• BIO AND MEDIA

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    Jessica Barba Brown brings 20 years’ experience of social change and advocacy strategy, organizational management, and executive leadership as the principal of Drishti Solutions LLC. Inspired by Jessica’s yoga tradition, drishti refers to the yogic practice of focused attention that leads to greater awareness and wisdom.

     

    Jessica recently served as the business planning consultant and then the Launch Executive Director of Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice, a national initiative to foster the next generation of BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, working class, and immigrant leaders for social justice movements.

     

    She was also the Senior Advisor for Healthy Democracy Healthy People, a nonpartisan coalition of public health and civic engagement organizations working to advance health and racial equity by assuring access to the ballot. Prior to starting this coalition in 2020, she was the CEO of the Voter Participation Center, the nation's largest mail program for voter registration and mobilization of underrepresented communities. She also served as Managing Director for the advocacy division at Planned Parenthood Federation of America during the first two years of the Trump Administration and the organization’s largest “defunding” battle in its 100-year history. There, she oversaw day-to-day operations and management for the 160-person, $74 million division responsible for the fight-back campaign and oversaw the division’s Race Equity Initiative.

     

    Previous to that, she was National Director of Communications and Organizational Development at Enroll America. She started her political career as communications director for former U.S. Representative Tom Perriello—taking him from long-shot hopeful against an entrenched incumbent to winning the closest House race in the country in 2008. She also served as Vice President for Program Development at Faith in Public Life, designing and implementing innovative advocacy campaigns, including the famous Nuns on the Bus tour, to promote the voices of faith leaders in the public square.

     

    Jessica earned her executive coaching certification with the Teleos Leadership Institute and is an accredited Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. She is an alumna of the Rockwood Leadership Institute’s Art of Leadership and Advanced Art of Leadership trainings. After living and working in Washington, DC for over a decade, she and her family took a leap of faith during the pandemic to live abroad in Costa Rica, where they are currently enjoying an international adventure with frequent travel back to the U.S.

  • Writing and Media

    A selection of writing and media I've done:

    Healing in the Post-Trump Era is Necessary Work

    Healing in the Post-Trump Era is Necessary Work

    Yes, Hire Women of Color Leaders - Then Actually Let Us Lead

    Yes, Hire Women of Color Leaders - Then Actually Let Us Lead

    CBS Election Night Interview for We Can Vote

    CBS News Election Night Interview

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    How We Win podcast on Healthy Voting

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    I'm A Poll Volunteer — I’m Terribly Worried About November