Growing up, Jeanie spent her summers with her grandparents, where she listened to stories about milking 20 dairy cows before school and her grandfather’s milk delivery route, all while shucking corn and making strawberry jelly. These cherished memories, along with a growing curiosity about where our food comes from and how it reaches our plates, sparked Jeanie’s interest during her early college years.

Originally, a love of the outdoors is what drew Jeanie to Northern Michigan University, but what she found was a vibrant community nestled beside the world's largest freshwater lake. At NMU, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management. Some of her favorite classes were Teaching of Rock Climbing and Nature Interpretation. While attending NMU she applied her leadership and community building skills as a Resident Advisor, volunteering for a local film festival, and working at the local Habitat for Humanity. Some of her other college highlights include playing in the world’s largest game of freeze tag live on the Today Show and a winter expedition class where she built and stayed in a quinzee. 

Jeanie believes that access to healthful, local food and outdoor recreation is a fundamental human right, regardless of socioeconomic status. Jeanie is excited to serve and connect with the community through volunteer coordination and youth programming.

Outside of work, Jeanie enjoys exploring the peaks, valleys, and rivers of our area with her dog. Including snowboarding, nordic skiing, hiking, or paddleboarding. She also loves spending time with her nieces and nephews and curling up with her latest knitting project.