Jennifer's childhood was spent in the heart of the tropics, in Grenada's capital city of St. George, with parents Lyle and Phyllis Hosten with her four siblings. A warm and bountiful childhood, these years proved to shape Jennifer's character.

In 1970 Jennifer represented Grenada at the Miss World Contest in London and ended up winning the competition. The popular event was seen by over 100 million viewers around the world, a few factors making it particularly memorable. For one, Jennifer was the first woman of colour to take the title. However the contest was also held when the anti-apartheid movement was at its height, resulting in South Africa sending two representatives to the contest - one black and one white. Furthermore, the then newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement stated the event was an affront to women and protested the proceedings, famously disrupting the performance of American comedian Bob Hope.

As Miss World Jennifer traveled to Vietnam and the far East, entertaining US troops with Bob Hope and other celebrities. Her travels took her around the world several times. Notable tours were New Zealand and Australia. She also visited Europe, Africa the USA, South America and the Caribbean.

Returning to university as an adult Jennifer now has two Master's degrees, one in political science from which she had practical experience from her time as a diplomat, and one in psychotherapy from which she was able to draw on personal experience. With a personal interest in the topic, Jennifer published the book 'The Effect of a North American Free Trade Agreement on the Commonwealth Caribbean' for her first Master's thesis.

Always one to test boundaries and take opportunities as they come, Jennifer has tried her hand at many different disciplines - more notably working in broadcasting, serving as Grenada's High Commissioner to Canada, working as a Canadian diplomat to Bangladesh, becoming a technical adviser on trade to the St Lucia-based Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and owning her own business. At the time she won the Miss World competition Jennifer was working as an air hostess.