She is a climatologist responsible for the development and maintenance of the Enhanced Drought Information System (EDIS), the drought monitoring framework used in NSW.  She is also involved in a broader program of drought research, using models, sensors, and remote sensing to help increase stakeholders' preparedness and awareness of drought risk.

Jennifer has a PhD from ANU in terrestrial paleoclimatology, and a MS from SUNY Stony Brook in marine paleoclimatology, during both of which she reconstructed past climate using natural archives such as cave deposits and ocean sediments.  Her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan is in Earth Systems Science .