Jean is a proud and happy mother of three and an Assistant Professor at the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod, where she has been teaching economics, communications, and popular culture courses for the last seven years. She was a fellow of the 5th Barlaya Writing for Children Workshop (2006), the 2000 and 2002 DLSU-USLS Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Workshops, as well as the 2002 UP Likhaan Creative Writing Workshop.  She won her first PBBY-Salanga Prize in 2004 for Papa's House, Mama's House, and her second with Tight Times in 2007. She is based in Bacolod, where she lives with her three treasures — Anthea, Paolo, and Beatrice.