Meet Kathy

As a council member in District 1, I have been instrumental in collaborating to make our city better. I am proud to serve you on Fayetteville's City Council as the District 1 Representative since November 2013. I am running for re-election and asking for your vote. I am extremely proud of our work; we have seen historic growth and investments during this time. Including over $500M in construction projects like the baseball stadium and parks and recreation facilities, airport upgrades, street resurfacing, addressing stormwater and infrastructure. We have worked to expand broadband and become a "Gigabit City to name a few.

Our community has over $500 million dollars coming into it over the next 2-3 years from state and federal governments. We as a city are in the middle of tremendous growth and opportunity and must have steady leadership to achieve the right results for you, our citizens, and future generations.

I believe it is our duty to protect our citizens, enhance our overall quality of life, and create an environment for businesses to thrive. I will continue to deliver quality projects that are on budget and schedule as we look at the completion of the voter-approved parks and recreation bond and the public-private projects.

Kathy Jensen Headshot 2022

Boards and Commissions

  • Policy Committee Chair
  • Fayetteville Cumberland Parks & Recreation Bond Committee- Chair
  • Fayetteville Cumberland Youth Council (FCYC)
  • Gateways & Corridors Committee
  • Fayetteville Next
  • NC Military Affairs Commission (Governor Appointed) - www.milrets.nc.gov
  • NC League of Municipalities - Board of Director Member - http://www.ncim.org
  • FAMPO - Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization - http://www.FAMPO.org
  • Mid-Carolina Regional Council

Past Boards

  • 911 Joint Task Force
  • Core Value Awards
  • Cumberland County Civic Center - City Liaison
  • Cumberland County Education Foundation
  • Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Commission
  • Fayetteville Cumberland Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
  • Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department Liason
  • Fayetteville Police Foundation - City Liaison
  • Junior League of Fayetteville Holly Day Fair Chair
  • Methodist University Reeves School of Business Advisory Board
  • Methodist University Visitors Board
  • North Carolina Youth Council (Governor Appointed)
  • PTA: Long Hill, Pine Forest Middle,  Pine Forest High School
  • PWC Liaison
  • PWC Litigation Committee
  • TDA (Tourism Development Authority)
  • Youth Ministry President -Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church
  •  Mayor Pro-Tem
  • Boards & Commission - Chair
  • Boards & Commissions- Nominating Committee
  • City-County Liaison - Chair

Kathy Jensen BIO

Kathy Keefe Jensen was elected to serve District 1 on the Fayetteville City Council in November 2013 and faithfully served since, including a term as Mayor Pro Tem.

A Fayetteville native, she graduated from Pine Forest High School in 1983 before studying business at East Carolina University and Methodist University. Following college, Kathy joined the family business focusing on the retail, property management and financial areas.

In 1993, Kathy married Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Jensen, and the couple embarked on Jerry's military service together. Kathy actively supported her husband and his units at a variety of assignments that took them from Fort Liberty to Germany and Newport, R.I. before returning to her hometown of Fayetteville. When deciding where their family would call home permanently, Kathy and Jerry knew they wanted to raise their children where she was born and raised. Thus, they returned to Fayetteville after Jerry's military service.

Kathy grew up in a family business and still works in daily. in 2005, Kathy's entrepreneurial intuition led her to open An Affair to Remember Prom, Pageant and Formal Wear located on Ramsey Street. She has turned her boutique store into a prominent retailer known throughout the region for designer gowns as well as custom and couture formal wear.

During ger nearly decade on the City Council, Kathy has served on a variety of Boards and commissions with interests spanning from youth and recreation to business development. In September 2021, she was appointed by the Governor to the North Carolina Military Affairs Commissions where she serves on the economic development subcommittee and as the liaison to Fort Liberty. Kathy was appointed by the Governor to be on the board of the North Carolina Youth Council and is very active in the Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council-a program she helped reactivate in 2014. Her additional appointments and involvement include Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Commission, Core Value Awards, Gateways and Corridors, 911 Task Force Commission, Cumberland County Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville Police Foundation City Liaison, PWC Liaison, Chair of the Boards and Commissions nominating committee, Corridors Commission, policy review committee and Parks and Recreation Bond committee.

Council Member Jensen is deeply committed to her City and to strengthening her community. She is a member of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, the Junior League of Fayetteville, the Military Officers Wives Association, the Women's Giving Circle, the Women of Power Society of North Carolina, and the Daughters' of Penelope. Through her professional life and personal service, her care and commitment to her neighbors and residents of north Fayetteville are visible everyday.

Together, Kathy and Jerry are loving parent to five children and two grandchildren. Two adult children, Jeremiah Jensen of Columbia, S.C. and Jillian Jensen of Black Hawk, S.D., live outside of North Carolina while Jake, Josh, James, and Dahkari live in Fayetteville.

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