Jess brings a unique perspective to our board of directors from her varied career at the intersection of social enterprise, philanthropy, and politics. Jess has an advanced understanding of San Diego’s food system landscape, with past roles including Director of Strategic Initiatives for Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Price Philanthropies, and co-founder of San Diego Food Funders. She also worked closely with the City of San Diego and the San Diego Promise Zone as the Community Liaison for the Federal Government.
Prior to her work in San Diego, Jess served in the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation where she supported the creation of the Impact Economy agenda to examine how public policy can increase impact investing, scale social and hybrid enterprises, and expand corporate social responsibility. Jess has a JD from George Washington University Law School and a BA in Anthropology and Political Science from Wellesley College. She is currently at Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation. Jess originally became involved with Kitchens for Good because of its business model. With her background in impact investing, she wanted to make a local impact by helping local social enterprises succeed. She is continually inspired by Kitchens for Good’s ability to grow, through its diversified revenue streams of donations and earned income, as well as their laser-focus on apprentices and making an impact in San Diego.
