Jonas grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City and graduated from Princeton University with a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology. He struggled to choose between a career in medicine versus teaching. Ultimately, he decided to return to the much friendlier midwest to attend the University of Kansas School of Medicine. John McPhee’s description of the first family medicine graduates in The Heirs of General Practice convinced him to become a family physician.

During medical school, Jonas spent a month traveling through Mexico followed by several weeks caring for the homeless population in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He volunteered regularly at a Catholic worker hospitality house in Kansas City. The experiences solidified his desire to serve the needy close to home.

He completed his family medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1999.

After serving as medical director at a community health center in Beloit, Wisconsin, for eleven years, Jonas returned to Madison with a passion for caring for underserved populations. He also has an interest in natural childbirth, addiction medicine, and inpatient medicine.

Jonas enjoys homeschooling his five children, exploring cities on foot, helping out with the CSA renting the family land, and restoring bicycles. With the help of family and friends, he’s been building his dream eco-home since 2006, with the hopes of finishing during his lifetime.