Get to Know GenVets
Our Mission
GenVETS exists both to participate in and sponsor local community events, as well as support existing VA and nonprofit programs, community-based mental health resources and initiatives. Because when we care for the family, we care for the veteran.
GenVETS has three major roles for military, veterans, caregivers, and families:
- Translating confusing & complicated information by addressing the perception of care and miscommunication problems head-on among the military & veteran communities with easy-to-understand, practical advice.
- Navigating the overwhelming resources, programs & services available, considering individual situations & circumstances.
- Facilitating conversations and guiding individuals to access existing resources, programs & services.
Our Founder & President
Jen was born on Edwards Air Force Base in California. Her strong military roots trace back to both of her grandfathers, who served in World War II (Navy and Army), and her father, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Reserves. An award-winning journalism scholar, editor, and writer, Jen's passion for the First Amendment led her to file a collegiate open records lawsuit that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, setting the stage for her legal career.
Jen graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1996 with a B.A. in English/Journalism and Political Science, serving as Editor-in-Chief of the college newspaper, The Miami Student. During her tenure, she successfully sued the university for access to campus crime statistics. This victory provided greater transparency for prospective Ohio college students and families seeking information on campus safety.
While her lawsuit was pending, Jen began her legal studies at The Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C., graduating in 2000. She started practicing Veterans’ Law at a Washington satellite office of a Wall Street firm that encouraged pro bono work following the 9/11 attacks. Jen volunteered with the Veterans’ Pro Bono Consortium, representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Jen served with Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) for seven years, representing veterans before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and leading the National Appeals Office at PVA’s D.C. headquarters. She provided pro bono representation to veterans seeking service-connected benefits and conducted nationwide training for Veterans’ Service Officers (VSOs).
Dayton Legacy Scholarship Foundation
In addition to serving on advisory boards for veterans’ nonprofit service organizations and volunteering locally, Jen is also the Executive Director and Founder of “The Dayton Legacy Scholarship Foundation,” established in 2022. The foundation honors her high school classmate SCPO Scott C. Dayton (EOD), the first American service-member KIA in Northern Syria on Thanksgiving Day 2016. The annual scholarship is awarded to two graduating seniors: one choosing trade school or military enlistment, and another attending college or university.