Jesse is an advocate for global trade, technology innovation, and human-centered economic development. He believes equitable access to education and technology can make science fiction’s boldest ideas a reality and improve society. His life and work have spanned multiple markets across three continents.
He is currently the Chief Economic Development Officer for Bellevue, WA. During his tenure, Bellevue welcomed 18,000 jobs, from companies like Amazon, Salesforce, ByteDance, as well as building a multi-city partnership to support entrepreneurship and small businesses. His team builds alignment and collaboration across internal departments and external stakeholders like Greater Seattle Partners, Port of Seattle, and King County to market the region worldwide and deliver outcomes-oriented results.
One of the major projects in his portfolios is implementing Bellevue’s Grand Connection vision, which includes working with and helping coordinate a multitude of cross-departmental projects that will lead to a 1.5-mile pedestrian and community-oriented space across one of the fastest-growing downtowns in the Pacific Northwest. Jesse strongly believes that economic development, community building, and urban design are most successful when done in tandem.
Before moving to Bellevue, Jesse worked with the City of San Antonio on their Global Trade & Investment Strategy as part of the Brookings Institution’s Global Cities Initiative. He has directed international market research programs, managed foreign trade zones, and overseen the creation of several economic development-focused brands.
Jesse holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s from IE University in Madrid. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian and enjoys speaking in all three. He is a fifth-generation Texan with interests in traveling, real estate investing, sci-fi novels, casual bicycling, and Washington wines.
