Jean-Ann is a member of the Queen's Law 1984 class. She was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and grew up in Ottawa. She obtained a B.A. in English and Politics at Queen's University and then her Law degree. She had the privilege of playing on the varsity squash team at Queen's. She articled at the law firm of Mason MacLeod Lyle Smith in Calgary and then practised at the law finn of Reed Donahue for four years in the areas of corporate, commercial real estate and criminal law. In 1989 she established her own law firm and practices primarily real estate law. She is married to Bob Rooney and together they have six children.