Jenna Barbari

Jenna Barbari

Senior Communications Director – BioHive

Jenna Barbari is a communications and brand strategist with nearly a decade of experience in storytelling, content creation, and event production. She began her career in magazine publishing, media relations, and advertising before moving to Utah in 2020 and turning her focus to building the state’s reputation as a global hub for life sciences and healthcare innovation. 

She is recognized for translating complex science and high-stakes business milestones into narratives that resonate with investors, industry leaders, and the public, making her a trusted partner to senior executives across the ecosystem.

Jenna built her reputation in life sciences at Recursion where she joined as one of its earliest communications hires and helped shape the brand into one of the most recognized in biotech. She worked alongside the executive team through a series of defining business milestones: taking the company public in 2021, its 2023 acquisitions of Cyclica and Valence, and its 2024 business combination with Exscientia and notably producing the company’s flagship events at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in 2024 and 2025. 

As Senior Director of Communications at BioHive, Jenna leads communications strategy for Utah’s life sciences community, overseeing the organization’s flagship events, content, and brand. She is the architect of BioHive Live 2026, the community’s signature annual gathering, and the mind behind HiveCast, BioHive’s podcast, which she also hosts. 

A Minnesota transplant, Jenna holds a B.A. in Communications & Journalism, with minors in English and Sustainability, from the University of St. Thomas. When she’s not working, she’s exploring Utah’s mountains and deserts with her partner, Kai, and their rescue dog, Milly (@saltlakemilly) — named for the Milly lift at Brighton.