Before becoming executive director of LEARN, Jeannie was the director of research, professional development, and academic affairs for the American Sociological Association, served as the chair of the sociology, criminology and anthropology department at Winthrop University, and authored a book, several book chapters, and sociological articles on social inequalities, housing markets, and disasters. She has served as a consultant to the Linguistic Society of America and several non-profits specializing in grant writing, project management, and professional development. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology from Tulane University and a B.A. in sociology and Spanish from Furman University. In her free time she enjoys traveling, yoga, dancing, and spending time with family.