Contact Info:

Email:  jessicalrood@gmail.com

Cell:  479-957-3016

Industry Specialization:

Fundraising, Grant Writing, Development Strategy

Value Proposition: 

A Fayetteville, Arkansas native, Jessica Rood has a passion for the arts. Jessica journeyed to New York to pursue her undergraduate degree in Drama at Vassar College before completing a year of service through AmeriCorps at Reading Partners North Texas – where she fell in love with nonprofit work. She has spent her entire professional career learning best practices and leading organizations to secure gifts that are equally as transformational for their donors as their clients.

Today, Jessica is seeking a Board of Directors role at an established nonprofit agency in Dallas-Fort Worth. Her passions and experiences make her a great fit for missions such as the arts/arts education, housing and homelessness, child and family welfare, youth literacy, and faith-based organizations.

Current Position: 

Jessica is currently a Consultant at Mission Advancement where she provides Capital Campaign Counsel and Strategic Grants Counsel to a roster of nonprofits across the United States.  She has been consulting for two and a half years, leaning on her experience as a front-line fundraiser to provide encouragement, strategy, and support to agencies in North Texas and beyond.

Career Highlights: 

Before joining the team at Mission Advancement, Jessica served as the Director of Development at Interfaith Family Services in Dallas. During her three years in the role, she executed development strategy and special events, provided oversight of volunteers, social media, and marketing, and stewarded the agency’s mid-level and major donors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessica successfully re-established a corporate giving program and executed a virtual fundraising luncheon, exceeding the fundraising goal.  A passionate and skilled writer, Jessica’s op-ed piece on barriers to quality childcare during the pandemic was published and promoted by the Communities Foundation of Texas.

Credentials & Accomplishments:

• Member of the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
• Fundraising Certificate from the Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM)
• The Essentials of Nonprofit Board Governance from BoardBuild
• Governance with Equity: DEI for Nonprofit Boards from BoardBuild
• Bachelor of the Arts from Vassar College