Hello, I’m Jess (she/her) and I’m on a deeply personal mission…
…to help changemakers design spaces for the work that are soulful, energizing, and sturdy enough to hold complexity and tension. For 15+ years, I’ve supported visionaries in arts, philanthropy, and social impact to align their work with their values, adopt generative practices, and build systems that reflect the future we want.
You’ve invested time and energy into your work. I design offsite retreats, facilitate high-stakes meetings, and guide teams through strategy with creativity and care. Lasting impact calls for creativity and space to hold complexity and care.
I approach my work with curiosity and joy, and I believe in engaging with others with the same sensitivity, accountability, and collaborative spirit that we aspire to embody in the communities we’re building.
Let’s explore creating something that matters.
Practice Areas
Integrating collective wisdom, creativity, and culture into how we address challenges, shape solutions, and build.
Experience Design
Gatherings can be transformative.
Whether it’s a convening, community event, or panel discussion, let’s co-design experiences that are soulful, engaging, and impactful. My work invites connection, honors complexity, and leaves people energized and inspired to act, reflect, or reimagine.
Facilitation
Facilitated space is sacred space.
It offers a chance to step away from daily demands and move toward deeper thinking, connection, and strategic clarity. My facilitation style is participatory, creative, and evidence-based, drawing on theory and cultural practice to help your team strengthen trust and move forward with intention. Whether through a one-day reset, offsite retreat, or multi-day convening, I support processes related to change management, strategic planning, team dynamics, executive transitions, and organizational culture.
Healing-Centered Coaching
The stories we tell shape the lives we live.
As an ICF-certified coach, I support you in uncovering the narratives guiding your work, interrupting patterns that no longer serve you, and imagining new ways of being that are sustainable and nourishing. Together, we create space for alignment, clarity, and transformation.
Cultural Work
Culture shapes how we make meaning, move through change, and imagine what’s possible.
I work at the intersection of arts, memory, and social change, curating experiences, telling stories, and supporting creative leaders who are building the futures we want. My approach is rooted in traditions of cultural organizing, creative experimentation, and honoring the wisdom already in the room. Whether through exhibitions, public programs, or place-based projects, I help bring cultural strategies to life in ways that are intentional, and resonant.
Impact
“Jess brought a sense of joy and ease to complex and sometimes difficult questions, and as a result, we were able to untangle the knots and strengthen new muscles together. ”
— Ill Weaver, Co-Founder, Detroit Narrative Agency
“Your presence and facilitation was critical in ensuring our virtual team’s annual in person retreat was a success. You led the way with conviction, humor and a realness that grounded our team. You had to take in the context & complexity of our organization and the objectives that our Co-CEO’s wanted to achieve and you did it with what looked like such ease. Even in the midst of tension and discomfort, you navigated us through and brought to the surface what needed to be heard.”
- Steph Hsu, Director of Strategic Operations, Common Future
“Incredible facilitation and thought leadership! Jessica and Art in Praxis are developing emerging projects that are shifting the philanthropic landscape.”
— Alicia Gill, Executive Director, Emergent Fund
“Jess Solomon’s facilitation of our leadership retreat was transformative for Baltimore Public Media. Her guidance helped us gain crucial clarity and alignment as we plan for the future. The exercises revealed important areas where we can grow and improve as a team. Her thoughtful recommendations have already given us a clear path forward, and her impact on our leadership team was deeply appreciated.”
— Craig N. Swagler, President & General Manager Baltimore Public Media
“Just wow. Our collective was blown away by how in such a short period of time, our understanding of each other deepened and our shared histories and vision became super clear. Using music, storytelling, visioning, and inquiry, Jess led us into a new scope of big and scary work together, without leaving us feeling overwhelmed or uncertain. Jess brought tools, frameworks, love, and joy that was just unmatched.”