Please join us in welcoming Jessica Dedert as the new Development Coordinator for the Santiago Partnership!
Learn more about Jessica:
Jessica comes to us with almost two decades of experience working in the nonprofit world. Her favorite role was the seven years she served as director of a local non-profit organization, benefiting low-income students in the public school district. Jessica worked with several groups to create a district wide weekend food program that served upwards of 1,500 students each week. What made it unique was the amount of people who came together for the common goal of loving, nothing more, to better the entire community.
Jessica's heart has always been for missions, volunteering in all seasons of life. She was introduced to the Santiago Partnership in 2018 and quickly fell in love with our mission and desire for self-sustainability. In 2023, she was able to travel to Ecuador with her daughter as part of a mission team. Meeting the people, learning about the projects first-hand, and worshipping Jesus together felt like finding the missing puzzle piece. Wanting to be more involved, Jessica joined our Board of Directors in January 2024, serving as secretary. Jessica comments that “being able to work alongside the organization in this new role, to help it grow and advance God's kingdom, for me, is an absolute privilege.”
She lives in Quincy, Illinois with her husband Chris and their two children, Olivia (18) and Alexander (16). Out of all the titles held, her favorites are wife and mother. She loves traveling with her family, creating adventures in things both big and small. Some of their favorites include sandcastles on beaches, beautiful views from mountain tops and the simple laughter on evening walks. Jessica & Chris checked an item off their bucket list by traveling to Italy this last fall and together, hope to explore many more in this next season of life.
