Historian. LCSW. Cyclist. Former Triathlete. Native New Yorker. Smart Ass. Presidential History Nerd. Brain Surgery Survivor. #chiarimalformation

Born, raised and educated in New York City. Proud graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. I have a BA in History and a MSW in Clinical Social Work from New York University. Since 2000, I’ve been hanging my hat in Sacramento, California.

Things I am really into: traveling, history, US Presidential history, Revolutionary War history, comedy, improv, live music, dining out, watching sports, long conversations, reading and wine collecting. I am a cyclist because I can only think when I am moving.

I am most excited about the fact that I re-ignited my interest in history after my first trip to DC as an adult in 2012. I started reading history books again and in April 2013, I embarked on a project, to read one biography for each of the 44 U.S. Presidents. After I got done with the Presidential biographies, I went into a deep-dive into the Revolutionary War period. The more I read, the more I want to learn. History is a very addictive hobby.

I’m crazy for live music. I’ve seen Elvis Costello 12 times. When I lived in NYC, I was a regular at Black 47‘s weekly shows. I was honored to be in attendance at their final concert in NYC, November 2014.

From 2005 to 2014, I had my own psychotherapy practice in Sacramento. After nearly a decade of solo practice, I grew tired of doing therapy and decided I needed a challenge and decided to learn something new. I closed my practice and I began teaching for a short period of time. That was kind of cool. I work full time with the military these days. I like what I do.

In 2017, I had posterior fossa decompression surgery for Chiari 1.5 malformation that was diagnosed in 2016. Brain surgery is intense. I’m better now, but it certainly was a life changing experience. You can ask me about it. I don’t mind.

The rest remains unwritten.

Jackie on Twitter