A native of Uvalde, Texas, college basketball lured Carnes to San Antonio in 1995 with a scholarship to the University of the Incarnate Word where she was an All-American for UIW’s nationally ranked basketball team and a member of the tennis team as well. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Sports Management. In addition to being named the business school’s “Top Business Management Student” and UIW’s “Student-Athlete of the Year” in 1999, Carnes was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 2005 Inaugural Class.

Carnes remains rooted in the sports community through her work with San Antonio Sports, as a regular speaker for local university sports management classes, and as a student mentor for sports management students. She began working at San Antonio Sports in September of 1999 as an intern.

The majority of her free time is spent chasing after daughters, Evie and Kate, and supporting her partner Elizabeth, who is a Hematology/Oncology physician.  In addition to her career in the San Antonio sports community, Jenny has also served as a FIBA Technical Delegate and Commissioner for the International Federation of Basketball throughout the qualification windows for the 2019 World Championship and the 2020 Olympics.