Jenn Jonassen is Rebuilding Hope’s Agency Administrator, but she is far more than the logistical queen of the office. Since October of 2019, Jenn has been the warm and welcoming face of the agency, making sure everyone who comes into contact with Rebuilding Hope is met with care and compassion.
In her position as Agency Administrator, Jenn describes herself as the “happy octopus” of the office, integral to keeping the agency running smoothly and assisting anyone in need.
With over a decade of experience in administrative work, Jenn saw working for Rebuilding Hope as both a logical progression for her career, as well as an opportunity to do meaningful and empowering work. Upon interviewing at Rebuilding Hope, she realized she was supposed to work here, it felt right.
“I’m meant for this,” she said, when asked about what drew her to the agency. She described a dream that she worked for Rebuilding Hope, where she was sitting at the front desk greeting clients and talking to coworkers, taking it as a sign that she was meant to be a part of the team.
She spoke about her desire to help heal the community, and how her daily work makes a difference. With her expertise in administrative work, she is able to keep Rebuilding Hope running smoothly so that client care and community healing are the priority.
In a sweet moment, Jenn expressed that she wanted to make the lives and work days of the staff easier so that direct care can be the focus. “Even though my tasks may seem so small, it’s something off of management’s plate,” Jenn said. However, a lot of her daily work is far from small, at the moment she is working on larger projects to streamline the efficiency of the agency and modernize its systems.
For Jenn, the people around her motivate her to do her job well. As an incredibly friendly and energetic person, she finds joy in those around her. She described loving the staff of Rebuilding Hope and feeling inspired and supported by the staff. “Everyone was so welcoming and so kind, you knew it was genuine” Jenn said, about her experience joining the team.
Coming from a more corporate background, the care and kindness of the nonprofit world struck her, especially the culture of Rebuilding Hope. “Here there are no walls,” Jenn said. The openness of her coworkers motivated her to become a hardworking and integral part of the agency, especially its development team.
Jenn expressed how hard this year has been and how supportive Rebuilding Hope is to both its employees and clients. In an emotional moment, she discussed the toll of COVID-19 on her personal life, and expressed gratitude to her coworkers and supervisors for being compassionate in such difficult times. “They treat you like family, we’re just a priority,” Jenn said. There is no doubt that Jenn’s attitude contributes to this special and warm culture.
Outside of work (and often during work) Jenn is obsessed with her dog George. Jenn describes the 13 month old Aussie, Lab, Husky mix as “the light of (her) life.” Most people in the office know of George and share in her love of the dog. Seeing her talk about George offers a quick look into the type of nurturing, kind, and funny person that Jenn Jonassen is.
Jenn describes working at Rebuilding Hope as an honor. In her future with Rebuilding Hope she wants to help the agency grow, so that Rebuilding Hope can become even more connected to the community. She hopes to continue her diligent work as the “happy octopus” so Rebuilding Hope can further heal Pierce County. Likewise, Rebuilding Hope is grateful to have Jenn as an essential member of the agency’s team!
