Jessica has a Bachelor of Social Work, a Masters in Public Policy and is currently completing her Doctorate in Business Administration. Jessica’s academic studies have focused on mobilising female entrepreneurship literature for policy impact.

Professionally, she has 20 years of experience in providing front-line care, research, policy and leadership working for hospitals and youth addiction treatment centres, the Universities of British Columbia and Alberta, the federal government, and for the last 16 years with the Government of Alberta (GoA).

Within the GoA she has worked in multiple departments in a variety of policy and leadership roles including, Health, Energy,  Finance, Jobs, Economy and Innovation and Advanced Education. She is currently the Assistant Deputy Minister of Economic and Social Policy, for the Policy Coordination Office in Executive Council. Jessica is an active volunteer in the community with the food bank and the United Way – Capital Region, and as a mom to three boys and is an advocate for quality childcare with non-profit daycare board experience.