Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors is happy to introduce you to The Lynch Family, who certainly knows how to enjoy life! Whether traveling around the globe, making a difference in people’s lives or enjoying all that Edgmont has to offer, this family is always ready to make memories.
Jennifer is originally from New Castle, PA, a small town about an hour north of Pittsburgh. She grew up there with her parents and her sister, Jessica. She attended Neshannock Memorial Elementary School and graduated from Neshannock High School, where she enjoyed playing basketball and skiing, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Jennifer also served as President of the Future Business Leaders of America and President of the French Club.
During high school, Jennifer said she excelled in math but wanted to pursue a broader career path. So, she declared a double major in Chemistry and Mathematics when she enrolled at Emory University in 2009. Part of her coursework during her sophomore year included taking a physics class. “It was my first time being introduced to physics, and I instantly knew I wanted to pursue this field as well,” Jennifer said. “I added Physics to my list of majors and graduated with a triple major in Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.” While at Emory, Jennifer also served as President of the Society of Physics Students and Vice President of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
After graduating from Emory University, Jennifer continued her education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning both her master’s degree and her PhD in Physics. She then enrolled at New York University’s School of Medicine, where Jennifer completed her Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 2017.
Today, Jennifer works in academic medicine as a Physician-Scientist with dual faculty appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. “I balance my time equally between clinical medicine as a pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and leading a research lab focused on advanced optical neuromonitoring tools to monitor brain health in children with congenital heart disease,” Jennifer explained. “I love the dual impact of my
work. Through clinical care, I can directly help my patients and their families every day. Through my research, I am able to contribute to advancements that will improve outcomes for future patients.” Jennifer added that she looks forward to continuing to grow her research lab, mentoring young scientists and advancing technologies that improve pediatric brain health.
Alex hails from Essex, Connecticut, a charming town that sits at the mouth of the Connecticut River. He grew up there with his parents and his brother, Mark. Alex went to Essex Elementary School and graduated from Valley Regional High School in Deep River, CT, where he played golf and was a member of the National Honors Society, the school newspaper and the jazz band.
After graduating from high school, Alex attended the University of Connecticut Honors College to study Physics. He was active in the Society of Physics Students and served on its Peer Judicial Board. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in Physics and set his sights on furthering his education. Like Jennifer, Alex earned both his master’s and doctorate degrees in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania.
These days, Alex enjoys a career supporting our Department of Defense. “I am a Software and Systems Engineer in the defense industry,” he explained. “I solve complex problems in order to accelerate the delivery of capabilities to the warfighter. My company works primarily with the Navy to help them introduce, test and update missile defense system software more quickly and efficiently.” Alex added that his job enables him to utilize the latest in digital engineering and advanced technologies across several domains, including artificial intelligence, automation and big data analytics.
“Alex and I met in 2009 as classmates at the University of Pennsylvania while in graduate school studying physics,” Jennifer said. “I arrived in the summer and Alex in the fall of that year. There were only about 20 of us in the program, and Alex wanted to arrange some get-togethers so we could
all get to know each other.” Jennifer said Alex sent an email asking the group to meet for margaritas at a local restaurant near campus. It seems that email was the action needed to set their friendship into motion, eventually leading to a date at the Continental Midtown restaurant.
Jennifer and Alex continued dating through graduate school. “I proposed to Jennifer when we were visiting Hershey around Christmas,” Alex recalled. “We were staying at the Hotel Hershey and had a wonderful dinner at the hotel’s iconic restaurant, The Circular, before I popped the question.” The happy couple celebrated and began plans for their wedding. They married in September 2016 in Litchfield, CT.
Their married life began in Center City, Philadelphia where Alex and Jennifer bought their first townhouse and started their family. By the time they were expecting their second child, they decided to begin the search for their forever home in the suburbs.
“We moved to Edgmont in early 2021,” Jennifer said. “When we first came to the Philadelphia area in 2009, we often discussed where we’d want to settle down permanently. We loved Edgmont’s balance of open spaces, welcoming community and convenient access to Philadelphia, which made it an ideal choice for our family.” Alex added that they wanted to find a quieter, family-friendly community while still being close enough to Philadelphia for Jennifer’s work at CHOP.
Alex and Jennifer settled into their forever home with their daughter, Charlotte, and their son, Oliver. Charlotte is an active seven-year-old student at The Episcopal Academy. She’s a well-rounded girl who plays piano, loves to dance, ski, swim and practice gymnastics, and she plays on soccer and basketball teams. “Charlotte is creative, thoughtful and full of energy,” Jennifer remarked. “She likes to put on shows for us in the family room, often casting her younger brother in the supporting roles.”
Oliver is Charlotte’s willing participant in all of her creative adventures and games. He is five years old and also attends The Episcopal Academy. Like his big sister, Oliver enjoys playing the piano, swimming, gymnastics and skiing, and he also loves to play baseball for Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL). “Oliver is a happy and easygoing boy with an amazing sense of humor,” Alex said. “He always keeps us laughing.”
And because pets are family members too, we would be remiss if we didn’t introduce you to Ellie, their American Shorthair cat who has been with Jennifer since college, and their recent addition, Penny, a Cavapoo puppy that they welcomed to the family this past fall.
When the Lynches aren’t busy with work and school, they take time to get involved and give back to the community. They are active members of St. Simon and Jude Parish in West Chester, and Jennifer often volunteers at Episcopal and serves as the conference manager for Charlotte’s Tredyffrin Easttown Youth Soccer Association (TEYSA) soccer league. Alex coaches both Charlotte’s soccer team and Oliver’s NELL baseball team.
“When I’m not at work, I try to make the most of my time with my family by planning vacations, fun outings and activities for us to do at home,” Jennifer said. “We are rarely bored!” Jennifer particularly loves to plan family vacations and explore new destinations with Alex, Charlotte and
Oliver. When close to home, they enjoy hiking together at Ridley Creek State Park and spending time with family and friends.
When they’re looking for adventure, this family takes to the open seas! “We love our annual Disney cruises through Europe — they’re the perfect family-friendly way to explore new places,” Jennifer said. “Last summer, we visited Italy, Spain, Malta and Greece on a Mediterranean Disney cruise.” The year before that, their family toured Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Norway on a Scandinavian Disney cruise.
But home is where their hearts are, with their wonderful neighbors, excellent schools and peaceful surroundings. Alex and Jennifer said that since moving to Edgmont, they’ve been so warmly welcomed and feel incredibly fortunate to be part of the community. “We value creating lifelong memories together as a family, whether through travel, weekend adventures or simple moments at home.”
Thank you, Alex, Jennifer, Charlotte and Oliver, for sharing your story and love for the hometown we all find so special. No matter how far they may travel, the Lynches are always grateful to come home to Edgmont. Sounds like the perfect place to unpack your bags!
Do you know a Newtown Edgmont family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.