Jess Leibson
Hometown:
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Connect: LinkedIn
Jess is excited to help find solutions for the persistent poverty that impacts residents in her home state of Ohio. By quantifying the value of nature and outdoor recreation in communities, she believes this can equip stakeholders with a funding justification for land preservation as well as inform them on nature’s measurable community impact.
Jess began her career as a journalist and has written throughout her career. She used her undergraduate degrees in International Studies and French with a certificate in Global Awareness to contribute to organizations through translation. Eventually, she worked as a freelance writer and a grant writer for nonprofits while obtaining her M.S. in Community Economic Development. Her work in the public sector focused on both community and economic development. Jess worked at the City of Twinsburg, Summit County, and the Ohio Treasurer’s Office.
After obtaining her master’s, she harnessed her writing skills toward marketing and communications for multiple Fortune 500 companies. She worked as a Digital Editor at EY (Ernst & Young LLP), prioritized sustainability and corporate social responsibility reporting as she managed the social media of Berry Global, and collaborated with stakeholders across the business as she wrote economic impact studies for Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Jess then achieved her childhood dream by becoming a Master Naturalist through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. She created her art business, which highlights conservation through partnerships with the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Wesselman Woods. Jess is now, proudly, an ERC Fellow focusing on sustainable outdoor recreation.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Appalachian Ohio’s Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Economy
Host Community or Region:
S and SE Ohio
Host Organization:
Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA)
Appalachian Ohio’s utilization of outdoor recreation to strategically grow and diversify the region's economy is led by Outdoor Recreational Council of Appalachia (ORCA) aiming to accelerate and deliver economic, social, health, and environmental impacts of outdoor recreation economies through infrastructure investments and regional planning. ORCA is a council of governments encompassing Appalachian Ohio County Partners across 17 counties in the south and southeast. By developing a web-based visitor platform, it seeks to support rural outdoor recreation economies, enhance entrepreneurial ecosystems, and contribute to long-term regional economic sustainability. The ERC Fellow will review strategic plans, analyze development models, and engage with economic development professionals. The fellow will also work to integrate sustainable outdoor recreation development with the region's renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development efforts to support long-term sustainability, accelerate growth, and diversify the region’s economy. The project will result in a sustainable economic development report, highlighting successes, challenges, and unrealized opportunities.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
