Jess Folsom Marks

Across my roles in research, hospitality, and outdoor education, I’ve developed strong interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills. In hospitality, my work with locals, tourists, and community stakeholders constantly required me to skillfully adapt my tone and messaging for each audience. As an outdoor educator, I facilitated group discussions and conflict resolution in dynamic environments, ensuring each participant felt seen and supported. I’ve also translated these skills into nonprofit and research settings, conducting interviews that depend on empathy, clarity, and active listening. Above all, I’ve learned that active listening deeply fosters mutual understanding and trust across any context. Whether engaging colleagues or community members, I lead with connection, transparency, and respect.

My leadership style is grounded in collaboration and shared purpose. I thrive in synergistic spaces that invite creativity and open dialogue. Leadership, to me, is a cooperative practice—one that fosters environments where staff, partners, and participants feel seen, supported, and motivated to grow. My background as an outdoor educator taught me to balance safety, morale, and group cohesion while guiding youth expeditions through challenging conditions. One of my favorite aspects of this work was encouraging students to practice leadership through an exercise called “Leader of the Day,” in which each participant took turns making group decisions, delegating camp tasks, and organizing group activities. In graduate and nonprofit settings, this foundation has evolved into coordinating research projects, facilitating team efforts, and providing mentorship and constructive feedback. Through these experiences, I’ve embraced a transformational approach to leadership—one that emphasizes mutual trust, shared growth, and the empowerment of others to achieve a common goal.

Across my academic and professional experiences, I’ve developed a reputation for approaching complex issues with analytical rigor and creativity. At Haven, I designed and led a research project on the intersection of substance use and trauma to inform survivor-centered policies and procedures for Haven’s new substance-use policy. This required completing a comprehensive literature review, evaluating varying perspectives, and balancing competing priorities to produce actionable recommendations. My MPA coursework has further sharpened my ability to interpret data, assess program effectiveness, and design evidence-based strategies. I enjoy taking on multifaceted challenges, asking the right questions, and generating innovative, practical solutions that serve both organizational and community needs. What sets me apart is my ability to translate research into actionable, people-centered solutions, drawing on both academic insight and hands-on leadership experience to bridge strategy and implementation for lasting community impact.

I excel in managing complex projects that require both organization and attention to detail. I am very meticulous when it comes to project planning, and I gain great satisfaction from envisioning the bigger picture then seeing that vision through by tending to all of the finer details. My experience planning wilderness expeditions and high-volume hospitality events honed my ability to anticipate needs, coordinate logistics, and pivot quickly when circumstances changed. As a manager for a student-run restaurant in college, I oversaw ordering, scheduling, and event planning with precision. As an outdoor guide, those same skills translated into program preparation and student safety management—for example, planning a day of coastal backpacking around high tide by closely monitoring tidal charts. I’m at my best in dynamic environments where I can balance structure with flexibility, ensuring that every detail is addressed while remaining responsive to evolving conditions.