Bio
Jennifer Lenihan was born and raised in Albany, New York. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be involved in the film industry, and she has lived her dream—she is now in her 27th year at the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME). She has held numerous roles at MOME, working up from her first job as Permit Area Coordinator at the Film Office to her current position as Senior Advisor/Assistant Commissioner liaising across the five divisions of MOME: the Film Office, NYC Media, the Office of Nightlife, the Press Credentials Office, and Creative Sector Programs and Initiatives. Her accomplishments include managing location filming requests between city agencies and production companies, encompassing countless feature films, commercials, television shows, music videos, theater and still photography projects during her tenure. She also developed the “Made in New York” Production Assistant Training Program, which offers a pathway into the industry for underrepresented communities, and significantly streamlined permit applications by moving them online. Her work has been a significant driver of economic success—in 2019, the film/media industry brought in a record $82 billion, and the number of films/tv productions for 2022 rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels. “No one currently working in City government has had a more longstanding impact on the success of the media and entertainment industry in New York City than Jennifer Lenihan,” said Anne del Castillo, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment. “Jen is a service-oriented, thoughtful, deliberating, tinkering problem-solver with a keen attention to detail and judgment, both on the practical and political level.”
