08/21/2026
“This is it. Find a job.”
That was the advice Jana received after graduating high school. What followed was a life full of unexpected turns, new places, family, community, and plenty of adventure.
Born in Los Angeles in 1956, Jana grew up in Santa Rosa, California. As a young adult, she traveled through Mexico and later spent five months traveling across the United States as a religious mendicant, hitchhiking through 26 states. Along the way, she learned something that stayed with her: people are generally good, and you won’t go hungry in America.
In her twenties, Jana worked as a waitress in several California cities before settling in Carson City, Nevada, where she met her husband, Bill. They have now been married for 36 years. Together, they raised two children, lived in West Virginia for several years, and eventually moved back West to Kenmore, Washington.
As a stay at home mom, Jana became involved in her children’s schools and community, volunteering as a Girl Scout leader, art docent, writing program coordinator, and DECA volunteer. Their home was also a gathering place for their children and their friends.
In 2014, Jana decided to become a fitness instructor and start a new chapter. Two years later, she was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Fasciitis, a rare condition that made movement extremely painful and difficult. She lost 38 pounds in four months, and for more than two years, she could only move by taking one inch steps.
In 2022, Jana’s Current Issues Discussion Group found a new home at the Carl Gipson Center. As she began to regain her mobility, she also started taking exercise classes.
With the support of Cora, Nomi, and Elaine, Jana continued making progress. Today, she can do something she once could not imagine: jump again.
Jana still attends exercise classes and the Current Issues Discussion Group on the first and third Thursdays of each month. She enjoys discussing what is happening in the world, sharing different perspectives, and listening to others.
“I’ve always felt at home here, enjoyed the camaraderie and feel fortunate that gravity pulled me to the Gipson Center.” 💙
