Jenni Ghekiere-Dacus, AGACNP-BC

Jenni Ghekiere-Dacus, AGACNP-BC grew up in a small community in northcentral Montana and was involved in athletics from a young age. Her interest in healthcare stemmed from the ways in which her community helped and gave back to one another. Jenni wanted to find a unique way to give back to those around her and felt a career in nursing was an opportunity to make that happen.

Jenni received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. She began her nursing career in the Emergency Department and remained in this specialty for two years. From there, Jenni began working at an ambulatory orthopedic surgery center where she found her passion for the orthopedic specialty; she remained in this setting for roughly two and a half years. She enjoyed the encounters she had with these surgical patients, along with knowing these orthopedic procedures would help them return to their activities of daily living, and the hobbies they loved most.

Jenni began her master’s degree at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA in the adult gerontology acute care track in the Fall of 2020. Shortly after starting her master’s degree, she and her husband moved to Illinois for her husband’s collegiate swim coaching career. It was at this time Jenni transitioned into the ICU setting to get a foundation of knowledge in critical care while she completed her Nurse Practitioner training. The acute care focus of her master’s program allowed her to return to the surgical setting and settle back into the orthopedic specialty.

Hobbies: Jenni enjoys getting together with family and friends, any activities that allow her to get outdoors, working out, and traveling.

Family: Jenni has been married to her husband, Jake, since July of 2019. They have two cats – Bentley and Nala, and two dogs – Maggie and Duke.