Dr. Jennifer Pena and her husband Dr. Brenton R. Franklin spend effort and time rescuing canines of their dwelling of San Juan, Puerto Rico. As with every trigger that one could be keen about, there are some days which can be more durable 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 hassle worthwhile.
“We’re huge rescuers,” she shared. “We’ve got a big stray inhabitants, and my Grandmama taught me to feed and maintain the strays,”
She met Brenton within the army, and their frequent bond of service in each army and drugs has stored them collectively since.
“He really simply received out of the army in July of this 12 months. He’s a common 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 woman, 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 part else in her life, she dedicated much more, finally changing into a member of the Puerto Rico nationwide workforce. As a finweight competitor, she earned a number of native, state, and nationwide awards.
Pena shared about her time competing, “You realize 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 develop 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 area 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, however it’s not just like the idea of service was international 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 resolution to make.”
Pena entered energetic responsibility in 2008 after graduating from the College of Pittsburgh Faculty of Drugs. That dedication to service and medical faculty would permit her to not solely assist these she served with, however it led her to breaking down obstacles. After working in Fort Belvoir’s new hospital, she could be nominated and accepted to function a doctor within the White Home Medical Unit beneath each Presidents Obama and Trump. Unbeknownst to her at the moment, she was breaking obstacles for Latina women all over the place. Pena was the primary Latina to serve the White Home as a doctor. It wasn’t ever a purpose she pursued, nor was it spoken about in an enormous method. 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 one in every 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 providers. 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 skilled 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 one in every 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 wish to make an analogous affect on their communities, nation, and even the world.
“It’s a must to see one to be one. I believe that’s essential to me since you’re sheltered a bit in Puerto Rico, and also you don’t see that illustration at these ranges. Should you don’t see people who appear to be you, you may’t see your self in these positions. For me, it was Antonia Novello, who was Surgeon Basic. So, to the younger woman studying this, now you see it. You may be it.”
Observe Pena @jennifer.m.pena on Instagram
