Board Certified in City, County, and Local Government Law and a Florida Supreme Court County/Circuit Civil Mediator, Jennie began her legal career working with her father as civil and criminal litigators. She went on to join the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office, where she practiced for over 35 years and served as a Chief Assistant of the Countywide Services and Litigation Division for the majority of her career. In one of her most significant career achievements, Jennie was part of the team that secured support for Hillsborough County's quarter-cent indigent health care surtax.
Most recently, she served as the Chief Assistant for the Employment and Regulatory Division of the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office and was part of a team providing labor and employment advice to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, and all departments and agencies of Florida's fourth largest county.
Additionally, Jennie was responsible for:
- Providing legal advice in regulatory areas, such as emergency management, public transportation, animal services, child care licensing, fire rescue, and code enforcement
- Serving as legal counsel for the Hillsborough County Diversity Advisory Council, the Law Library Advisors, CareerSource Tampa Bay, and the Hillsborough County Hospital Authority, a dependent special district, which is the landlord for Tampa General, Hillsborough County's largest hospital
- Reviewing high-level employment contracts for county officials, including the county administrator, Environmental Protection Commission Executive director, and the internal auditor
- Providing advice and negotiation assistance to the chair of the Board of County Commissioners
Jennie has been an officer and served several terms on the Board of Directors for the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers. She also has taken leadership roles in the statewide legal community, including chairing a Florida Bar Grievance Committee and serving on the first Peer Review Committee. She is a Master at the J. Clifford Cheatwood American Inn of Court and has been designated by the Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit to serve on the circuit's Local Professional Panel, which was created by the Florida Supreme Court to resolve matters of unprofessional conduct by lawyers.
Outside the office, Jennie and her husband Rob are avid sports enthusiasts, supporting the Florida Gators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Education
J.D., Oral Roberts University
B.A., University of South Florida
Professional Associations
- Florida Bar, Member
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Member
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Member
- Hillsborough County Hospital Association, General Counsel
- International Municipal Lawyers Association, Board Member
- J. Clifford Cheatwood Inn of Court, Master
- Junior League, Sustainer
- The 13th Judicial Circuit Professionalism Committee, Member
- Leadership & Innovation Forum of Tampa (LIFT), Member
- Tampa Bay Partnership, Talent Working Group, Subcommittee on Education
Honors
- International Municipal Lawyers Association James H. Epps, III Award for Longevity of Service to a Community
- 2019 Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Professionalism Award, Government Sector