Jenny Farver

Jenny Farver is 8th Light’s CEO. She joined 8th Light as co-CEO alongside founder Paul Pagel in 2020. Prior to that she served on 8th Light’s Board of Directors and has been a CTO or VP of Engineering at several Chicago tech startups.

As a technology leader with experience in high-growth startups, Jenny considers herself a late bloomer with plenty of experience after time spent as a software developer, vice president, and CTO. She’s an on-and-off academic and former stay-at-home mom who’s interested in building software that users love and making data analytics practical and impactful. She specializes in creating great teams and workplaces for technologists, and remains focused on growing the size and impact of the Chicago tech community.

Jenny earned her BS in Civil Engineering and Civil Regional Planning from UC Berkeley, her MS in Transportation from MIT, and her PhD from MIT in Civil Engineering, Algorithms, and Transportation.

A noted public speaker, Jenny has presented at national conferences with leading executives in the industry, as well as on webinars and panels covering a variety of topics.