Campaign Website: http://www.jenforva.com/

Campaign POC:
None provided.

Phone Number: (757) 990-3080

Campaign Email:
info@jenforcongress.com

Vetting Panel Selected: Pending

Structured Interview Completed: Pending

Biography: Jen Kiggans, a former Navy pilot who currently serves as a Nurse Practitioner. Jen serves as a primary care provider for a small private practice in Virginia Beach and has worked in several long-term care and nursing facilities in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. In addition to geriatrics, Jen is a passionate advocate for accessibility and affordability of mental health care and mental health screening. She is a voice for our aging population and their families and has the expertise to make an impactful difference in standards of care.

In addition to geriatrics, Jen is a passionate advocate for accessibility and affordability of mental health care and mental health screening. She is a voice for our aging population and their families and has the expertise to make an impactful difference in standards of care.

Jen is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Virginia Geriatrics Society, American Nurses Association, and the American Legion Post 110. She is a recipient of the Boston University Scarlet Key Award for exceptional leadership and is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.

Jen currently lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, Steve, and their four children. She enjoys spending time with her family, baking chocolate chip cookies, and long-distance running. She and her family are members of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Virginia Beach. Her husband is a retired F-18 pilot who retired after 20 years as a Naval Aviator. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Why you? As an everyday citizen who was frustrated with the present political climate, Jen ran for the State Senate because she knew Virginia could do better than the current status quo. Jen has the backs of Virginia’s veterans and the hardworking taxpayers she represents. She is constantly fighting for local job creation, keeping healthcare costs down, and limiting government spending. Jen believes politics is about public service rather than serving one’s self and is honored to serve her constituency in the 7th Senate District. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

What are your priorities?

HEALTHCARE – Healthcare is one of the top priorities for Senator Jen Kiggans. As a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Jen believes all Virginians deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare. Jen will draw on personal experience to bring a professional perspective to Richmond working for those with pre-existing conditions and those most vulnerable among us. Jen believes that we must look for innovative solutions to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. The top priority in the healthcare realm is mental health and accessibility. In her first legislative session, Jen introduced bills to screen for depression in emergency rooms as well as provide a continuum of care for individuals who have had an inpatient psychiatric stay. While there is still work to be done, Jen will continue to lead the fight for mental health care. Jen will continue to work to find solutions for patients and caregivers in long-term care as well as nursing facilities. She proposed legislation that will allow for a study to be conducted on nursing home staffing ratios and what steps can be taken to ensure the best care for our aging populations.

ECONOMY – Senator Kiggans knows that hard work must be coupled with opportunity for upward mobility in order for every resident of the 7th District to have a shot at the American Dream. She’ll work to boost local job growth, support our small businesses, and cut burdensome regulations to continue making Norfolk and Virginia Beach an attractive place to start a business and raise a family. Jen also believes that it is essential to keep the tax burden low for our local businesses to allow them every opportunity to be successful. Hampton Roads is a prosperous region of the Commonwealth with a wide variety of economic drivers and Jen will promote legislation that will allow them to continue to thrive.

VETERANS ISSUES – As a veteran herself, Senator Kiggans knows the challenges those who served our country face when they look to reenter society. Jen will expand job and career training opportunities for our veterans and their spouses. Those who have served our country deserve the best benefits possible as they rejoin the workforce. From healthcare to retirement to education, Jen will fight for the benefits veterans deserve. As both a veteran and a veteran’s spouse, Jen will be an advocate for employment, childcare, and deployment support for spouses of veterans.

PUBLIC SAFETY – Senator Kiggans believes every family should feel safe in their community whether it be at work, home, church, school, or recreational activities. She will always strive to uphold the Constitution which includes protecting citizens’ 2nd amendment rights. Jen will continue to advocate for mental health screening and treatment for our community members who are at risk to themselves or others. Jen will also fight for better pay for our law enforcement officials so that they get the compensation they deserve for their sacrifice to us. First responders and firefighters are local heroes. Jen supports expanded cancer protections for our firefighters and first responders so that we take care of those who protect our communities.

ENVIRONMENT – Senator Kiggans will be an advocate for better community ratings for the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System to allow Virginia Beach and Norfolk families to realize more savings on flood insurance each year. With the Norfolk Naval Base and Joint Base Langley-Eustis providing jobs and housing for tens of thousands of Virginians – not to mention protecting our coast and serving as operations for many active duty military members – we must ensure that these installations are protected from flooding and sea level rise. Jen will fight for these protections. Virginia Beach is now home to two offshore wind power turbines. Jen is a supporter of sustainable and renewable energy such as wind and solar power and will promote the exploration of other common sense alternative power sources. The Chesapeake Bay and Back Bay need protection for our blue crab population to grow and to continue our oyster restoration projects. Jen also supported the now passed legislation that sent control of our Menhaden population back to the professionals and out of the hands of the legislators in Richmond. To protect our environment from pollution and prevent adverse outcomes for our marine mammals, Jen introduced legislation that would have limited the number of balloons that a person can release to a ceremonial 1 instead of the current 49 in a one-hour period.

