Jenna Vagias has always been a problem solver, bringing a collaborative and solution-oriented mindset to her years of work with nonprofit organizations. Still, it wasn’t until August 2023 that she embarked on a role that would unite the threads of her professional and personal journeys into a meaningful mission. As director of the Blaine County Mental Well-Being Initiative, Vagias is at the helm of an audacious effort that reimagines how mental well-being is conceived and nurtured—a mission that requires problem-solving in spades.
Vagias’s collaborative spirit shone on the turf at Plymouth State University, where she spent four years on the varsity field hockey squad and majored in exercise science and health. Playing sports reinforced for her the power of teamwork and offered lessons that would prove invaluable throughout her career. After graduation, Vagias worked as an athletic trainer and coach while teaching anatomy and physiology, using skills honed on the field to connect with students and athletes.
She then pursued a master’s degree in education administration and specialized in outdoor education to help others find belonging and strength through physical movement and connection to the outdoors. “For me, physical health and a love of the outdoors have always been intricately connected,” Vagias said. “I’ve always wanted to share those passions with others.” She did just that in her next role as athletic director at a private boarding school, building community within teams of coaches and students and deepening her belief in movement as a tool for well-being.
During a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, she met a kindred spirit in her husband, Wade. They spent a month rock climbing and backpacking together, bonding over their commitment to outdoor adventure and connection. As Wade pursued a career with the National Park Service, Vagias found and thrived in diverse roles across the country that aligned with her focus on health.
While her husband earned his Ph.D. at Clemson University, Vagias was a coordinator and instructor in the university’s outdoor program. She taught rock climbing, backpacking, and other classes while overseeing program administration and safety protocols. The role blended her organizational leadership skills with her continued desire to connect young people to the outdoors, setting the stage for her later work in community wellness.
Wade’s next role brought the couple to Yellowstone National Park, this time with their young daughter, Brooke, in tow. Vagias spent four years as a program manager with Yellowstone Forever, an experiential field-based educational organization. There, she deepened her understanding of the transformative power of outdoor learning as she oversaw immersive, field-based programs and found yet another way to share her love of the outdoors with others.
Following Wade’s appointment as superintendent of several sites in Idaho, the family relocated to the Wood River Valley, where Vagias was soon hired as Director of Recreation at the Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD). This position placed her at the heart of community wellness programming during some of the most challenging times in recent memory.
“The COVID-19 pandemic tested every aspect of community resilience,” Vagias recalled. “At the BCRD, we were on the front lines of figuring out how to provide essential services when traditional support systems collapsed. When schools shut down, the BCRD continued to operate its daycare while navigating the unprecedented challenges of pandemic response.” For Vagias, this period highlighted the fragility and strength of community support systems and proved to be a valuable experience for her current role.
A prevailing sense of uncertainty and prolonged isolation due to the pandemic also brought concerns about mental wellness to the forefront for many people. As a mother, it was even more top of mind for Vagias, who said that parenthood helped her become more aware of the complexity of the human experience.
“When I was younger, I was so focused on physical health,” she noted. “I struggled with depression in my teens and 20s but hadn’t yet learned to prioritize or focus on my mental and emotional well-being. My evolution and journey are personal, but by no means do I think they’re unique.”
In 2023, Vagias found herself at a crossroads, reflecting on her experiences and wondering what the second half of her professional life should look like. She knew she wanted to support the community’s nonprofits in some capacity, using her administrative talents and community-building skills in service of something larger than herself. What happened next felt almost spiritual in its timing.
“I didn’t know exactly what this theoretical job would be,” she recalled, “but it was almost as if I manifested the ad the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation put in the paper. They were looking for a part-time contractor to lead a collaborative community effort in mental health. The role seemed like a way to bring together my professional and personal experiences and help drive meaningful change through collaboration.”
It’s also been a way to give back to the community that Vagias and her family love. “I think I’m doing exactly what I should be doing,” she said. “I’m passionate about this work and am immensely grateful I can help my community while raising my daughter in a place that values movement, nature, and mental health.”