Jenny Sheets

BY BRADY DRAKE

enny Sheets is a nomadic spirit who has spent her life cruising I-94 between Fargo and the lakes of Minnesota, to western Montana and beyond. After her parents left her in the Grand Tetons (on what was supposed to be a short vacation) when she was 18, she discovered her obsession for the outdoors. She started climbing, biking, skiing, and running up mountains and continued that for the next 18 years before having a baby during the pandemic. She then packed up the husband, baby, and dog and moved back to the Midwest to be closer to family.

Now, she works as a cheerleader for the startup ecosystem as the Director of Startup Programs at Emerging Prairie. She's also an avid writer (after earning an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana) and writes creative nonfiction essays rooted in place. Jenny and her family love to travel, run the river trails, visit new restaurants, and be outside as much as humanly possible, even in the winter. "Layer up," she likes to say. Most recently, she started skateboarding at 37 years old, because why not?

A Busy Life

Jenny Sheets is currently in the process of living a busy life which has included:

• A six-month solo backpacking trip to South America

• A Master's degree in Public Administration from Montana State

• An MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana

• Tons of skiing, trail running, and mountain biking during a 15year stint in Montana

• A 10-day hiking trip in Antarctica

• Time as the CEO of a startup

• Time as a Writing Instructor at the University of Montana

• And so much more!