Jennifer Iles

Jennifer Lyn Iles is an accomplished student at East Tennessee State University and a lifelong resident of Southeast Tennessee. A high-achieving leader within the ETSU community, Jennifer is a proud member of The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and Sigma Alpha Pi, honors that reflect her academic excellence and commitment to personal growth. Guided by her Christian faith, Jennifer is driven by a profound passion for peace, empathy, inclusion, equality, and respect. These values are the heartbeat of her professional journey, which includes the time she served as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in nursing facilities, providing home healthcare, and performing the sensitive work of End-of-Life care. Her diverse background also includes serving as a certified teacher for her children and an online tutor at Honor School TN, alongside experience in cosmetology, retail, and the restaurant industry. As a mother of two children on the autism spectrum, Jennifer is a dedicated advocate for neurodiversity. Her experience homeschooling her children, combined with her professional tenure in healthcare and education, has fueled her passion for lifelong learning and her talent for creative writing. Jennifer also deeply treasures the wisdom of intergenerational connection; her best friend, Ellen, who is 40 years her senior, remains one of her greatest sources of inspiration and support. Deeply connected to the beauty of her home state, Jennifer enjoys walking trails and has found inspiration in her past, on the hiking trails of East Tennessee, especially during the spring and fall. A lover of all creatures, she shares her home with her husband, Jeremy, their two children, and a vibrant family of pets from dogs and cats to betta fish and bearded dragons. Whether she is volunteering, donating, reading, or enjoying an iced coffee, Jennifer approaches every chapter of her life with peace, equality, inclusion, empathy, resilience, and an enduring desire to help others.