During my two and a half years of employment at Project Open Hand (POH) in Oakland, CA, I had the privilege of working alongside Jenna as her colleague and site manager. In my experience, serving on the POH Oakland team requires one to be highly adaptable, collaborative, and—most importantly—empathetic towards the diverse group of clients, many of whom come from traditionally marginalized communities and experience disproportionate health disparities. In her work as the Registered Dietician for POH Oakland, Jenna sets an example for other staff and volunteers on how to function successfully in a high-stress environment by demonstrating these characteristics daily. I continually observed Jenna fostering relationships with her clients that supported and empowered them to adopt positive behavior change. When conducting quarterly and bi-annual program evaluations, I was in constant awe of the feedback that clients gave about their experience working with Jenna and the impact that she had on their lives. This feedback speaks directly to Jenna's genuine compassion, patience, and knack for meeting people where they are. What impressed me most about Jenna was her ability to stay abreast of the changing information and best practices required to perform her duties. Without direct contact to her supervisor and fellow dieticians who are based out of POH’s San Francisco office, Jenna manages to independently learn and grow in her role as Registered Dietician. Clients come to POH with an array of chronic diseases, including but not limited to clients living with HIV, various cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. Jenna is instrumental in ensuring the upmost integrity and quality of services delivered to all clients, while providing individualized support based on each person’s specific health needs. Above all, Jenna is humble, thoughtful, and committed to self-reflection and personal growth.

Jenna is a seasoned clinical professional and it shows. She brings warmth and kindness to every client interaction and treats others— including colleagues— with the utmost respect and dignity. Jenna also doesn’t mince words; clients trust her because she is honest and direct. I was Jenna’s colleague at Project Open Hand’s East Bay location for over a year, where she was the sole RD serving Alameda County. During that time, I saw her form strong working relationships, and even lasting friendships, with our clients. She cares very much about the wellbeing and success of every client. She is skilled at working with vulnerable populations and adapting her interventions to fit the individual. All around, Jenna is a pleasure to work with every day. She is a good listener and has a sharp sense of humor. I strongly recommend her for any clinical role and would be thrilled to work with Jenna again one day if the opportunity ever arose.

During my two and a half years of employment at Project Open Hand (POH) in Oakland, CA, I had the privilege of working alongside Jenna as her colleague and site manager. In my experience, serving on the POH Oakland team requires one to be highly adaptable, collaborative, and—most importantly—empathetic towards the diverse group of clients, many of whom come from traditionally marginalized communities and experience disproportionate health disparities. In her work as the Registered Dietician for POH Oakland, Jenna sets an example for other staff and volunteers on how to function successfully in a high-stress environment by demonstrating these characteristics daily. I continually observed Jenna fostering relationships with her clients that supported and empowered them to adopt positive behavior change. When conducting quarterly and bi-annual program evaluations, I was in constant awe of the feedback that clients gave about their experience working with Jenna and the impact that she had on their lives. This feedback speaks directly to Jenna's genuine compassion, patience, and knack for meeting people where they are. What impressed me most about Jenna was her ability to stay abreast of the changing information and best practices required to perform her duties. Without direct contact to her supervisor and fellow dieticians who are based out of POH’s San Francisco office, Jenna manages to independently learn and grow in her role as Registered Dietician. Clients come to POH with an array of chronic diseases, including but not limited to clients living with HIV, various cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. Jenna is instrumental in ensuring the upmost integrity and quality of services delivered to all clients, while providing individualized support based on each person’s specific health needs. Above all, Jenna is humble, thoughtful, and committed to self-reflection and personal growth.

Jenna is a seasoned clinical professional and it shows. She brings warmth and kindness to every client interaction and treats others— including colleagues— with the utmost respect and dignity. Jenna also doesn’t mince words; clients trust her because she is honest and direct. I was Jenna’s colleague at Project Open Hand’s East Bay location for over a year, where she was the sole RD serving Alameda County. During that time, I saw her form strong working relationships, and even lasting friendships, with our clients. She cares very much about the wellbeing and success of every client. She is skilled at working with vulnerable populations and adapting her interventions to fit the individual. All around, Jenna is a pleasure to work with every day. She is a good listener and has a sharp sense of humor. I strongly recommend her for any clinical role and would be thrilled to work with Jenna again one day if the opportunity ever arose.

During my two and a half years of employment at Project Open Hand (POH) in Oakland, CA, I had the privilege of working alongside Jenna as her colleague and site manager. In my experience, serving on the POH Oakland team requires one to be highly adaptable, collaborative, and—most importantly—empathetic towards the diverse group of clients, many of whom come from traditionally marginalized communities and experience disproportionate health disparities. In her work as the Registered Dietician for POH Oakland, Jenna sets an example for other staff and volunteers on how to function successfully in a high-stress environment by demonstrating these characteristics daily. I continually observed Jenna fostering relationships with her clients that supported and empowered them to adopt positive behavior change. When conducting quarterly and bi-annual program evaluations, I was in constant awe of the feedback that clients gave about their experience working with Jenna and the impact that she had on their lives. This feedback speaks directly to Jenna's genuine compassion, patience, and knack for meeting people where they are. What impressed me most about Jenna was her ability to stay abreast of the changing information and best practices required to perform her duties. Without direct contact to her supervisor and fellow dieticians who are based out of POH’s San Francisco office, Jenna manages to independently learn and grow in her role as Registered Dietician. Clients come to POH with an array of chronic diseases, including but not limited to clients living with HIV, various cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. Jenna is instrumental in ensuring the upmost integrity and quality of services delivered to all clients, while providing individualized support based on each person’s specific health needs. Above all, Jenna is humble, thoughtful, and committed to self-reflection and personal growth.

Jenna is a seasoned clinical professional and it shows. She brings warmth and kindness to every client interaction and treats others— including colleagues— with the utmost respect and dignity. Jenna also doesn’t mince words; clients trust her because she is honest and direct. I was Jenna’s colleague at Project Open Hand’s East Bay location for over a year, where she was the sole RD serving Alameda County. During that time, I saw her form strong working relationships, and even lasting friendships, with our clients. She cares very much about the wellbeing and success of every client. She is skilled at working with vulnerable populations and adapting her interventions to fit the individual. All around, Jenna is a pleasure to work with every day. She is a good listener and has a sharp sense of humor. I strongly recommend her for any clinical role and would be thrilled to work with Jenna again one day if the opportunity ever arose.