Jessica Scherden

Institute Director

Jessica Scherden (She/Her/Hers) comes to the Institute Director role with a growth mindset and a passion for collaboration. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Wyoming in Family Consumer Science, and a master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction.

Jessica began her focused, two-generation approach in education. Serving Head Start children and families provided a foundation from which to learn and model how collaboration and grit can disrupt patterns of inequity and effect lasting change. As an early childhood teacher, Jessica worked within an integrated services team to provide wraparound services to children and families. Jessica eventually moved into leadership and focused on mentoring early career teachers through a Practice-Based Coaching model. A thought leader in the field of Education, Jessica embraces a distributive leadership model – empowering leadership from every chair. Her vision for stewardship is one in which each person’s strengths assemble to create systemic transformation.

Jessica grew up in an Air Force family, and every PCS (permanent change in duty station) brought new cultural and geographic experiences – spurring a lifelong love for travel. Outside of work, she enjoys trips abroad, cooking and hosting meals, attending live music concerts, spending time with her four siblings, and going on outdoor adventures with her partner, Matt, and two dogs, Fynn and Gus.