Both of Jennifer's grandfathers trained as pilots and she had her first ride in a small airplane with her dad, a commercial rated pilot, when she was only three years old.  Jennifer grew up in Lake Tahoe, California and joined the Air Force right out of high school.  She spent a couple of years at Dover AFB, Delaware working Avionics on the C-5A and transient C-141s before being transferred to Eielson AFB, Alaska where she worked the A-10, O-2 and OV-10.  In 1989 Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Technology.  After leaving active duty, she hired on with the FAA as a Navigation & Communications technician and also served with the Alaska Air National Guard as a Crew Chief on the KC-135.  Jennifer began flight training in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1992 and holds a private pilot's license.