Dr. Jennifer Pena Discovered A number of Methods to Be Match to Serve
Dr. Jennifer Pena and her husband Dr. Brenton R. Franklin spend effort and time rescuing canine of their dwelling of San Juan, Puerto Rico. As with all trigger that one could be obsessed with, there are some days which can be harder than others. In the long run, realizing they’ll save an animal and both discover it a brand new dwelling or add a brand new member to their very own household makes the trouble worthwhile.
“We’re large rescuers,” she shared. “Now we have a big stray inhabitants, and my Grandmama taught me to feed and handle the strays,”
She met Brenton within the army, and their frequent bond of service in each army and medication has stored them collectively since.
“He really simply bought out of the army in July of this 12 months. He’s a basic surgeon, and he’s the good one. We served collectively within the Medical Corps. The army will at all times be part of who we’re individually and as a pair.”
Pena lives with Brenton in San Juan now, however Puerto Rico can be the place her origin story started. She, alongside along with her sister, was raised by her mom and maternal grandparents. She knew her father, however her mother and father weren’t collectively. So, she spent extra time along with her mom, who was additionally working full-time as a nurse.
“My grandparents have been instrumental in our upbringing,” she mentioned. “I used to be a really energetic little lady, very a lot a tom boy,” she recalled. “I used to be very a lot into sports activities and at all times taking part in exterior, getting soiled. Undoubtedly not the girly kind.”
Pena was additionally into martial arts, and she or he finally earned a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. That zeal for exercise served as a pillar in her childhood, however as with every little thing else in her life, she dedicated much more, finally turning into a member of the Puerto Rico nationwide group. As a finweight competitor, she earned a number of native, state, and nationwide awards.
Pena shared about her time competing, “ the most effective a part of that? It was enjoyable, it was by no means one thing I deliberate for, however developed a expertise for it.”
She excelled in schoolwork as nicely. Pena mentioned that when she was in highschool, she and her mom would research collectively as a result of she had gone to school to get her Masters diploma in Healthcare Administration. Her mom would change into a healthcare administrator following that point. As for Pena, she went on to Yale College and graduated in 2004 with levels in Molecular, Mobile and Developmental Biology, and Spanish Language and Literature. She would finally observe within the footsteps of her father, uncles, and a number of other members of her household by becoming a member of the army, particularly the US Military. Her father was an officer and a pharmacist, which is one more medical discipline connection for her. Army service fulfilled two wants for Pena. Moreover her service to the nation, it served as a catapult for an additional dream that connects her to her mom.
“It helped me with medical faculty,” she mentioned, nevertheless it’s not just like the idea of service was overseas to her.
“I grew up across the army, I grew up going to the Commissary and being across the army group,” she defined. “It was a straightforward determination to make.”
Pena entered energetic responsibility in 2008 after graduating from the College of Pittsburgh Faculty of Medication. That dedication to service and medical faculty would permit her to not solely assist these she served with, nevertheless it led her to breaking down limitations. After working in Fort Belvoir’s new hospital, she could be nominated and accepted to function a doctor within the White Home Medical Unit below each Presidents Obama and Trump. Unbeknownst to her at the moment, she was breaking limitations for Latina ladies all over the place. Pena was the primary Latina to serve the White Home as a doctor. It wasn’t ever a objective she pursued, nor was it spoken about in an enormous means. She was knowledgeable of this by a colleague throughout a random dialog.
“It was a kind of proper place, proper time issues,” she mentioned humbly. “It was considered one of my doctor assistants, who was additionally Puerto Rican, who pointed it out. There’s a plaque with names on it, and he identified that there have been no different Latinas on that plaque.”
After over a decade of complete service, Pena left energetic responsibility in 2019. Moreover her work in rescuing, she additionally at the moment works as Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer for Measured, a Y-Combinator well being startup firm offering weight administration options and dietary companies. Past that, she additionally works with Oya Care (the primary girls’s digital well being clinic in Brazil) as a Medical Advisor to the Board. She can be concerned with Julie Merchandise, Inc., a supplier of over-the-counter emergency contraception choices for girls in the US. She has additionally made quite a few TV appearances as a medical professional and spoke at quite a few occasions for digital well being, telehealth, Veteran issues, and even in efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alongside the best way, she acquired quite a few honors, together with named considered one of Enterprise Insider’s “30 Leaders Beneath 40 Altering Healthcare in 2021.” That very same 12 months, Pena was named Veteran of the 12 months by Latina Fashion Journal, a tribute to her service and distinction. Within the eyes of many, she is each a hero and trailblazer. She hopes her instance of health, service, and dedication to others generally is a mild for younger people who need to make the same impression on their communities, nation, and even the world.
“You need to see one to be one. I feel that’s necessary to me since you’re sheltered a bit in Puerto Rico, and also you don’t see that illustration at these ranges. In case you don’t see people who appear like you, you’ll be able to’t see your self in these positions. For me, it was Antonia Novello, who was Surgeon Common. So, to the younger lady studying this, now you see it. You might be it.”
Comply with Pena @jennifer.m.pena on Instagram
