Jessica Lutkenhouse

IN MEMORIAM: Jessica Lutkenhouse

Jessica M. Lutkenhouse, 42, passed away on June 4, 2023, in Garwood, NJ.  Jess attended public schools in Westfield, NJ, playing various sports such as soccer, basketball, softball, and track.  She earned her undergraduate degree from Loyola College, Baltimore, MD, and her master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, under the direction of Dr. Frank Gardner.  She later interned at Ohio State University and did her post doctoral work at Princeton University Counseling and Psychological Services, where she specialized in sport psychology.  Jess worked in various clinical settings, including university counseling centers and nursing homes.  Additionally, she consulted with individual athletes and teams at a number of universities, including LaSalle University, Drexel University, and Princeton University.  Jess presented her work at two AASP conferences and was also involved with the Ad-hoc Committee on Employment Opportunities. She contributed sections on Internships and Career Opportunities in the Field of Exercise and Sport Psychology in four editions of the Directory of Graduate Programs in Applied Sport Psychology.

Jess was a deeply empathetic psychologist, who suffered from anorexia and ultimately succumbed to the disease a few weeks after her 42nd birthday. Jess was an avid marathon runner (completed numerous marathons in the U.S and Europe, including Boston and New York), yogi, and an exceptional university and high school athlete in her younger years. She brought humor, dedication, and sheer determination to everything she accomplished in her life. In fact, she motivated many of her friends and family to also run races, including marathons, to share her joy for the sport.  Jess was passionate about her career and had a calling to help others. May we continue to raise awareness of the toll eating disorders have on our society, families, and individuals and continue to embrace the power of mental health in supporting those suffering. 

Submitted respectfully, 
Marta LaRusso, Kathleen Lutkenhouse, and Michael Sachs