About the Owner & Principal Jess is a community builder, art advocate, and management and operations professional based in Lawrence, MA. She has spent the last decade exploring ways in which underserved communities can leverage resources to reach new levels and take back space on the map. Her interests are focused on the development of the individual with the aim to better align them with their organization’s mission, creating a mutually fulfilling work experience. She also supports local organizations with grant development, program and project management. Jess is the former Director of the Lawrence Public Library where she focused on re-envisioning the Library to be a community hub for the arts, culture, and life-long learning. She currently serves on the Board of Directors at MASSCreative and is the former Board President at Elevated Thought Inc. Jess recently founded JVN Solutions, a local consultancy committed to supporting and strengthening area nonprofits, foundations, and small businesses. She graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelors in Biology, and holds an M.Ed in Community Engagement from Merrimack College and Masters in Library Science from Simmons University. She has earned certificates in nonprofit management and leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice and LEADS, an executive leadership program presented by the Lawrence Partnership in partnership with Harvard Business School. Jess enjoys traveling, hiking, dining, and writing in community with the Common Sage, a community writing group she leads at a downtown coffee shop in Lawrence. Want to partner? Email Jess@JVNSolutions.com.