EDUCATION – Every child, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status deserves a quality education. Jen will fight for the opportunity for every student to have the education he or she deserves in a safe and protected environment. Jen will advocate for improved pay and appropriate benefits for our teachers and support staff who have more and more responsibility placed on their shoulders each year. College must be more affordable and there should be more opportunities for the many young Virginians who are choosing to go to community college or trade schools instead of a four-year university. Jen will tirelessly advocate for more affordable college as well as increased opportunities for expanded community college and vocational training.

FAMILIES – Senator Kiggans will continue to work to provide options other than abortion for women who have unplanned pregnancies. She believes in affordable and quality women’s healthcare including mental healthcare for women. Jen respects life at all ages and is an advocate for not only the unborn, but also for her geriatric patient population and those people who live with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. She will support these individuals as well as their families and caregivers. Jen will continue to ensure Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and our Commonwealth as a whole is a place where families want to stay and raise their children. She will support our growing and thriving local festivals, events, road races, parks, beaches, and entertainment venues. Jen will continue to work to combat domestic violence, fight human trafficking, and crack down on repeat, chronic, and habitual domestic violence offenders while at the same time empowering women with the ability to protect themselves and their children during a crisis and beyond. Jen will advocate to ensure our constitutional right of equality for all while also protecting religious freedoms. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Endorsements: No answer provided.

Education: After earning a degree from Boston University in International Relations, Jen taught English in public high schools in Matsuyama, Japan, for a year before beginning her service to the country in the United States Navy. After the Navy, Jen went back to school using her GI bill to become a board-certified Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. She is a graduate of Old Dominion University’s Nursing School and Vanderbilt University’s Nurse Practitioner program. She is also a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.  (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Relevant Employment History: Jen taught English in public high schools in Matsuyama, Japan, for a year before beginning her service to the country in the United States Navy. She has worked in several long-term care and nursing facilities in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: After completing Navy flight school and being winged as a Naval Aviator in 1995, Jen served for a total of ten years as a helicopter pilot flying H-46 and H-3 helicopters. She completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf. Her husband is a retired F-18 pilot who retired after 20 years as a Naval Aviator. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Past Offices Held and Tenure: Was elected to Virginia’s 7th Senate district seat in November, 2019. The seat was previously held by Senator Frank Wagner and includes parts of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Community Service: Jen serves as a primary care provider for a small private practice in Virginia Beach. In addition to geriatrics, Jen is a passionate advocate for accessibility and affordability of mental health care and mental health screening. She is a voice for our aging population and their families and has the expertise to make an impactful difference in standards of care. Jen is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Virginia Geriatrics Society, American Nurses Association, and the American Legion Post 110. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Leadership Experience: As the current representative of the 7th Senate District, Jen serves on the following Senate Committees: Local Government, Subcommittee on Charters, General Laws and Technology, Subcommittee on Gaming, and Rehabilitation and Social Services. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Jen is a recipient of the Boston University Scarlet Key Award for exceptional leadership and is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Personal Strengths: No answer provided.

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? No answer provided.

How would your friends and family describe you? No answer provided.
 

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? She will always strive to uphold the Constitution which includes protecting citizens’ 2nd amendment rights. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/issues/)

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? Jen will advocate to ensure our constitutional right of equality for all while also protecting religious freedoms. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/issues/)

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? No mention on website or other available information. 

What are your thought on government transparency? No mention on website or other available information. 

What are your thoughts on national defense? Professes to be a strong supporter of veterans. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? Senator Kiggans knows that hard work must be coupled with opportunity for upward mobility in order for every resident of the 7th District to have a shot at the American Dream. She’ll work to boost local job growth, support our small businesses, and cut burdensome regulations to continue making Norfolk and Virginia Beach an attractive place to start a business and raise a family. Jen also believes that it is essential to keep the tax burden low for our local businesses to allow them every opportunity to be successful. Hampton Roads is a prosperous region of the Commonwealth with a wide variety of economic drivers and Jen will promote legislation that will allow them to continue to thrive. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/issues/) 

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Senator Kiggans will continue to work to provide options other than abortion for women who have unplanned pregnancies. However, no mention of stance on abortion itself on website. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? Jen respects life at all ages and is an advocate for not only the unborn, but also for her geriatric patient population and those people who live with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. She will support these individuals as well as their families and caregivers. Jen will continue to ensure Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and our Commonwealth as a whole is a place where families want to stay and raise their children. She will support our growing and thriving local festivals, events, road races, parks, beaches, and entertainment venues. Jen will continue to work to combat domestic violence, fight human trafficking, and crack down on repeat, chronic, and habitual domestic violence offenders while at the same time empowering women with the ability to protect themselves and their children during a crisis and beyond. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/issues/)

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Senator Kiggans knows that hard work must be coupled with opportunity for upward mobility in order for every resident of the 7th District to have a shot at the American Dream. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/issues/)

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? She will always strive to uphold the Constitution which includes protecting citizens’ 2nd amendment rights. (Source: http://www.jenforva.com/about/)

Virginia Constitutional Conservatives Candidate Survey 2022 – CANDIDATE REFUSED TO REPLY TO VCC SURVEY.(https://virginiaconservatives.net/candidate-survey-2022#results_anchor)

Additional sources of information on this candidate:

Virginia Constitutional Conservatives Candidate Survey 2022 – CANDIDATE REFUSED TO REPLY TO SURVEY.(https://virginiaconservatives.net/candidate-survey-2022#results_anchor)