutions to real world problem solving, grounded in the belief that durable change is built through people power and persistent engagement.
Before joining Campus Compact, Jeffrey spent over 15 years working at the intersection of democracy, human rights, and labor rights across North Africa and West Asia. He has held program leadership roles in the U.S. Department of State, PartnersGlobal, and the Solidarity Center, where he managed large-scale international portfolios, directed grantmaking strategies, and advised senior policymakers and multilateral stakeholders. His work has spanned civic participation, worker protections, migration, and inclusive development, with a consistent focus on locally-led solutions and long-term institutional resilience.
Jeffrey holds an M.A. in International Affairs from American University and a B.A. in the same from Lafayette College. He brings a practitioner’s perspective to innovation, shaped by years of field experience, policy engagement, and a commitment to building systems that are both effective and accountable. He is proficient in French, with additional knowledge of Arabic and Spanish, and is based in Arlington, VA.