MEET JESSI
What led me to pursue these multidisciplinary paths?
Earlier in my career, I thought about nothing but pursuing my musical artistry. I premiered challenging new repertoire and supported my students on their learning journeys.
Several years into my career as a flutist, I was offered my dream job.
When I won this job, I expected to be thrilled. Instead, I couldn’t accept the role. I simply didn’t want it. I was confused, even shocked, by my own reaction.
There was a quiet and strong message inside me. It persisted.
For the first time ever, I had a sense that my professional voice was meant to include the flute and extend beyond it. There were dimensions of myself that I needed to discover.
I set out to explore. I made non-traditional decisions and embraced steep learning curves. I pursued varied and wonderful experiences on my path to discover my voice.
Eventually, I explored the intersections of my skills and passions.
I created an entrepreneurial finance class for musicians that I teach at New England Conservatory.
I began to infuse my teaching and leadership with mindfulness and conscious collaboration.
I prioritized multidisciplinary connections through all my roles–performer, educator, facilitator, collaborator, and solopreneur.
Each experience developed my inner terrain. Sometimes I felt in alignment, Other times, I felt far from myself. Oftentimes, I was unsure of how to proceed. Every time was an opportunity to:
Listen In to myself (rather than Listen Up to all the messages coming at me)
Be the center of my own attention (and re-orient as soon as I notice I’ve lost my center) so that I could access my truest self.
Listening In showed me whether I was flourishing or forcing.
I saw the value of honoring my intrinsic worth or the detriment of denying it.
We all have the capacity to live with meaning and presence.
I’m here to partner with you. Together, we’ll make space to listen in and connect with your inner compass. We’ll celebrate all that you are and bring your fullest self to both the beauty and challenges in life.
My path hasn’t been linear. In the past decade, I have…
returned to grad school–twice–and earned degrees in business and education
taught middle school English and Literacy to students who were very different from me
climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, swam across the San Francisco Bay, and ran a marathon through the coastal hills of Maine
worked in arts organizations and grappled with what it means to merge the management of art with the art making
became a coach, yoga teacher, and mindfulness mentor through irgorous practice and raining.
served as a board member, consultant, teammate, and volunteer in schools and nonprofits