Jean Benvenuto received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Old Dominion University. She is currently the Lead Art teacher at Churchland High School in Portsmouth's Center for Excellence in the Humanities where she was recognized as teacher of the year last year. Jean is also a professional artist who for more than 20 years has regularly exhibited her work in the Hampton Roads region. Some of her notable shows include Occasion for the Arts (Williamsburg, VA); Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show; Contemporary Art Center, New Waves Juried Exhibition (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Riverview Gallery, One Woman Show; Portsmouth Seawall Show (Portsmouth, Virginia); and Chrysler Museum, Irene Leach Memorial Juried Exhibition (Norfolk, Virginia).

Some of her more notable awards include Best in Show in the Tidewater Art Educators Show; and several awards from the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show including, but not limited to, the Alice Granberry Painting Award and the Board of Trustees Award in 2005.

When asked about her influences Jean said,

"My artistic process has been informed by so much, however; I count among the most influential: John Singer Sargent, Alice Nealy, Wayne Thieband, Richard Diebenkorn and Charles Sibley. The artist Alma Thomas is a source of inspiration for me, too, because she retired from the public school system in Washington, D.C. and is now represented in the National Gallery of Art. There's always hope!"