Hi, I’m Jenna-
I’m a family nurse practitioner, certified functional hormone specialist, and lipedema specialist — turned educator, advocate, and creative.
For years, my work focused on helping women rebalance hormones and restore gut health through evidence-based, functional approaches. But everything shifted when I was diagnosed with lipedema myself — and discovered just how hard it was to find providers who truly understood this condition.
That experience changed the direction of my work. Today, I focus on empowering women through education, advocacy, and creative projects that bring visibility, validation, and compassion to the lipedema community.
My Work & Philosophy
I’ve worked in the health space for over a decade — first as a nurse in the ICU, then as a nurse practitioner in internal medicine, sleep medicine, and women’s health. Over time, I saw how often women’s symptoms were dismissed or misunderstood.
When I was diagnosed with lipedema, my path shifted once again. I began focusing on education, awareness, and advocacy for women living with this condition, combining my medical background with lived experience to bring a voice to an often-overlooked area of women’s health.
My focus now is creating the space, clarity, and care that so many of us in the lipedema world have been searching for — through education, creative work, and community projects.
QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
- Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
- Master of Science in Nursing
- Certified Functional Hormone Specialist
- Estima-Certified Women’s Health Coach
- Advanced DUTCH test and GI-MAP training via Rupa University
- Advanced dysautonomia training via The American Autonomic Society + The Dysautonomia Project
- Certified weBreathe Breathwork Facilitator
- Additional continuing education on: functional medicine, gut health, hormone health, mycotoxin illness, mental health, & more!
MY PHILOSOPHY
Let’s face it — medicine is a broken system that leaves both patients and providers yearning for more. After years of working inside that system, I realized the pressure to “just prescribe another pill and move on” didn’t align with the kind of care or connection I wanted to offer.
As a clinician turned educator and advocate, I still believe in holistic, compassionate, evidence-informed approaches that honor the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. Every woman deserves to be seen, heard, and guided with empathy, whether that’s in the clinic or through education and creative advocacy.
My goal now is to take what I’ve learned from both sides of the exam room and turn it into resources, products, and projects that empower women to better understand their bodies and their health stories.
To view more information about my professional background and education, click here.
My journey
Like many women, my story began with years of struggling to “figure out” my health. As a teenager and young adult, I battled hormonal acne, irregular periods, fatigue, and eventually a diagnosis of PCOS. After the traditional medical system left me with more questions than answers, I dove deep into science, nutrition, and functional medicine, becoming a Functional Hormone Specialist to support other women experiencing what I had lived through.
But when I was later diagnosed with lipedema, everything shifted. Suddenly, I was once again the patient searching for answers— and finding very few providers who truly understood. I felt dismissed, isolated, and frustrated. That experience was the turning point: I knew I had to use my background and training to fill the gap I desperately wished had been filled for me.
Today, my journey has come full circle. While I’ve stepped back from direct patient care, my heart for helping women remains the same — I now channel it into education, advocacy, and creative projects that support women living with lipedema and chronic illness.
My hope is that the work I create continues to offer the clarity, compassion, and community I once needed most. 💜