A natural comedienne, Jenifer first debuted on stage in Columbus, Ohio while still in grade school, appearing in the children's musical "The Clown and His Circus" in which she cast in the comedic role of Fluffy. And throughout the Eighties and Nineties, she was cast in a variety of other roles, including being cast as the comedic Hot Box dancer, Mimi, in Frank Loesser's musical comedy "Guys and Dolls." This was followed by being cast in the Lead Role of Princess Winnifred in the musical comedy "Once Upon a Mattress," the same musical which launched Carol Burnett's career on Broadway. Other highlights include appearing on stage in Tokyo in the primary role of Miss Furnival in the ICU production of Peter Shaffer's "The Black Comedy."

After having lived, traveled, and performed in many parts of the world, including London and Tokyo, Jenifer moved to Chicago in 1996 and has since considered it her "Sweet Home Chicago." She deeply respects the great musical heritage Chicago has with its Blues and Jazz roots. And it was in Chicago that she came upon a "sleeper" of a Jazz School called the Bloom School of Jazz, taught and run by the brilliant sage of a Jazz instructor, the legendary David Bloom. The school's saying of "Life Gets Better with Jazz" has definitely rung true for Jenifer as her repertoire of 400+ Jazz Standards has expanded and been influenced through studying and listening to the works of such Jazz greats as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Mel Torme, and Ella Fitzgerald.

The Vocalists who have influenced Jenifer and her style the most include: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Mel Torme, and Joe Williams. And the Composers who have impressed her the most are the ones who were popular during the 1920's, 30's, and 40's in creating wonderful and timeless "Words and Music." These "Tin Pan Alley" Composers she admires most include Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and Dorothy Fields.

Since 1999, Jenifer has been gigging steadily on the local Chicago Jazz circuit, as well as appearing in Columbus, Ohio and New York. In 2000, she made her first recording of Jazz standards with the Jo Ann Daugherty Trio. That same year, she also made her New York debut at Don't Tell Mama's, performing a variety of Jazz standards by Gershwin, Porter, and Mercer. Musical projects in 2001 included a Duets show of Jazz standards which premiered in New York with Jazz vocalist KJ; and a Cabaret show which paid homage to Ethel Merman, Bea Lillie, and Marlene Dietrich - debuting in Chicago. And in 2002, she formed an Electric Blues band with some very talented musicians met through OTS. They've performed in a variety of venues in Chicago, including performances at Buddy Guy's Legends. At the end of 2002, Jenifer began recording a full-length Jazz CD, to be completed in by the Summer of 2003. In addition, she has also been invited by several overseas festivals and venues to perform with Jazz combos, such as in London, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Since embarking on her Jazz Vocal career, Jenifer has had the pleasure of working with many wonderful and talented Jazz musicians, including the Steve Million Trio, the Ryan Cohan Trio, the Jo Ann Daugherty Trio, New York-based pianist Joe Cross, The Sound and the Fury Swing Band, saxophonist Rich Faludi, pianist Brad Williams, and bassist Mike Maretia. And some of the venues she has performed at include: Andy's Jazz Club, Buddy Guy's Legends, The Pump Room of the Ambassador East Hotel, Lush Life, Rumors Jazz, Bluepoint Oyster Bar, House of Blues, Gentry's, Palettes, Don't Tell Mama, Pheasant Run Resort, and the Chicago Folks and Roots Festival 2000.

And as a member of the IAJE (International Association for Jazz Education) and IWJ (International Women in Jazz), Jenifer had the pleasure of attending her first IAJE event, the prestigious 28th Annual IAJE Conference, held in NY in 2001 and attended by over 8,000 Jazz musicians/aficionados from around the world. Some of the Jazz luminaries she interacted with and heard from include: Wynton Marsalis, Quincy Jones, Dr. Billy Taylor, Randy Weston, Jackie McLean, John Lewis, Randy Brecker, John McNeil, Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman, Janis Siegel, and Cassandra Wilson. She also attended the IAJE events in Long Beach, CA in 2002 and the one in Toronto, Canada in 2003. This continues to be an excellent forum for world-class Jazz musicians to meet, exchange ideas, and jam!

Jenifer has proven herself to have a keen ear for great Jazz music. And through her ongoing listening to as many different interpretations as possible of great Jazz recordings, she has developed a knack for unearthing relatively unknown and underappreciated Jazz tunes - ones that keep the Jazz musicians she works with delightfully challenged. Her performances are filled with emotional warmth and depth, intelligence, and a spontaneous sense of humor, through carefully chosen songs spanning a wide variety of moods, grooves, and tempos. These songs are pulled not only from the great traditional American Songbook, but also from the Blues, Latin Jazz, and most recently French and German cabaret.