Jarna grew up on Ryloth and was born into a middle class family. 45 years old, she came of age during the last years of the Empire. Her family had a minor trading business but she had no interest in staying on her home planet.
So after a brief spat working for a smuggler, she joined the Rebellion at first opportunity. She worked primarily as an assistant and body guard for the Alliance's diplomats.
She always assumed she was force sensitive, due to her natural ability to read people and stay one step ahead of them.
So once the opportunity was available, she went through the training and became a fully fledged Jedi. But she never viewed the force as a religion nor was she interested in delving into its mysteries.
She viewed the force as a means to an end. It would make her a better diplomat, a better civil servant.
Jarna loathed the profit focused culture of her home world as much as she loathed the fascism of the Empire.
She grew to love the New Republic deeply. She sincerely believes in its ideals and has been happy to dedicate her life to advancing the New Republic's standing in the galaxy.
She also grew to dislike jedi like Kip Duran and his group of vigilantes. Jarna values the contribution of smugglers to the Rebel Alliance and loathes Kip's holier than thou disposition.
Even though she's kept herself in good shape and trained with her lightsaber, she's never been much of the fighting type. But with the Vuzon Vhong invasion, Jarna's entire life has been blown away. And she's desperate enough to do anything necessary to help the New Republic survive.