When Jeannie graduated from Northeastern University she accepted a position at the regional Veterans Administration Hospital in White River Junction, Vermont. After hiking in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, and in particular hiking Vermont's Long Trail which runs from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line, she made a commitment to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. After spending months planning and preparing, in March of 1997 Jeannie stepped out onto the AT and headed for Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Off the trail Jeannie is back at her job at the VA hospital. Known to her friends as an awesome mountain biker, Jeannie spends much of her spare time hiking and biking. In the winter she enjoys downhill skiing and is on the ski patrol at two of the local ski areas.

Jeannie lives in New Hampshire with her husband Rick, their chocolate lab, Sadie and a grey tiger cat, Rosie.