Jennifer Mishra née Patten was raised in Fort Morgan and graduated from Fort Morgan High School. Her family has lived in Fort Morgan for three generations, coming to the area in the early 20th century from Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. Many members of her family still reside and own businesses in Fort Morgan. She attended the University of Northern Colorado and Kent State University. Through her career, she has been an Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Houston and the University of Missouri. She currently resides near St. Louis, Missouri with her husband Michael.