You Can Call Her Colonel Nentwig
Tripepi Smith is proud to share that Principal Jennifer Nentwig has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, effective April 1, 2025.
Jennifer began her military career during college, participating in ROTC at the University of Notre Dame. After graduation, she joined the U.S. Air Force as a Public Information Officer in 2007. She served four years of active duty in Alabama, Honduras and Nevada before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in 2011. She has continued to serve as a reservist for around one month every year since – leaving her job, her home and her family behind to fulfill her military duty. Her recent promotion to Lieutenant Colonel was announced by the Air Reserve Personnel Center as part of a distinguished group of reserve officers recognized for their continued excellence and leadership.
“We are proud of Jennifer and this well-deserved recognition of her skills and dedication to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and her service to our country,” said Ryder Todd Smith, President of Tripepi Smith. “Her experiences in the military have shaped her leadership and strategic communication skills, making her an even stronger contributor to our team and her client accounts. While our team and our clients miss her during her month of service, Jennifer is filling a higher calling for America that we all stand behind. Supporting her service is deeply aligned with our values as a firm, and we are honored to have her on Team Tripepi Smith.”
In addition to her military service, Jennifer holds the Accreditation in Public Relations and Military Communication (APR+M). This designation, developed through a joint effort by the Universal Accreditation Board, Department of Defense and Public Relations Society of America, builds upon the distinguished Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) certification by incorporating public affairs expertise into military operations.
“I’m truly honored for the chance to continue serving in the Air Force Reserve in this new capacity as a Lieutenant Colonel; it’s a privilege and a responsibility that means a lot to me,” Jen said. “And I’m so grateful to the Tripepi Smith leadership team for the flexibility to dedicate time to my reserve duty and to the entire team for the support while I’m away.”
As a leader on the team, a mom, wife, marathon runner, and an Air Force Reservist, Jennifer inspires her teammates with her energy and execution skills. Tripepi Smith is proud to support Jennifer’s service for America, and remains committed to curating a culture that values public service, leadership and continuous learning.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, aerial imagery, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith’s diverse clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Calabasas, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Duarte, City of Grover Beach, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Malibu, City of Napa, City of Palmdale, City of Paramount, City of Tracy, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, West Coast Arborists, Scripps College, Blind Children’s Center and Climatec.