Development & Community Relations Executive
"Creativity fuels the innovation of practical skills and is crucial when considering development at the intersection of equity and inclusion," says Jesa. "Diversifying funding channels and revenue streams not only mitigate financial risks, but also amplifies an organization's mission visibility and viability.”
Jesa Townsend
Jesa Townsend is a servant leader— fund development and community relations senior executive. She is a celebrated artist, and a formidable researcher who has been contracted as a consultant for the last decade. A 2023 Success Magazine named 50 Women of Influence nominee [March 2024 trailblazers issue] and a 2023 L.A. Works Civic Leadership & Impact award nominee, her career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact through art, education, and community outreach. She has been mentored and employed by top names within the nonprofit space. Grab a snack and buckle up; let's embark on an avenue paved with fun and accomplishments. We'll focus on the latter.
Jesa has taught education levels- 3rd grade all the way to undergraduate as a professor. Two K12 school systems and one vocational. It is her passion for community building and social issues that naturally took her this route as she finished her master’s studies and began contracting with cities to install public works of art in support of arts advocacy. Soon thereafter, Jesa was invited to continuously collaborate with award-winning non-profits, start-ups, and school systems such as The Orange County School of the Arts due to creativity anchored development strategies. She is adept in utilizing philanthropic strategy, social policy, grant securement, and donor relations to effect tangible change as they relate to various initiatives.
Shifting back in years and into artistic gears, it was in 2012 that Jesa's skill of using a paintbrush to effect change was kindly recognized. Graciously, she received one of eight esteemed 'Hero and Heart' artist honors from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. Since then, she has partnered with over 32 cause-based organizations, leveraging her artistic skills to amplify fund development initiatives and further various social causes; the arts are the most underutilized communicative tool. Through private and public art commissions, she has become a catalyst for change in cities like Tempe, Jasper, Iowa City, Salem, Santa Ana, Henderson, and Los Angeles. She has also held solo exhibitions at the likes of The Conrad Chicago (Hilton Hotel), The Grand Wilmington opera house and more. Further, she has collaborated with outstanding organizations like the Arizona Science Center, Anaheim Garden Walk, St. Jude's Ranch for Children, Manor Hospice, and the National Charity League.
Educational institutions have also sought her expertise for arts and community outreach initiatives. It was due to Jesa’s arts contracting that her Johns Hopkins University master’s thesis was the arts as a vehicle to address issues of social justice as found within perspective communities. She earned two academic fellowships- graduating with distinction as a result of her graduate work. And because the best teachers are forever students, Jesa has additional executive certifications pending from The University of Peace (United Nations) and MIT- Leading Organizations for High-Velocity Performance.
Adjacent to her work as a senior development executive and consultant, Jesa is also a government facilitator for The National Center to Reframe Aging [DC]) and is an advocate for The Epilepsy Foundation. Furthermore, she finds great joy in being a founding board member of the Arts & Culture Advisory Council at Nevada State University where she has served for over 10 years. She also sits on the board of Aspire Public Schools, a K12 charter system founded by Deputy Director Don Shalvey of the Bill Gates Foundation and founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings. She is also a Gov. arts panelist for the city of Phoenix.
Whether advocating for educational equity or championing the arts within the context of social issues or executing fund development initiatives, Jesa has left her mark on government forums as a guest speaker, alongside political leaders, and in symposiums addressing critical issues like climate change. Her recent lightning talk at The Johns Hopkins University's Earth Day 50 celebration exemplifies her ability to inspire and creatively engage with change-makers at all levels of diplomacy.
In closing, Jesa's farm girl heart beats for her family and holds a deep love for animals. An avid traveler (ask her about Iceland or Cambodia), she seeks out new experiences and cherishes moments filled with laughter. Jesa is driven by an unwavering commitment to serve vulnerable populations through the equitable distribution of resources.
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