Head of Americas

Teams: Strategic Advocacy, Growth and Engagement

Locations: Americas

Jessica joined the Institute in June 2026 as Head of Americas. Based near Washington, D.C., she is responsible for delivering on strategic initiatives for the Institute, leading advocacy efforts, and contributing to thought leadership in the Americas region. She works directly with Members based in the Americas to drive growth for the Institute and the CCS sector at large.

Jessica brings almost 20 years of public policy and advocacy experience related to carbon capture, energy, climate, and natural resources. Most recently, she served as VP Public Affairs North America for Drax Group, where she led the Group’s government relations and public policy efforts in the US and Canada. In this role, she worked to advance policy initiatives related to bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), clean energy, and forestry. Prior to joining Drax, Jessica spent a decade as VP Policy & Operations for the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA), a trade association representing industrial-grade wood pellet manufacturers in the US. In this role, she led policy development in Europe and Asia on issues impacting global market opportunities for woody bioenergy, including in the areas of climate, sustainability, and renewable energy. Earlier in her career, Jessica held roles in Virginia state government focusing on economic development, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a Master of Public Administration & Public Policy degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.