SUMMARY
Both creative and technical, Jessica has collaborated with both large Fortune 100 organizations and start-up companies in healthcare, technology, retail, client services, education, beauty and fashion.
She works cross-functionally to connect the dots between diverse perspectives, discover opportunity in complex problems and transform concepts into tools, plans of action and products. She utilizes design thinking and futures thinking to support stakeholder decision-making and evolve organizational culture toward sustainable and human-centered long-term goals. She thrives on designing experiences and process to engage people and evolve organizations.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them.
– Albert Einstein
EDUCATION
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, GABELLI SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Master of Business Administration, GPA 3.8
Dean’s Service Exemplar Award
President of Fordham Graduate Net Impact
VP of Fordham Graduate Marketing Society
INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE
Certificate in Futures Thinking
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, DOUGLASS COLLEGE
Bachelor of Arts, Art History, GPA 3.85
Phi Beta Kappa
Fellowship | Credits from Sorbonne University, Paris IV
FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Associate in Applied Science, Fashion Design, GPA 3.53
Magna Cum Laude
EXPERIENCE
2020-Present | New York, NY, USA
UNILY
Consultant
Design UX, write user stories, support Developer teams, QA and Accessibility testing for a $2.5M
custom development project
Create and facilitate weekly co-creation workshops for multi-disciplinary stakeholders to discover, scope,
design, prototype and implement human-centered innovative workplace solutions
Work cross-departmentally to build tools (surveys, worksheets, decks, documents) that support the
evolution of product and streamline internal and external processes
Assist with the development of a new implementation playbook with cross-functional global teams
Collaborate with executive leadership on future of the workplace events on wellness and inclusion
Represent Unily as a public speaker in Masterclasses and host for Unite21 conference roundtables
2020 | New York, NY, USA
WORK 2040: FUTURE OF WORK IN A SUSTAINABLE WORLD CONFERENCE
Futures Thinking Consultant
Design a futures thinking workshop for 150 business professionals with the UN’s SDGs as the north star
Build a facilitation team to launch workshop at conference sponsored by PVH and EY
Collaborate with corporate executives and thought leaders to develop scope of workshop
2018-2019 | New York, NY, USA
Strategic Consulting and Product Lead, MBA Internship
Developed strategy and branding for AR/ VR tech IP on 10+ products and 1 start-up launch
Designed and delivered 5+ custom pitches for large audiences and for corporate clients under NDAs
Lead market and user research (surveys and interviews) for product ideations, adoption and growth
Collaborated with developer teams to clarify product UX for healthcare, retail and learning industries
Defined a design thinking process to empower organizational innovation both internally and externally
2018-2019 | New York, NY, USA
FORDHAM, GABELLI SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
VIA.IO Consultant for “Future of Customer Service” for MBA Credit
Targeted white space for customer service in 5 years and developed generational user experience insights
Researched and defined future customer service community system on blockchain
Developed outline for business model proposition and Initial Coin Offering (ICO)
Graduate Research Assistant, Professor Michael Pirson
Compiled and drafted 250+ page business textbook on humanistic management and ESG
Researched and presented top 30 global leadership and sustainability graduate programs to Dean
President, Fordham Graduate Net Impact
Facilitated 18 bi-monthly board meetings
Board organized 8 events and engaged 250+ student and business leaders on ESG in a variety of different industries (Finance, Real Estate, Technology, Fashion)
Designed design thinking workshops to empower 80+ business stakeholders with sustainable strategies
2016-2017 | New York, NY, USA
Consultant, Brand and Production
Crafted and delivered 5+ $90K to $200K campaign pitches in beauty, beverage, sports and fashion
Introduced new social, mobile, ASMR, AR trends into agency portfolio and campaign experiences
Developed and wrote content for company blog
2009-2016 | New York, NY
Founder and President
Built an award winning B2C Made in NYC certified fashion start-up and drove $2M in sales revenue
Developed relationships with 1000+ clients and obtained press in NYTimes and Good Morning America
Designed, developed and launched 500+ products in gold and silver label collections
Assembled, trained and managed teams for in-house manufacturing, design and retail operations
Partnered with NYC start-up ecosystem and NYCEDC to support business development
Curated a high-touch retail and sales that conveyed the brand identity (web, social, events, pop-ups)
Authored brand content and visual storytelling for retail, email campaigns, print, website, social media
Utilized performance metrics and data analysis to target new business development, oversaw P&L
2011 | Paris, France
Brand Consultant
Researched 45 years of prototypes, patterns, prints, photographs, and founder history in the archives
Interviewed designers, seamstress and retail directors at the historic Maison Ungaro on Ave Montaigne
Presented authentic and forward-thinking brand story and design direction for CEO and Board
2003-2008 | New York, NY
Design Director
Designed and produced 1000+ new products, launched 5+ new projects and 1 new brand
Choreographed design process with cross-functional teams globally (production, merch, suppliers, tech)
Developed special projects; Olympics, runway and editorial, first custom polo project for e-commerce
2003-1992 | Available on LinkedIn
ADDITIONAL
Languages | Native English and Proficiency French
Software | Microsoft Office, Powerpoint, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, Tableau, SPSS Modeler, SPSS Statistics, Product Data Management
Awards | MBA Service Exemplar Award, Made in NY Fashion, Design Entrepreneur NYC Award
Interests | Gardening, Meditation, Hiking, Tennis, Snowboarding, Art, Writing, Reading
Panel discussion on Women Entrepreneurs at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Fireside chat on social entrepreneurship for Fordham Graduate Marketing Society with founder of the Caliber Collection and the Caliber Foundation, Jessica Mendich.
Panel discussion on Rethinking Organizations for Fordham Graduate Net Impact with Patsy Doerr, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Credit Swisse, and Hector Hernandez, Global Manager Empowerment and Management Onboarding at LinkedIn.