Jennie has worked for a variety of non-profits focused on food security and child welfare. She enjoys grant writing to further the missions of those organizations. Additionally, she has written extensively about this work in journals and a book as well as freelancing on other topics like gardens, local history, and high school sports. She earned a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia in 1991 and a MALS in Humanities from Hollins University in 2009.