Jessica (“Jess”) Solomon, MSOD | Founder & Principal

Jessica ("Jess") is a facilitator, organizational development practitioner, and cultural worker who believes the best outcomes are cultivated inside spaces that invite everyone to bring their wisest, most creative selves. She is a strategic adviser and thought partner to systems change and social justice leaders and influencers in the creative and social sectors. 

As Principal at Art in Praxis, she supports progressive leaders and organizations in building their capacity and infrastructure for more care and imagination. She has over a decade of experience in meeting design and facilitation, system improvement, leadership and team development, change management, culture change, and strategy development. 

Jessica's wide-ranging career has taken her from higher education admissions, community theater, arts administration, non-profit management, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship. She's mobilized resources for community cultural development as past Board President of Alternate ROOTS, Chief Weaver of Social Fabric at the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, and Vice President of the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, where during her tenure, she developed a place-based arts, culture, and social change grantmaking strategy and portfolio to drive more equitable impact. Additionally, she has completed fellowships at National Arts Strategies, Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators, and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Change Leaders in Philanthropy.

Jessica is an IFC-certified Coach with extensive training in participatory facilitation. She's a proud contributor to "Aesthetic Perspectives," a dynamic evaluation framework for socially engaged art used by public funders, curators, artists, and educators. She earned a M.S. in Organization Development from American University and B.A's, in Communication Studies and African American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.