Jan graduated from Central School of Art and design in 1987 and continued her apprenticeship at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin where she became resident designer, there designing "Purple Dust", "The Glass Menagerie" and "Tagann Godot".Freelance work includes: "Hobson's Choice" (Derby Playhouse); "A Christmas Carol" (Theatr Clwyd); "Conversations With My Father" (Old Vic); "Montrose" and "Dead Funny" (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh); "The Wizard of Oz" (Dundee Rep): "Piper's Cave" (Boilerhouse Co.); "The Clearing" (Stella Quines tour); "Othello" (Tag Theatre Co. tour).
Jan was also Resident Designer at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round, 1993-1996, designing: "Forty Years On", "Just Between Ourselves", "Conversations With My Father", "Oleanna", "Musical Jigsaw Play", "Haunting Julia", "Gaslight", "The End of the Food Chain", "Penny Blue", "Mr A's Amazing Maze Plays", "Love Off The Shelf", "Physical Jerks", "Cigarettes And Chocolate" and " Tomfoolery".