Jessica, a Boyd County, Kentucky native, earned her Bachelor of Fine Art with a concentration in Ceramics from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. After graduating, Jessica used her eye for design in curating, graphic design/marketing, and teaching roles at galleries, museums and art centers. She now has over a decade of leadership experience in non-profit and arts administration. 

Prior to joining CEDIK in January 2020 as an Arts Extension Associate, she served as Executive Director of the Appalachian Artisan Center in Hindman, KY. There, she envisioned and implemented a Creative Place-making Initiative termed the “Culture of Recovery” which has gained national acclaim utilizing the power of the arts in addiction healing. 

Jessica’s additional training as a Community Scholar and as a Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange Cohort drives her to bridge divides within communities through creativity and good stewardship. She currently serves as Board Vice-President for the Kentucky Craft History and Education Association (KCHEA).

At CEDIK, Jessica continues and expands her work of integrating arts into recovery efforts. She also develops arts-expression programming and provides support to county extension agents and community partners.