Prior to joining The John Carroll School's Athletics program, Jelen-Joy served as a special education teacher and assistant coach with the Aberdeen High School Varsity Swim team. During that same time, she also served as head coach for the Emmorton Barracudas in the Harford County Swim League. A strong swimmer in her own right, Jelen-Joy competed in the Harford County Swim League for 10 years as a member of the Joppatowne TigerSharks. In high school, she was named a Maryland State Qualifier all four years at Joppatowne. Jelen-Joy also excelled on the lacrosse field, playing three seasons of NCAA Division III lacrosse with Notre Dame of Maryland University. Jelen-Joy graduated from NDMU in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in English and again in 2017 with a Master's Degree in Education.