Meet the Trainer: Jess Fortin 

For this month’s meet the trainer interview, we caught up with Jess Fortin, one of Senior Planet’s trainers located up in North Country New York. 

What led you to becoming a Senior Planet trainer?
My friend recruited me to apply at Senior Planet, because she knew how much I love to make people feel empowered to do things. For many years I worked with individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Much of my job was helping them to learn and become more competent with various skills. This meant no day was ever the same, and each person required a different approach. Those skills all translate so well to Senior Planet! It is all about making a connection with our participants, adapting your approach to a manner that they will best understand and be comfortable with, and then just watching them excel!   

My favorite part is watching people gain so much more confidence in themselves and in their abilities!

What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part is watching people gain so much more confidence in themselves and in their abilities! I was so proud when a participant finished a series and told me that she knew she wouldn’t remember everything that we covered, but that she was so much more comfortable and confident and willing to figure things out, rather than giving up!   

What are some of your hobbies/passions outside of work?
Outside of work, I spend my warmer months at camp, kayaking, and hiking as much as I can with my 10-year-old daughter. In the colder months, I am usually curled up somewhere warm reading, crocheting, or scrapbooking. 

What does “aging with attitude” mean to you?
Knowing that you are capable of anything, and never saying that you are too old for anything! 

Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Community and Advocacy Manager. Based in Brooklyn, she is a contributing writer for this site.