Born and raised in Boise, Idaho, she grew up hiking, skiing and exploring the great northwest with her family. Jessica received dual academic and athletic scholarships to attend Western Washington University (WWU) as an undergraduate. In 2006 she was awarded Academic All-American honors, additionally in 2006 WWU recognized her as the Women’s Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was the women’s discus conference champion for four consecutive years, setting the school record and placing 14th and 10th at the NCAA DII nationals in 2005 and 2006, respectively.