Dr. Jean Hellner holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Texas and a master‛s degree in musicology from The Florida State University. Her scholarly interests include narratology, nineteenth-century German symphonic literature, and opera. She has presented papers on elements of narratology in Robert Schumann's D-Minor Symphony and in Fryderyk  Chopin's Fantaisie in F Minor, Op. 49 for a variety of international conferences, including the International Congress on Musical Signification.

Among numerous publications, her paper entitled "Elements of Enlightenment in Osmin's Rage: Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail" was published in the proceedings for an international conference titled Mozart in Prague. She has been a panelist for several sessions held at the national meetings of the American Musicological Society, and she served on the Committee for the Status of Women for the Society for Music Theory.

Jean is active in a number of local organizations, most notably as cofounder of the Community Orchestra Academy and the Edvard Grieg Society of the Dakotas. Jean is also a very active member of the Red River Theatre Organ Society (RRTOS) where she serves as treasurer of the Capital Campaign Committee to restore the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ at the Fargo Theatre. She has also served as treasurer and historian/archivist of the RRTOS in addition to other positions and committees.

At Minnesota State University Moorhead Jean currently teaches music history and is the collaborative pianist for the choirs. In addition to research and teaching, Jean plays piano, organ, and euphonium.

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Jean joined the RRVAGO in 2016 and has served various positions and committees, including its Archivist-Historian and Webmaster.