Wake up with Jenn and Mark in the Morning on River 97.3! Producer Matt brings you the latest news and sports, and WMBD 31’s Karissa Sanford will get you dressed for work with your local weather forecast. Plus, Jenn and Mark will have all the juicy gossip on your favorite celebs, chances to win fantastic prizes, local birthdays and of course the hottest country music!! Jenn and Mark in the Morning weekdays from 5-9am on River 97.3!
Jenn grew up in Heyworth, Illinois. When she was 8 years old, she participated in the “Youth Radio” program on B104 in Bloomington, and returned to B104 as a weekend DJ when she was 16. After high school, Jenn moved to Charleston, Illinois and attended Eastern Illinois University where she wore many hats at the student radio station, Hit-Mix 88.9 WEIU, including co-hosting the morning show during her junior and senior years. Jenn graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. After college, Jenn returned to Radio Bloomington and worked in the traffic department (that’s scheduling commercials…not honk honk traffic, hehe) and worked weekends at B104. In 2008, she moved to Joplin, Missouri to co-host Morning KIX on KIX 102.5. Jenn returned home to Central Illinois in 2010 to join the River 97.3 family in Peoria.
One of Jenn’s favorite things to do is give back, and she’s accomplished that in many ways. While in Joplin, she helped raise money for Children’s Miracle Network during their annual Radiothon, spent 24 hours living high above the trees in the basket of a pink crane to support the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, worked with athletes at Special Olympics games and volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Here in Peoria Jenn has participated in the American Diabetes Association Walk to Cure Diabetes, Advocates For Access Wheel-A-Thon, American Cancer Society Relay For Life, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk MS, American Heart Association Heart Walk, Special Olympics Polar Plunge, St. Jude Children's Hospital Dream Home Giveaway and Give Thanks Walk, helped with Big Brothers Big Sisters' Bowl For Kids Sake, was the "dunkee" for the Crittenton Center's Kids Day dunk tank, wrapped Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army, volunteered at OSF St. Francis Medical Center delivering cards to patients, arranged a flight with Lifeline Pilots to deliver items to Joplin tornado victims, coordinated the annual Santa For Seniors gift drive with Heartland Apartments, and the Children’s Hospital of Illinois Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear Drive.
Jenn is a HUGE country music fan, and loves going to concerts and live shows. In fact, she’s had the amazing opportunity to meet many of her favorite country artists including Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Brooks & Dunn, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, George Jones, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, The Band Perry, Craig Morgan, and her ultimate favorite…BLAKE SHELTON!
Jenn is a TV junkie and will not answer her phone during Jersey Shore (it’s a sickness really) or Grey’s Anatomy. In fact, after watching, you may find her doing shots with her cat or attempting to give her friends medical advice. She is proud to call herself a Gleek, (fan of the show Glee) a Foodie (obsessed with the Food Network) and a Twi-hard (fan of Twilight) and is sure that one day she will marry Christian Grey (50 Shades of Grey) despite his being a fictional character. She also aspires to be a wizard (ala Harry Potter) a Broadway star, (ala Kristen Chenoweth) a Sea World trainer (Shamu is just awesome), and the next white-water kayaking Olympic Gold medalist (is that even an event?) Want to know more? (and trust us there's plenty of it) Listen to Jenn and Mark in the Morning weekdays from 5-9am on River 97.3!