As a woman with a disability since birth and additional disabilities developing later in life, Jessie has always navigated a world (literally) not built for her and others like her. Born in a pre-ADA America meant learning to fight at a young age for her right to proper education, enrichment, and health care. She learned to navigate the constant stream of “no” and reach her personal and professional goals. Jessie has observed the reality that even the most robust DEI strategies often exclude the identity intersection of disability, leading to her initiate conversations essential for closing this gap and increase disability equity. While laws have changed, many harmful “norms” have not. Watch her keynote presentation on views of disability here.

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With an MBA in Organizational Behavior, Jessie understands how businesses work. Her leadership track record in people programming fuels her ability to effectively integrate equity and inclusion into HR solutions. Jessie is passionate about making sure programs work together from onboarding through exit equity analysis to amplify equity and improve the employee experience. 

Jessie provided a case study addressing how to influence change and increase cross-functional involvement in DEI work in Cynthia Owyoung's book All Are Welcome. Additionally, she provided expert guidance on disability-related content for Dr. Suzanne Wertheim's book The Inclusive Language Field Guide. She is currently a program advisor and instructor in the Kapor Center’s DEIB Certification Program.

She has experience working directly with executive leadership in areas including leadership coaching, strategic planning, and change management. Jessie holds a Certification in the Foundations of NeuroLeadership and utilizes her unique training in this area to help others design and implement successful learning initiatives and drive behavior change. She is currently pursuing a degree in Disability Studies from City University of New York.

Check out our media page to learn more about Jessie and her work.