Before joining the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Jessica McKelvie Kemp worked for the Louisiana State University College of Engineering’s Office for Diversity where she was responsible for both programming and development.  Her programming efforts focused on enhancing diversity within the faculty ranks by planning teaching workshops, seminar series, and mini-grant programs, as well as advising hiring committees and proposing policy modifications.  Her development work entailed the identification and cultivation of individual and corporate prospects in order to garner financial support for diversity initiatives. 

Prior to her employment with the Office for Diversity, Dr. Kemp served as manager of the Women’s Center, a unit of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Community Outreach at LSU.  At the Women’s Center, she endeavored to connect students, staff, faculty and members of the Baton Rouge community with resources and programs designed to support the needs of women and to promote gender equity in the classroom, office, home and public sphere.  As Women’s Center manager, Dr. Kemp developed, implemented, and publicized programs such as the Gender on Film series and Women’s History Month events, conducted a campus-wide survey on sexual harassment, advised student activists and organizations, and delivered awareness-raising talks to various campus populations on subjects of concern to women.  Dr. Kemp organized fundraising events and procured grants to support the Women’s Center programs and facilitated partnerships with community entities such as the American Association of University Women, the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Planned Parenthood and the YWCA. 

While completing a Ph.D. in English at Louisiana State University, Jessica taught courses in writing, literature 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 grew up in the Ozarks, the eldest daughter of two artists.  She has lived in Baton Rouge for eight years and currently resides in mid-city with her husband, Duncan S. Kemp IV.