Q/A with Jennifer Cannon, VP of Global Communications, Part 2

Read Part One

Q-I assume you saw a need for Womentorz? Tell us more.

A- Honestly, this is Melinda Knight’s idea – her baby. We kept in touch after Chicago and she shared with me a lot of the frustration that many of the women were feeling about their experience–it was tough for some because you really didn’t get any feedback from the producers one way or the other. You just gave your pitch and they kept their poker faces. We wouldn’t have known if they loved us or hated us.

Melinda really had an “aha” moment if you will while she was out having drinks with a big group of the ladies at the end of that day (I had to leave)–she kept hearing the same thing about how much money each of them had put into just getting a prototype together to get to the casting call or that they had their product manufactured, but just couldn’t get it marketed or on a shelf somewhere…so much frustration and many feeling like this was their only shot.

Mel called me one day and said, “Well, I have this idea and I was wondering what you think about it…give me your honest opinion…” After she explained I thought–holy cow, this girl’s a genius! I told her that I thought it was a great idea and that I would be happy to help her in any way that I could. And here we are...

Q- Tell us more about you?

A-I have a beautiful son who is twenty-four and two beautiful daughters ages six and four. I am very lucky to be married to my best friend and biggest supporter, Paul Cannon. We met on match.com before it was cool to talk about it. I think we lied to a few people and said we met through college friends (I didn’t go to college). We will celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary in November.


Q- That's great! Where did you grow up?

A- I grew up in Southern California and was raised between mountains, valleys and beaches.

Q- What about some faves?

A- Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love to cook for friends and family, love to read (although I don’t seem to have much time for it at the moment), love music and I hold my friends close. I love horses and saved up my own money to buy one when I was fifteen, but now am allergic to them. I think too much. Sometimes I give myself what one friend calls “over analysis paralysis”. I grew up being a people pleaser–I am happy to say that finally, I do a lot less of that.

Q- You are not the only people-pleaser in the world, rest assured. Tell us about your parents?


A- I am very proud to say that I come from a family of inventors. My great grandfather, John Christian Jensen, invented the P-Static Precipitator in 1937. It keeps static energy from building up on the outside of airplanes. He also studied lightning at Nebraska’s Wesleyan University. He took some of the first/only pics of “ball” lightning. My dad has a couple of them hanging in his office.

I know that my grandfather, Bob Jensen, also has many inventions in his name, I just don’t know what they are!

My father, Steve Jensen, invented and holds the patent for the Electronic Ballast for fluorescent lamps in 1973. The Electronic Ballast keeps fluorescent bulbs from getting hot. My dad is the smartest guy I know–when I say he’s a genius, I am not kidding. He plays piano by ear and cannot read music. Here's an interesting fact: He grew up with Darrell Dragon, “The Captain” of “The Captain and Tennelle". They played piano together regularly as kids.


Q- What is one goal that you have in your own life?

A- I would like to write (finish writing) at least one book and have it published before I leave the planet! My current working title is “Well Adjusted”.