If you’re a member of TheCR Network you may have met Jessica Reid, our new community management fellow. Maybe met her earlier this month at a dinner in NYC and others may have met her on Roundtable calls, in the weekly Work Out Loud discussions or at virtual Happy Hour on Thursday afternoons.
I thought it would be fun to get to know Jessica a bit more now that she’s been with us for a few months and finding her stride in TheCR Network. We were really impressed with her application when it rolled in and her drive for learning and doing was an obvious great fit.
I asked Jessica a few questions to help you get to know her more too!
Tell us about your background? What were you doing before community management?
I received my undergraduate degree in Urban Studies from Mount Holyoke College. I’ve mostly worked in educational access non-profits helping high achieving students of color gain access to the nation’s top independent schools. I’m super passionate about policy research and leadership, I received my Master’s in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner’s Graduate School of Public Service. My last position was Project Management Consulting for the Department of Education (DOE) in New York. After my time at the DOE I decided to take some time off to pursue passion projects. I volunteered for some great organizations, planned a conference and took lots of training to keep up with my skills.
Why did the community management fellowship catch your eye? What are you hoping to learn?
During my time off, I realized I was in a transition phase. I had begun to notice patterns in my career, I loved project management, relationship building and cultivating community. I also really needed flexibility. I discovered I work extremely well with the ability to set my own working environment. I thought finding a fellowship would be the fit for me in such a phase, so I focused on finding fellowships. When I saw the community management fellowship posting, it was like love at first sight. It was a match for the qualities I was looking for in my next position. It was an opportunity to learn tangible, quantifiable skills around community management. I didn’t realize such a sphere existed.
What’s been the most surprising or interesting thing you’ve learned in your first month here?
I’m fascinated by the tools available to measure community ROI.
What’s a community you are a part of?
I like to stay active in my alma mater networks. I’m on the board of the Mount Holyoke Club of New York City and stay active with NYU.
Favorite food?
Really anything that tastes good, but I love baked macaroni and cheese. I’ve given up dairy so I’m on the hunt for non-dairy mac and cheese recipe.
Where have you traveled to that you would definitely recommend people put on their travel bucket list?
I’ve traveled to quite a few places I’d highly recommend:
Sorrento, Italy
Capri, Italy
Rome, Italy
Warsaw, Poland
Prague Czech, Republic
Denmark
Berlin, Germany
Hawaii
Jamaica
Barcelona, Spain
Paris
Dominican Republic
Thanks,Jessica! We’re really glad you are here.
