Jenna Byrd is a 2010 VYP Advisory Council member and works for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada.

1. Where are you from originally?
   I was born in Kentucky, but spent a little time in Colorado. My father was in the military, so I actually grew up in Japan; when we came back to the states, I lived in Colorado. 
2. What college did you attend?
   I went to college at Boston University with a BS in Business Administration.
3. What are your interests outside of work and VYP?
   Outside of VYP I like to volunteer. I'm a big sister for BBBS, I volunteer for Candlelighters and volunteer for walks/runs. I love to cook and entertain small groups. I like to bake and go hiking at Red Rock. Currently, I spend a lot of my time remodeling/painting my new house!
4. Who (living or dead) would you most like to meet, and why?
   I would like to meet Punky Brewster because she's always so happy and makes the most out of the situation. She had a cool dog, a lot of friends and always found a way to make a bad situation good. She was one of my really great childhood memories.
5. What is your favorite book?
   "Eat Pray Love" because the author was so great at telling the story that it made me laugh out loud. It was a really great book, and I learned to appreciate the entertainment value in reading; she was a great author and I'd like to read more of her books.
6. What is your favorite movie?
   My favorite movie is "What About Bob." It goes back to my childhood (I had a really good childhood) when my best friend and I would always watch it; we'd pause and rewind (back in the day when we had VCRs). We would watch the movie over and over and laugh hysterically at it.
7. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
   When I was younger, I'm embarrassed to say, but I'll share... I wanted to be a cashier at the grocery store or work at the bank. I used to run a lot of errands with my mom, and I thought it was so cool that people who signed her check wrote in cursive. I would go home and pretend to write like them, make my own checks, etc. I actually made my parents buy me a grocery playset, and I'd make the ::boop:: sound when you scan groceries. Back when they had scales for produce, the cashiers had to key in the numbers by hand, and I thought that was an awesome skill; I would pretend to do that at home, too.
8. What is your proudest accomplishment?
   My proudest accomplishment was junior year at BU. Everyone had to take this class called CORE. It's an intense business class where you come up with a business model, market your product or service; you're with your group (about 7 people) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all your classes are with them, plus meetings after school, etc. It's a really hard sememster for a lot of kids, and many don't do well. However, my team and I were able to do very well and I made the Dean's List that year. The school SMG (School of Management) has a very good undergraduate business program, so that was something I was very proud of, especially because I made Dean's list. I think it proved to me that when things get difficult, that's when I do my best.
9. What is your favorite VYP memory?
   My favorite VYP memory was Golfworking, where we mixed golf with networking. I think it was my favorite because it was very casual, laid back and it was during the day. People were able to get out there and do something they really enjoyed and then there was a social networking aspect afterward. I think it brought out a lot of people who wouldn't normally come to a mixer, BLT or BUS 101. The environment was very casual and informal.
10. Do you have any advice for fellow VYP members or local young professionals?
    My advice for current VYP members and interested VYPers is just to get involved. There are a ton of things that we're doing with the group; also, not to be intimidated. I think that everyone has something to offer VYP, so if you can just get involved in some way, shape or form, whether it's being an Ambassador, serving on a committee or just being a more active member. VYP has done so much for me professionally and personally. I've made a lot of great friends and that would have never happened if someone didn't push me and encouraged me to get involved. Hopefully, you all will do the same thing.