During her studies at UCLA, Jeannie became intrigued with human-computer communication and acquainted herself with the Internet. She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with a BA in Mass Communication in 1992, earning highest honors in her department for her thesis, "Gender Role Representation in Toy Commercials" and recognition for her work in game design and collective behavior. Jeannie later graduated with honors with an MA in Communication Management from USC, where she focused on massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) as online distance learning applications.
     In late 1993, Jeannie realized that the newly developed World Wide Web was destined to become a global promotion and delivery system--empowering independent creative professionals and allowing them to promote themselves, distribute their work, and make industry contacts. Early in 1994, she founded Kaleidospace, and she designed and programmed the Kspace web site. (The company and site were renamed Indiespace in 1999.) Now the home of over 750 independent artists, musicians, filmmakers, authors, and game developers, the site was the first to sell an independently-produced CD online -- and it was one of the first to promote and distribute interactive entertainment online.