PERSONAL HISTORY

Jelena was born in Tucson, Arizona, and moved to Colorado Springs in the fourth grade. She has an identical twin sister and an older sister. She grew up playing soccer, camping, and water skiing. She graduated from Air Academy High School. Growing up, Jelena was always giving back to the community and volunteering.

Jelena knew since she was in middle school that she wanted to work in the healthcare field. She became a certified nursing assistant as an undergraduate while working at a local hospital in the cardiovascular unit. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, with a bachelor's of science in human biology.

She met her husband in high school, and they married during her undergraduate studies. They moved temporarily to Denver so Jelena could complete her master’s in physician assistant studies at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She then worked in family practice for several years with a special interest in dermatology. She is excited to join the medical team at Vanguard.

In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, and spending time with her husband, two sons, friends, and family.