When the housing bubble started to burst, Jasmin Rippon’s position with the Home Builders Association of Southern Tennessee was eliminated. The Michigan native went to work as a development officer at Siskin Children’s Institute, which serves children with special needs. “It was perfect. I love it,” she said. Mrs. Rippon recently coordinated the institute’s annual fashion fundraising event, Style-Works.

QWhat do you like about being development officer for Siskin Children’s Institute?

AMy favorite part of my job is getting to meet all the donors. It’s always fun to find out their story and why they’re connected to Siskin, why they give. The biggest challenge of my job right is the economy. It’s hard; people are cutting back their giving.

QWhat kind of interactions do you have with the children?

AEveryone who’s in administration spends at least 35 hours in the classroom over the year. We go on field trips with the kids. We each have our own reading buddy classes.

QHow long have you been in Chattanooga?

AI’ve been in Chattanooga going on five years. Erik, my husband — well, we were dating at the time — (got an offer) in Cleveland, Tenn. I couldn’t find a job up in Michigan, and he asked me if I wanted to move down here. I said, “Sure, I hate the snow.”

QWhat do you like to do for fun?

AI love to read. This past winter, I went through a big Jane Austen phase. It’s hard to read, because (we) don’t talk like that anymore, so it’s very confusing, but I loved the movies. It’s really fun to read the book and see how much they cut out in the film.

QYou work with kids. Any popular family lore about your childhood?

AApparently when I was younger, I would repeat things my mom would say. One time we had gone to my great-grandmother’s house when she wasn’t there. My mom said, “What’s she doing with all this junk?” A couple days later, we went out to lunch with my greatgrandmother and I said, “Why do you have so much junk?” DID YOU KNOW?

ABOUT HER Full name: Jasmin Nora Rippon. Age: “I am 27, going on 28. I told my husband, ‘I am never turning 30.’ I’m going to be 29 forever.” Family: Husband, Erik. Siblings: Two brothers and two sisters. Heritage: Pakistani, Irish and German.

I’ve always wanted to go to:

Paris. FAVORITE FAMILY TRADITION Hosting a Memorial Day party with husband, Erik, every year for their college friends at his parents’ home on Kentucky Lake.

FAVORITE BOOKS “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss, “A Fine Balance” by Rohinton Mistry.