Outstanding Leaders Under 40 Carena Jones

Carena Jones is a graduate of Claflin University with a BA in Sociology. She obtained her MSW from the University of South Carolina and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. Jones has served as a mental health and child welfare social worker for over 13 years. Her most recent position was as a school social worker at Eau Claire High School for Richland County School District One, where she was recognized as the 2020-2021 Richland One Classified Employee of the Year.

In 2022, Jones and her husband Bernard transitioned into entrepreneurship by opening a mobile food truck, Just Jonesin', LLC, affectionately known as the Home of the Loaded and Stuffed Baked Potatoes. In July 2022, the couple launched Just Jonesin' Commissary Kitchen, LLC, in downtown Columbia. Jones was recently a panelist for the Women's Empowerment Expo, where she shared about being a new woman business owner. The commissary kitchen allows her to offer a shared kitchen space with other small business owners, which aligns with her passion for giving back. Jones serves as a PRN Medical Social Worker for Lexington Medical Center.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and enjoys spending free time with her husband and children, Bryson and Carsyn.