Jen grew up in Greenwich, and attended and graduated from GCS. She began her career as a BOCES speech pathologist (SLP), working in a multitude of schools and settings before being placed in Greenwich in 1993, and was then hired by the district as their own SLP in 1999. Initially, she worked in all three buildings with a wide variety of students, but currently works with students in the primary in middle grade buildings.

        Jen graduated from the College of St. Rose with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders, and went on to receive her Master’s in Education from the same institution.  She is a certified teacher of the speech and hearing handicapped (TSHH), holds her NYS speech pathologist license and has obtained her certificate of clinical competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).  She has presented workshops entitled “Co-Treatments: Combining Therapies, Coming Together, Common Goals and Objectives,” at the Council for Exceptional Children and “Pre-K Screenings” for neighboring school districts, with her colleague, Jim Spear. Jen has operated a private practice, delivering speech services to preschool children with disabilities within Washington County since 1994. She facilitated the organization of a local speech pathologist group, Rural Area Speech Pathologists (RASP) which has been meeting on a monthly basis for over two and a half years. She is involved in the Child Study Team, Pre-school child find, and “Ready, Set, Kindergarten!” in addition to her daily responsibilities.

Jen is the mother of two GCS graduates, Joshua and Jesse Lee and an eighth grade student, Cady Kuzmich. Her sons have both been active in the military, with Joshua serving with the Marine Corps in Iraq (and now safely home and working construction) and Jesse having served with the NYS Army National Guard, and most recently signing on with the Navy Reserve. Cady is actively involved in band and the GCS varsity running program (X-country, indoor and outdoor track) and is enjoying her Jr. high academic career, as well.

Jen is involved with local running clubs, The Adirondack Runners, and The Batten Kill Valley Runners, and is currently the scholarship chairperson for the BKVR. Jen is working on climbing the 46 Adirondack High Peaks (at a very slow pace), and enjoys running, swimming, hiking, and snow shoeing.

Jen became involved with the GTA when asked to join the contract negotiating team in 2005, and also became the “New Member Liaison” in the primary building in the fall of 2006. When asked to run for an officer’s position, she felt that it was her responsibility to take the time and effort to continue to make GCS a district in which we can all be proud to work.