Speakers

Driven by the belief that every child can learn to read with the right instruction, Jessica co-founded Ignite Reading to deliver that instruction at scale through evidence-based high-dosage tutoring. Jessica began her career in education as a classroom teacher, later serving in school and district leadership roles before co-founding her first company, LightSail Education, an adaptive literacy software company, and serving as CEO of Open Up Resources, a national nonprofit focused on educational equity. Jessica's early literacy advocacy work has been featured in the documentaries The Lottery and The Right to Read. She authored the children’s book Cancer Hates Kisses, and loves yoga, travel, and reading with her daughter.