Jenn Ryan, 2022-12
Jenn Ryan: Working For You!
Jenn Ryan was born & raised in Benzie County, the eldest of three sisters. She graduated from Benzie Central High School & attended Alma College graduating with a degree in English, Sociology & Women’s studies. Always a reader & dreamer, Jenn has found refuge at libraries across the country & state, having lived & travelled quite a bit since college. She returned to her roots in Benzie County in 2006 to be closer to her family – all of whom live locally. Being an auntie is her favorite role of all.
Expanding the heart & mind through reading, researching & learning is a hobby she is fond of – complemented by other self-care routines including making art & moving her body. Jenn is a certified yoga instructor & offers heartfelt opportunities to move in community & hone coping skills open to all ages & abilities. She works in Benzonia at a law & advocacy center, where every day, she collaborates with folks who are dealing with mental illness, hopelessness & difficult life choices. Reading for pleasure is one of the ways she copes with the arduous work of the world. She is an advocate for libraries, community, suicide prevention & awareness, clean water, locally grown/raised food, Grow Benzie where she is a regular volunteer, & big love (but to name a few important things). She lives happily in Benzonia with her life partner of 13 years, Eric VanDussen & their dog-daughter Ruby. Where she enjoys growing food, planting perennial flowers for the pollinators & playing outside with her niece.
Jenn is honored to be a part of the Benzonia Public Library’s board of directors as a Trustee & plans to work & learn alongside the amazing volunteers & employees who are already in place to support the library’s future wholeheartedly in whatever ways she can. As Rita Dove once said, “Libraries are where it all begins.” From story hours & first-time readers checking out chapter books, to single moms & dads who cannot afford to buy books or who are researching their next job opportunity or teens who come for the next in a series of meaningful coming of age stories, or a senior coming to learn how to log into Zoom - library’s MUST exist; she hopes to help make sure this beautiful, historic, community gem lives on forever & ever.
Published 2022-12
Jenn Ryan was born & raised in Benzie County, the eldest of three sisters. She graduated from Benzie Central High School & attended Alma College graduating with a degree in English, Sociology & Women’s studies. Always a reader & dreamer, Jenn has found refuge at libraries across the country & state, having lived & travelled quite a bit since college. She returned to her roots in Benzie County in 2006 to be closer to her family – all of whom live locally. Being an auntie is her favorite role of all.
Expanding the heart & mind through reading, researching & learning is a hobby she is fond of – complemented by other self-care routines including making art & moving her body. Jenn is a certified yoga instructor & offers heartfelt opportunities to move in community & hone coping skills open to all ages & abilities. She works in Benzonia at a law & advocacy center, where every day, she collaborates with folks who are dealing with mental illness, hopelessness & difficult life choices. Reading for pleasure is one of the ways she copes with the arduous work of the world. She is an advocate for libraries, community, suicide prevention & awareness, clean water, locally grown/raised food, Grow Benzie where she is a regular volunteer, & big love (but to name a few important things). She lives happily in Benzonia with her life partner of 13 years, Eric VanDussen & their dog-daughter Ruby. Where she enjoys growing food, planting perennial flowers for the pollinators & playing outside with her niece.
Jenn is honored to be a part of the Benzonia Public Library’s board of directors as a Trustee & plans to work & learn alongside the amazing volunteers & employees who are already in place to support the library’s future wholeheartedly in whatever ways she can. As Rita Dove once said, “Libraries are where it all begins.” From story hours & first-time readers checking out chapter books, to single moms & dads who cannot afford to buy books or who are researching their next job opportunity or teens who come for the next in a series of meaningful coming of age stories, or a senior coming to learn how to log into Zoom - library’s MUST exist; she hopes to help make sure this beautiful, historic, community gem lives on forever & ever.
Published 2022-12
