She is originally from Wisconsin but currently lives in Colorado. Janessa earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing with a certificate in International Health from Georgetown University in 2005. After college, Janessa traveled to Guatemala to volunteer for a year in UPAVIM’s clinic. While volunteering, she helped start a free prenatal clinic for the community and helped run the Well-Child Program. Accompanying Janessa, were her husband Anders (who volunteered in the tutoring program) and her two-year-old son Auden (who attended Montessori preschool with the children of UPAVIM). Janessa and her husband were also very involved with helping UPAVIM start the first community library in the area.