Jessica K. Wilson is a skilled non-profit executive and consultant with more than 20 years of hands-on leadership experience guiding mission-driven organizations through growth, transition, and transformation. She has worked across many fields including youth development, immigrant and refugee services, workforce development, community media and free speech, and food justice. The unifying factor has always been supporting equitable access to opportunities for all.
Jessica’s career has been defined by her ability to step into complex environments and bring clarity, structure, and momentum. She has led organizations through executive transitions, strategic planning processes, operational restructuring, and revenue diversification efforts. She enjoys working with staff and boards of directors to create clarity, trust, and strong lines of communication between leadership and governance. Jessica has a focus on fundraising strategy and execution, and has supported several organizations in developing grants programs, establishing individual gifts and annual giving programs, and designing and leading successful capital campaigns.
Known for her steadiness, integrity, and results-oriented approach, Jessica is a trusted interim leader and advisor who helps organizations navigate transition with confidence—leaving them stronger, more aligned, and positioned for sustainable impact.
As the founding Board Chair, and later Development Director and Executive Director of Mill City Grows, a food justice organization, she led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, and played a key role in increasing revenue, developing cross-sector partnerships, establishing Food Is Medicine programming, and creating a permanent space for food justice in Lowell, MA. Her final work there was working with the staff and board of directors to transition the organization to a new model of co-leadership.
At UTEC, Inc., a comprehensive program supporting young adults, Jessica helped to double annual revenue and support a capital campaign to purchase the organization’s first property. Later, as the organization grew, she oversaw operations of five facilities and managed a multi-million dollar capital construction project for the UTEC Hub for Social Innovation, a multi-functional space including a commercial kitchen, childcare facility, event space, and administrative offices. The facility became a place where the organization could incubate a variety of social enterprises while offering gathering space for members of the community.
Jessica brings particular strength in change management—helping organizations move with intention from one chapter to the next while maintaining mission focus and community trust. She understands the pressures nonprofit leaders face and offers both strategic direction and practical implementation support. Her background in media and communications enhances her effectiveness in marketing, advocacy, and organizational storytelling.
Jessica is a lifelong learner, and holds a MA in Media Studies from The New School, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. She currently resides in Massachusetts with her family where she enjoys blogging, hiking, and volunteering for causes that advance the health of people, animals, and the planet.
LinkedIn: Jessica Wilson