Experience

Give Better Group

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-Founder and Principal

  • Nov 2017 - Present

  We started Give Better Group because we know fundraising is hard work, and because we believe that every dollar should make an impact. Philanthropic giving is undergoing a seismic shift: today’s donors invest in change; they seed ideas and support organizations that both align with their values and are positioned to affect outcomes. But identifying philanthropic investments that achieve these goals isn’t always clear. Enter Give Better Group. We started Give Better Group because we know fundraising is hard work, and because we believe that every dollar should make an impact. Philanthropic giving is undergoing a seismic shift: today’s donors invest in change; they seed ideas and support organizations that both align with their values and are positioned to affect outcomes. But identifying philanthropic investments that achieve these goals isn’t always clear. Enter Give Better Group.



DC Public Education Fund

• United States
• Education Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• President and Executive Director

  • Sep 2014 - Nov 2017

  DC Public Education Fund secures and manages private funding to accelerate student achievement in DC Public Schools. Jessica led the organization to record operational and fundraising success by securing philanthropic investments to support the priorities she helped establish while at DC Public Schools. She managed the organization’s strategic growth and operations, including fundraising, communications, and program management and worked with Chancellor Henderson and senior leaders at DCPS to set the vision for strategic fundraising priorities. In partnership with the Board of Directors, philanthropic partners, and community stakeholders, Jessica brought critical resources to priority initiatives that accelerate innovation and academic achievement in DCPS. Show less



District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)

• United States
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Chief of Staff, Office of Data and Strategy

  • Jun 2013 - Sep 2014

  - Oversee operations: planning; budget development for $14M operational and capital funds; management of 60 employees.- Advise and hold ODS leadership accountable for project success; plan and facilitate leadership meetings and retreats. - Direct key strategic projects; facilitate Chancellor task forces on district-wide initiatives (e.g., assessments, literacy).- Analyze major legislative policy and reports; brief Chief and DCPS leadership; ensure alignment across DCPS.- Support ODS Chief: prepare strategy documents and report results to Chancellor and leadership; produce weekly reports for Chancellor; officially represent Chief at meetings; field urgent stakeholder requests; write and edit public documents. Show less

• Director, Strategic Planning and Performance Management

  • Sep 2011 - Jun 2013

  - Coordinated creation of Chancellor’s five-year strategic plan, A Capital Commitment; developed public materials.- Led central office divisions in developing operational plans that included milestones, measures of success, areas of alignment, and resource allocation; led the annual process to update plans; co-wrote DCPS Academic Plan.- Managed Chancellor’s performance management system, School Stat, and prepped all central offices for presentations.



The Generation Project

• United States
• Philanthropy

• Co-Founder and President/CEO

  • Jun 2008 - Sep 2011

  - The Generation Project is an innovative, web-based nonprofit that expands opportunities for low-income students by providing donors unprecedented control over their charitable giving. Donors at all income levels design and fund opportunities based on their passions and teachers claim the pre-funded opportunities that inspire their students. The Generation Project transparently implements each donor's vision in a high need school and shares photos of the donor's direct impact through a personalized philanthropist page. Learn more at www.thegenerationproject.org - Founded 501(c)3 nonprofit benefiting low-income K-12 students; impacted 7,000+ students in 200+ Title I schools. - Cultivated national executive board and six regional boards; managed 30-200 college interns (season-dependent). - Led expansion to six cities; cultivated local and national corporate, university, and community partners. - Awarded Fast Forward Fund Portfolio Selection for poverty alleviation. Won numerous social media contests including: Ideablob Best Business Idea, Top Rugby Ralph Lauren Young Social Entrepreneurs, Chase Community Giving (with additional Board Selection Prize), and MGM Grand Detroit Touching Communities, Touching Lives. Show less



Teach For America

• United States
• Education Administration Programs
• 700 & Above Employee

• Recruitment Director

  • 2007 - 2008

  - Recruited the next generation of leaders to join the movement to end educational inequality. - Managed campaigns that achieved record growth in number of applicants from University of Michigan graduate schools (291% greater than previous year) and undergraduate universities (214% greater than previous year).

• Fourth-grade teacher

  • 2005 - 2007

  Taught at P.S. 86 in Bronx, NY- Average student growth: 1.62 years (Y1) and 2.24 years (Y2) in reading; over 80% math standard mastery both years.- Designed and led numerous workshops to train new teachers on the Writer’s and Reader’s Workshop curricula.- Trained all 11 fourth-grade teachers to align math curriculum to standards and to track related student achievement.- Trained in Guggenheim Learning through Art methodology. Five students’ art selected for Guggenheim exhibit.