Our 2025 Everyday Champion, Jen Elleraas, has built a life around service. By day, she works full-time as Senior Director at a human services company that supports people with disabilities and individuals facing significant mental health, behavioral, or medical challenges. By night, on weekends, and even in moments stolen from her workday, she serves her community as Assistant Chief of Garrison Fire and Rescue - while also finding time to inspire and empower other women to find their own place in the fire service.
A native of the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, Jen didn’t grow up dreaming of being a firefighter, but she was drawn to service and connection early on. After college, she entered the human services field, helping people with disabilities live independently and achieve their goals, and she immediately fell in love with the work. “I’ve always been drawn to supporting people, helping them see possibilities they didn’t know were there,” Jen says.
That same drive eventually led her somewhere unexpected. After transitioning from city life to small-town lake life in Garrison, MN, she attended a local National Night Out event and struck up a conversation with firefighters about medical responder opportunities. Though she never imagined herself as a firefighter, encouragement from others pushed her to give it a try. “Without that encouragement, I don’t think I would have done it,” she recalls. That single conversation set her on a path she never expected - one that would transform her life and enrich her community.
Finding Her Calling
Jen soon discovered that firefighting wasn’t just about responding to emergencies - it was about trust, teamwork, and being there for people when it mattered most. “You never know what the next call will bring, but you know your community is counting on you,” she says.
Firefighting in a rural community requires versatility. For Jen, it’s not just fires - her responsibilities include medical emergencies, ice and water rescues, vehicle extrications, and responding to the unexpected tragedies that strike close to home. “You’re there for someone in one of the worst moments of their life. It’s an honor and a huge responsibility,” she explains.
Balancing life as a volunteer firefighter is no small feat. Between family commitments, a full-time leadership role, and unpredictable call schedules, Jen has learned the importance of mental health, peer support, and strong networks. Mentoring others, participating in critical incident debriefings, and leaning on groups like the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE) – where she also became a Peer Supporter in 2023 - help her maintain resilience. “Firefighting is as much about caring for each other as it is about responding to emergencies,” she says. This commitment to caring for others is also what drives her to lift up and inspire the next generation of firefighters.
Turning Passion into Action
For Jen, serving others doesn’t end with responding to calls - it extends to creating opportunities for others to find belonging in the fire service. That passion took shape as Women Explore Fire Day - a groundbreaking initiative designed to break barriers and spark curiosity among women who may have never considered firefighting before.
“Currently, only about 9% of firefighters nationwide are women,” Jen says. “There’s still a perception that you need to fit a certain mold to be a firefighter, and that’s true to a certain extent. It requires a lot of hard work and dedication, so I wouldn’t say it’s a calling for everyone. But everyone deserves an opportunity to learn more about it and make their own choice.”
Held in partnership with the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, the Minnesota State Fire Department Association, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division of Public Safety, the event invites women from across the state to experience what it’s really like to serve. Through hands-on activities like hose handling, car extrication, and medical response scenarios, participants get to step into the boots of firefighters in a supportive, judgment-free environment.
Mentorship is a central component, with current firefighters guiding participants and showing them that capability - not gender - defines a firefighter. “The goal is to give women the confidence to try, explore, and discover something they didn’t know was possible,” Jen explains.
At its heart, Women Explore Fire Day is about more than recruitment. It’s about connection and confidence. Jen and her team of mentors help participants uncover strengths they didn’t know they had and see themselves in new ways. “Whether they leave wanting to become firefighters or simply feeling stronger and more capable, it’s a success,” she says.
Through Women Explore Fire Day, Jen has seen participants gain skills, confidence, and a new sense of possibility. Her work reflects the mentorship and leadership she has received throughout her career and underscores her belief that inclusion strengthens both the fire service and the community.
Mentorship and Leadership
Mentorship has been central to Jen’s journey, both as a recipient and a provider. Early influences include Steve Jenson, her first mentor at her day job, who showed her the importance of believing in others’ potential and giving people the confidence to step into challenges. Her fire mentors - Chief Chip Lohmiller, Deputy Chief Jory Danielson, and Chief Judy Thill - taught her that courage, composure, and decisive action often come from the quiet support of those who believe in you. From each of them, Jen learned that leadership is not about authority - it’s about lifting others up, recognizing their strengths, and guiding them to see possibilities they might not have considered. These lessons now form the foundation of how she mentors and leads her own teams.
Jen’s leadership style reflects these core values: servant leadership, inclusivity, safety, and growth. She fosters confidence and competence in her teams, ensuring everyone feels seen and empowered. “It’s about identifying strengths, nurturing passion, and creating space for people to grow,” she says.
Assistant Chief Jen Elleraas (center) at a training event with mentors Chief Chip Lohmiller (left) and Deputy Chief Jory Danielson (right).
Reflections on Life, Service, and Giving Back
Life changes have shaped Jen’s journey as both a firefighter and community advocate, teaching her adaptability, patience, and resilience. Moves, career transitions, and family responsibilities have all demanded balance - and through them, she’s learned that service often means showing up even when life feels full. Balancing firefighting with personal life, she experiences both the weight of local tragedies and the joy of helping neighbors in need.
For Jen, giving back is not just a responsibility - it’s a calling. Through Women Explore Fire Day, mentorship, and community engagement, she turns her experiences into opportunities for others to thrive. Her story demonstrates that following unexpected passions can lead to profound change - and that advocacy, mentorship, and empowerment are as vital as the skills one brings to any role.
As Peter Tiezzi, General Manager of Motorsports for Whelen Engineering, says:
“Jen’s dedication to service and her initiative to bring more women into the fire service is inspiring. She embodies what it means to lead with passion and purpose, and we’re proud to celebrate her as an Everyday Champion.”
Jen encourages others to explore, volunteer, and challenge themselves: “You never know where a spark of curiosity will lead. Take it, embrace it, and let it grow into something bigger than yourself.”
We’re excited to celebrate Jen’s achievements at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 21, where she will join a distinguished list of past honorees in the Whelen Hall of Champions. Her story is a reminder that one person’s passion can open doors for many, inspiring others to step up, serve, and lead.