Jean is excited to be part of an organization that has accomplished so much to protect open space, preserve natural habitats, and address the threats of climate change in the region. She knows that the Peninsula would look very different if not for the efforts of Green Foothills.
She served as California State Director for Senator Alan Cranston. She is particularly proud of his work to write and pass the California Desert Protection Act, which established the Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve.
In 2016, in partnership with Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park, she co-founded Kepler’s Literary Foundation, a nonprofit literary arts organization, serving as the Executive Director. During her tenure, Kepler’s welcomed over 100,000 readers of all ages and backgrounds to their events. She created the Changing Planet Series, bringing Al Gore, Naomi Klein, and Bill McKibben among other environmental leaders to the Bay Area to discuss climate change. She launched a partnership with the Ravenswood School District in East Palo Alto bringing award-winning authors to each of the district’s K-8 public-schools, sharing great stories and sparking a love of reading and writing. More than 15,000 students participated in the program.
Jean developed her love of the outdoors growing up in Idaho where she was lucky to have national forests at her doorstep. She attended Stanford University and lives in Redwood City. She enjoys hiking along the coast, reading, cooking, and live music.