Nina is simultaneously the most and least reliable friend from Jess’s childhood. She will reliably out-smart, out-wit, and out-internet you. However, with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fiction, she cannot be trusted when it comes to her storytelling. Nina and Jess competed together in many Math Field Day competitions, Speech tournaments, and Band Spectaculars. Nina usually had the competitive edge, but this may be attributed to her living merely 60 yards away from their high school, whereas Jess had an eight-mile commute and chores on the farm to balance. Nina and her father would pay annual homage to Jess and her father’s labors by being the last family every year to buy a Christmas tree from their farm.

When Jess moved to Boston, and Nina to Brooklyn, the two kept the relationship alive with regular visits. This is how Jess learned that Brooklyn contains way too many people, but yes, the bagels and good banter with a long-time friend make anything worth it.

Nina was recently promoted to Director of Research and Editorial at the New York publishing firm Market Partners International and is privileged to live with her cat Leo.