Jessica is a certified candidate for ordained ministry and will be interviewed by the Board of Ordained Ministry of the New York Annual Conference in January 2008 for commissioning and probationary membership.

A native of central Arkansas, Jessica grew up attending Cabot United Methodist Church where she was involved in children, youth, and outreach ministries.

In May 2000, Jessica graduated with a degree in Religious Studies from Rhodes College, where she was deeply involved in a variety of community service initiatives and the servant-leadership program.

For four years after her graduation, Jessica served as Rhodes College's Community Service Coordinator leading alternative spring break trips to Mexico, advising the college's Habitat for Humanity chapter, and facilitating a leadership and service scholarship program for 60 students. In response to a call to ordained ministry, Jessica began studies at Yale Divinity School in 2004 where she was active in the Yale Committee for Social Justice, YDS Peacemakers, the Methodist Society, and served as a chair of the Community Life Committee.

Jessica received her Master of Divinity in May and has just completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut.