Jessica McKelvie Kemp
Director of Communications
Jessica McKelvie Kemp grew up in rural Missouri, attended university in New York and has lived in Baton Rouge for more than ten years. In Louisiana, she has worked for the LSU College of Engineering’s Office for Diversity where she was responsible for both programming and development. Her efforts focused on enhancing diversity within the faculty by developing workshops and other learning opportunities, as well as advising hiring committees and proposing policy modifications. Her development work entailed identification and cultivation of individual and corporate prospects for financial support of diversity initiatives. Prior to her employment with the Office for Diversity, Jessica served as manager of the Women’s Center, a unit of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Community Outreach at LSU. There, she worked to connect students, staff, faculty and members of the Baton Rouge community with resources and programs designed to support the needs of women and promote gender equity in the classroom, office, home and public sphere. As Women’s Center manager, Jessica developed, implemented, and publicized programs; conducted research and administered grants; advised student activists and organizations; and procured funding to support the Center’s activities. While completing a Ph.D. in English at Louisiana State University, Jessica taught courses in writing, literature, consumerism and gender studies at LSU, Baton Rouge Community College, and Southeastern Louisiana State University. She earned a M.A. in English from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York and a B.A. in English from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Jessica has participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Women’s Build; she has served on the YWCA’s Public Policy Committee; and she currently sits on the board of the Environment and Health Council of Louisiana. When she has time to relax, Jessica enjoys running, playing tennis and spending time with her husband and baby girl.