Today we’d like to introduce you to Ta’rena And Tiah Jones
Hi Ta’Rena and Tiah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Our story starts with a brief stop in Temple, TX in December of 1990. From there, we got a one way ticket to Mississippi. We are actually Mississippi natives through and through. Earned bachelor degrees from the greatest university in the nation—The University of Southern Mississippi. With a little magnolia sprinkle, numerous prayer warriors, and determination, we moved to the big city of Dallas. Receiving an invitation for this interview in itself is kind of a big deal for two girls from the Deep South. Fast forward to present day, we are healthcare practitioners navigating big city living! You can pretty much say we are the social butterflies of our group and the glue that usually brings everyone together. Whether we are supporting local events, hosting gatherings, cheering on the Cowboys, or sharing networks, it’s pretty much a lifestyle we have welcomed gracefully.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been easy road. We were both rookies in our respective careers when we moved to Dallas. So navigating careers with bigger institutions and a faster pace was an initial challenge. It took a few trials to get it just right. Aside from work life, simply making and meeting new friends, finding a church home, and finding a social rhythm has kept our city life on a steady pace. Our little family still lives in Mississippi but we have been fortunate enough to find friends here to call family and help us get through the rough patches and unexpected plot twists.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We both work in healthcare! Tiah is a licensed occupational therapist and specializes in geriatrics. I’m mostly known for always being flexible with my day to day operations in order to help the team run smoothly. I am mostly proud of surviving graduate school during the peak of the pandemic. I was an occupational therapy assistant for 5 years and finally decided that I wanted my Master’s degree in 2019. 3 years later, I received my hood from St. Augustine in Austin, TX. Ta’Rena is a medical laboratory scientist. I have worked with all major hospitals in the DFW area and am currently working as a senior laboratory scientist in an oncology clinic. I’m a former travel lab scientist with 10 years of experience so it feels good to be stepping into senior roles.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, we were avid book readers! Our mom introduced us to books and puzzles super early in our childhood. We did a lot of road trips back and forth to Texas when we were younger and that was a great way to keep us occupied. We also loved to dance! Some of our best memories were creating dance routines with our cousins to whatever songs were popular on the radio at the time. Tiah was more reserved growing up and Ta’Rena always the life of the party but together we have always been quite the duo!
