About Rick Jennings
Rick Jennings has spent his career doing one thing: showing up for the people who need it most. Whether running a nonprofit that serves more than a thousand at-risk kids every day, sitting on the school board to fight for better schools, or working on the City Council to keep neighborhoods safe and strong, Rick leads by doing the work.
From the Field to Public Service
Before entering public service, Rick was drafted by the Oakland Raiders. He returned punts and kickoffs on the team that won Super Bowl XI, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 32-14. To this day, he wears his Super Bowl ring proudly. His time as a professional athlete taught him something more lasting than any trophy: real success comes from teamwork, preparation, and putting the team ahead of yourself.
Those lessons carried Rick into a life of service. He was first elected to the Sacramento City Unified School Board in 1996, where he spent 12 years advocating for better schools and equal access to quality education for every student.
Center for Fathers and Families
For 25 years, Rick has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Fathers and Families (CFF), a Sacramento nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families and building stronger communities. Today, CFF serves over 1,000 at-risk youth each day through after-school enrichment programs at 13 low-income schools, and provides more than 100 adults each week with parenting classes, legal services, anger management, domestic violence intervention, and health services.
Rick’s experience at CFF is the foundation for everything he does on the Council, from championing youth investment to understanding what families actually need from their city government.
On the City Council
Elected to the Sacramento City Council in 2014, Rick has been a leader on public safety, housing, parks, and equity. He led the City’s efforts in gang prevention and violence intervention. He championed the creation of the City’s African American Executive Leadership Council. He chairs the Race, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG).
And he’s delivered tangible results for District 7: crime is down 19%, parks have new playgrounds and restrooms, new trails are open, and Sacramento became the first city in California to earn a Pro-Housing designation.
Family
Rick and his wife, Cassandra, have been married for 46 years. They are the proud parents of two grown children and six grandchildren.
They live in Pocket, where in their spare time they enjoy swimming, boating, golfing, traveling, and playing games with their grandkids.