Jackie's love of art and food began long ago. She remembers cooking in her Italian grandmother's kitchen, chopping tomatoes on a cutting board, and being amazed that they were okay with giving her such a sharp knife to handle at such a young age. The smell of spaghetti sauce wafted through the house and lasted for days. After dinner, everyone would clean up together until each dish was dried and put away.

Food memories are rich and last a lifetime. Food brings people together in community and allows one to share rich experiences with just a table and a trip to the grocery store. Likewise, art starts conversations, provokes visceral responses, and brings people together. Functional pottery brings these worlds together with a tactile experience that permeates life. This is just a small taste of why Jackie is passionate about both art and food.

She studied fine art at Colorado State University with a concentration in pottery and a minor in creative writing. During that time, she took a year off of school and completed a year of volunteer work with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. While in Americoprs, she met young people from all over the United States from different backgrounds and cultures. This year fostered a love for community and adventure.

Since that time, Jackie has lived in Australia, traveled extensively around Southeast Asia, and visited a handful of countries in Europe. Whenever she travels, her favorite things to do are visit grocery stores, go to art museums, and take cooking classes.

Jackie has an avid sense of adventure, likes to stay active outdoors and busy in the kitchen too. She also loves to write on her blog Happy Go Give. She has two boys, Thomas and Danny and along with her husband Mike, they live in Lafayette, Colorado.