Third-Gen Portlander
A baby boomer, Jean was born and raised on Mt. Tabor in SE Portland. Her Norwegian immigrant grandparents owned the Foster Feed and Seed in the 1940s. Now Jean lives in the Roseway district in NE Portland.
The Southwest: Navajo & Hopi Nations
Jean was an educator for 20 years, 10 years of which she spent teaching public school in the Navajo and Hopi Nations. The experience of living in a different culture taught Jean that there are many ways around the mountain. Her appreciation for diversity has translated well into her real estate work, enabling her to work successfully with clients from a range of cultures, classes, genders, and ages.
The American West, Grand Canyon, & Colorado River
With Flagstaff as a home base, Jean and her husband hiked, rafted, and skied the American West during the Sixties and Seventies. They focused on wilderness areas from the Northern Rockies to the Colorado Plateau, frequently in their beloved Grand Canyon whether on the trails or the river. During these years Mother Nature taught Jean that when when it snows, the only way home is up the trail—a lesson in calm perseverance that has served her well in real estate when negotiating on behalf of her clients.
From History to Real Estate
In her 40s, Jean earned first a masters and then a doctorate, specializing in US in the 20th century and Modern East Asia. Those years of extensive reading and writing helped Jean hone critical thinking skills and a quiet strength, abilities that enhance her work as a realtor, enabling her to seek always to go the extra mile for clients.