Jeanne graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in December 1977 with a B.S. Ed. degree in French. She taught junior high French and English and community college adult business education courses in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where her son Chris was born in 1984. Jeanne and her family moved to Alaska later that year, where daughter Emily was born in 1986. In 1989, Jeanne and children moved to Jackson, Wyoming, where she found work at a small law firm. She spent her entire 14 years in Jackson working at the law firm, primarily as a real estate and litigation paralegal. She obtained her Certified Legal Assistant designation in 1994, followed by specialty certifications in Real Estate and Civil Litigation. Jeanne married Wayne Heim in 1994, and together they launched Wayne’s successful painting business in Teton County, Wyoming.
Community involvement was second nature to Jeanne and her family. She was a member of the Jackson Hole Kiwanis from 1996-2003 and was the Key Club advisor at Jackson Hole High School for 5 years. She and Wayne were active with Wyoming Special Olympics, and she served 6 years as the state Winter Games Director. Jeanne has been a member of Legal Assistants of Wyoming since 1994 and is a past president and regional director. Wayne and Jeanne also participated in numerous volunteer activities at the Jackson Elks Lodge 1713, where Wayne was an officer for many years. Jeanne was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1998 and Elks Citizen of the Year in 2002.
In 2000, Jeanne was encouraged by the outgoing Mayor of Jackson to run for that open position. Demonstrating that one vote really can make a difference, she prevailed by just 13 votes out of 4,000 cast and became the first woman mayor since Jackson’s famous “all woman” Town Council of 1920. She was an active liaison to the Jackson/Teton County Fire Department, the Jackson Hole Community Recycling Board, and St. John’s Hospital Board, and she was the Town representative on the Board of Directors of the local non-profit PAWS (support group for the animal shelter).
Jeanne decided to step back from elected office after her first 2-year term to spend time with her daughter until she finished high school. In 2003, the family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, where Jeanne became the Executive Director of the Selkirk Association of REALTORS®. She was Vice President of her Leadership Sandpoint class of 2004 and the Leadership representative on the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Jeanne was selected as the Executive Director of the Idaho Real Estate Commission in September 2006, and she and her family relocated to the Treasure Valley. Wayne and Jeanne chose Eagle as their home because of its small town atmosphere and the ability to live within walking and biking distance of the library and downtown businesses. They can often be found hiking in the foothills or throwing the stick for their dog Wilbur at the River behind Merrill Park.
You can contact Jeanne by email here.