Dr. Jennifer Fortune

     Dr Jennifer Fortune’s family has been from Okaloosa County since the mid 1700’s. Her grandmother got her first pair of shoes at the age of 21, put down her cotton picking sack and walked to Tallahassee to go to FSU and get and education. She married MA Fortune who was the Okaloosa county superintendent of education for many years. Jennifer’s father and mother met each other when they were both in the FSU circus. He was a famous clown and was featured in Life magazine. Jennifer went to high school at Choctawhatchee, graduating 21st in a class of 600. She was Florida’a Junior Miss and went to college on a full scholarship.  She decided to become a veterinarian in spite of her high school guidance counselor advising her to learn to type because all girls eventually became secretaries. Her refusal to type more than 10 words a minute had to be overcome when she started writing.    Dr. Fortune graduated with a triple major from UF in Zoology, Chemistry and Mathematics. She was a research director for the neonatal intensive care unit at UAB in the interim before veterinary school. She declined to go to medical school and insisted on continuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She had a child her second and last year of vet school. She came back to her home in Okaloosa county and bought Niceville Animal Clinic in 1987. She moved the clinic to its current location in 1992. She has been a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for 20 years and has treated thousands of wild animals at no charge.  She started New Beginnings Animal Sanctuary about 15 years ago. She lives in Niceville with her husband, Thomas Nalovic and 5 children.