Jess Merek
Assistant Director, Grants Services

Jess Merek received her BA in International Relations from the College of William and Mary in 2014. After graduating, she worked with the nonprofit Visedal in Nicaragua and served as a member of Americorps NCCC. She became a certified wildland firefighter and has worked across the western United States on various environmental projects.
Jess is certified in Anti-Money Laundering (AML/CFT) by the Society of Tax and Estate Professionals (STEP).
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What inspires me to do what I do
I have had a lot of advantages in life, so I want to dedicate my time to helping those who do not have the same privilege.
Nicknames
Mess
Book that moved me
“Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel
A person I’d love to meet
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Likes
Ultimate frisbee, travelling, sleep
Slogans for life
“Females are strong as hell!” – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Guilty pleasure
Watching cheesy Christmas rom-coms
Something someone would be surprised to know about me
I love camping and hiking and basically any activity in the great outdoors!
Thing that really baffles me
How obsessed some people are with social media
Favorite meal
Nachos
Random fact about me
My dream car is a turquoise Jeep Wrangler.

