Negocios Now is proud to present Latinos 40 Under 40’s Class of 2018. We’d like to showcase the 40 between now and March 7th, that’ll be the day of the event to celebrate and recognize these forty individuals, some of Chicago’s finest Latino professionals.
#32 – Jessica Rodriguez
Non-profit fundraising and development master
Age: 34
Title: Associate Director of Development
Name of Organization: La Casa Norte
Jessica Rodriguez, 34, is an Associate Director of Development at La Casa Norte (LCN). She brings over nine years of grass root non-profit fundraising and development to the table.
In her current role, Jessica oversees aspects of fundraising, special events, communications and grant writing. She is also responsible for managing the organization’s $5.2M budget and was a strategic partner in closing LCN’s largest capital campaign, helping raise $6M, resulting in the build of a new $20M facility to accommodate the organization’s growing service to the community.
Jessica is also passionate about addressing the complexities of homelessness, cultivating community accountability and ensuring future leaders have accessible mentorship. She is committed leader who believes serving the needs of others by building trusting relationships that lead to a healthy community. She co-launched the Next Generation Board at La Casa Norte, helping raise more than $15K in new revenue.
Her mission to make a difference in the community and help those who seek refuge goes beyond La Casa Norte as she also volunteers for the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), the national runaway and homeless crisis hotline and online service in the United States. She has served on their Associate Board since January 2018. In addition to serving a community of youth and families in crisis, Jessica also values the empowerment of young women as she serves on the Young Women’s Giving Council, an extension of the Chicago Foundation for Women.
Jessica’s dedication to her work, her community, is not simply a passion, but a way of life that depends heavily on the actions people take to make the difference in the community on the front lines. Jessica leads this mission with empathy, courage and loyalty as she explains.
Words of Wisdom:
