Jana grew up near Casey, Illinois, a small town famous for holding several world records for largest items (mailbox, rocking chair, etc.). She was introduced to Olivet through Nazarene high school classmates. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Olivet in 2002.
After graduation, Jana held an event planning position at Olivet for 20 years. She also worked with Tiger Dollars, the campus scheduling software, Student Financial Services, academic scheduling, and cashiering. Her diverse experiences give her a unique understanding of campus that allows her to help clients with a wide variety of challenges.
While working at Olivet, Jana got her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Olivet in 2012 and attained Licensed Professional Counselor licensure in the state of Illinois.
In 2021, Jana began counseling part time at the counseling center on campus. In 2022, she achieved her dream of counseling full time in Olivet’s counseling center, now named THRIVE. She is accumulating required hours with clients so she can take the test for the next level of licensure, hopefully in the next two years. Jana enjoys working with the college population because it is a time when students are growing and changing a lot, so it is a time when counseling can have a high impact.
Jana has 9 nieces and nephews who are her favorite people in the world. In her spare time, she likes to travel and take pictures. She has visited 12 countries, 32 states, and all of the 7 Wonders of Illinois.
