Since 2009, Jane F. Harrison has been a devoted and respected prevention specialist and health care navigator with Mountain Projects Inc. in Waynesville, North Carolina. The organization functions as a community action agency, with a board of directors consisting of representatives from three distinct groups: low-income and underserved populations, other community organizations, and local elected officials. With the goal of advancing the welfare of the citizens of Haywood and Jackson Counties, Mountain Projects Inc. seeks to address the social, economic, educational, health, and environmental needs of the people by providing vital services to the elderly, disadvantaged citizens, and others in the public at large.
For her exceptional work with Mountain Projects Inc. and beyond, Ms. Harrison was applauded as an inductee at the North Carolina Community Action Conference 2023 Hall of Fame Awards ceremony held that spring. Moreover, she was recognized by Mountain Projects Inc. with the Director’s Award of Excellence in 2018. Ms. Harrison leverages her expertise in navigating the Affordable Care Act to help those in her community. Known as an empathetic person, she strives to understand others’ perspectives and help them make the best decisions possible for themselves. Rather than dictating the best courses of action, she aims to guide others to make choices that benefit them.
All of Ms. Harrison’s prior professional experience has involved educating others. She enjoys providing people with information in an easily understandable way and remains passionate about her profession even after decades. In preparation for her career pursuits, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a master’s degree in geography. For more than a decade, Ms. Harrison worked with a children’s advocacy center and spent subsequent years holding numerous educational positions. From 1970 to 1984, she shared her knowledge as a college professor with Minnesota State University Moorhead. Later, in 1996, she began working with Kids Advocacy Resource Effort, where she spent more than a decade before starting her current position at Mountain Projects Inc.
Throughout her career, Ms. Harrison has been grateful for the mentorship of Patsy Davis, the director of Mountain Projects Inc., and Alison Lee, the director of the Children’s Advocacy Center where she spent more than a decade. Ms. Harrison notes that the health care industry is becoming increasingly challenging to navigate due to its emphasis on profit over care. To her, the focus will always be providing care, helping people, and building strong connections until the day she decides to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, possibly within a decade.