Serving as CTIPP’s Executive Director on loan, Jesse is in charge of organizational administration and HR, fundraising, strategic planning, public engagements, and working to create conditions of safety and empowerment for the board, staff, and volunteers in their roles with the organization.

 

Jesse is on loan from The Change Campaign, which is a nonprofit organization Jesse founded. The Change Campaign is a multi-pronged initiative to build community and systemic capacity by facilitating the application of the science of developmental adversity and its progression through the lifespan and generations to enable initiatives that improve holistic well-being and provide strategic support to government agencies and organizations focused in aligned areas. Above all else, Jesse has always had a strong vision for change that would make our world a better place for all.

 

Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, after graduating from Oberlin College, Jesse spent the first part of his career working for various nonprofits serving Philadelphia communities and at the state level for the Office of Attorney General and the Governor’s Campaign. While in graduate school, Jesse started with CTIPP as its first intern, then served as a board member for several years before becoming its first ED.

 

Jesse lives in Washington, D.C., with the love of his life Tina, their hamster Hamuel, guinea pigs Bryce and Jalen, stuffed animals, and many plants. Jesse enjoys time with his friends and family, playing golf and softball, watching professional sports, singing karaoke, Thursday night pilates, and barre, and watching his shows.

 

• What brings you to this work? When I was 15, the world lost my childhood best friend Doug when he died in a plane crash. A widespread lack of understanding about grief or how to support someone experiencing trauma led to some of the hardest years of my life. When I began my career, I saw how so many people experienced far more adversity, loss, stress, and trauma than I had with far fewer supports, and could not stand by while society thwarted people’s abilities to reach their fullest potential. When I learned about trauma-informed care, I knew it could nurture a paradigm shift that could heal all of our systems, and create better opportunities so our society could truly thrive.

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• What helps you maintain a balanced life? I am blessed with many close relationships with people who love me, want to see me succeed, and hold me accountable for my work and well-being. Sometimes I struggle to maintain balance in my life, but when I’m at my best I focus on my work, exercise regularly, spend time with loved ones, make sure to clean Ham’s cage, and have floor time with the piggies each night, and clean up after myself regularly. When I feel overwhelmed, I become less focused, which leads to working longer hours and doing less of the things that fill my soul and recharge my battery. I am getting better at recognizing when I fall into the cycles earlier and recentering/regulating myself to be as good as possible as often as possible.
   

• Top 3 Podcasts: The Muckrake Political Podcast, The Journal, and Talking Baseball