Jennifer is an award-winning writer, editor, and teacher. She’s the author of four collections of poems, a collection of short stories, a biography, and a novel, and she has edited or co-edited five volumes of poetry, essays, and stories.

She grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, graduating from Hendrix College, and for many years has lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and, from 2017-2021, served as Alabama’s Poet Laureate.

In 2025, she was awarded the Hall-Waters Prize for Excellence in Southern Writing. 

Her work focuses on identity, memory, and place, often seen through the lens of nature. She believes in the power of poetry to connect people, create meaning, provide solace, give joy, and honor mystery.