Jean was born and brought up on the Gower Peninsula but has spent nearly 40 years living, with her husband Andy, in Mid Glamorgan. She trained as a general nurse in Swansea and practised as a theatre nurse in Wales and London. She has held positions in nurse education, at the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (professional regulator), Health Professions Wales and Welsh Government. She was the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales and senior adviser to Welsh Government between Oct 2010 – April 2021. She was appointed High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan County on 30 March 2023. She is currently: Visiting Professor of Nursing at University of South Wales; Independent Council Member at Bangor University; Panel Judge for the national St David Awards; Trustee of the South Wales Police Youth Awards; and Trustee of St John Ambulance Cymru.
Jean holds several academic and professional fellowships: Fellow of Swansea University, Fellow of Bangor University, Fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Midwives. She was awarded a CBE in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday’s Honours list and became a Member of the Order of St John in 2018. She was awarded the Welsh Government’s civil service Lifetime Achievement award in 2021 and in 2023 was recognised by the Nursing Times as one of the 75 most influential UK nurses in the last 75 years.