In February 2007, Jessica moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to help launch ZOE’s children’s ministry. It was supposed to be a six-month adventure. Almost 20 years later, it’s become the calling of her life.

Before Thailand, Jessica spent five years as a Pre-K teacher and after-school counselor, and she graduated from the Children’s Ministries Institute in 2006, just months before she got on the plane.

Over the years, Jessica has worn a lot of hats at ZOE. She built and led NextGen, ZOE’s children and youth ministry, helping kids rescued from trafficking heal from trauma, experience God’s love, and grow into young people who own their faith. She started ZOE’s on-campus daycare so Thai staff could serve knowing their little ones were safe and loved. She started and led the boys’ home. And along the way she discovered what she loves most: pioneering something new, getting it off the ground, and then raising up Thai national leaders to carry it forward. Today, every one of those ministries is led by Thai leaders she poured into, and that’s the kind of success she’s proudest of.

Now, as she steps into her 20th year with ZOE, Jessica serves as the assistant to our Thai National Regional Director and helps with global projects for ZOE International. With two decades of experience and relationships across nearly every part of the ministry, she’s in a unique spot to help strengthen ZOE’s work beyond Thailand, supporting teams in the USA, Australia, Japan, and Mexico. She also continues to lead children’s and youth ministry at her local Thai church, because working with kids will always be in her blood.

On a personal note, in January 2021, after four years of praying and preparing, Jessica got the call she’d been waiting for and brought home her son, Justice. His adoption was finalized that December, and he’s been hers forever ever since. Today Justice is thriving, and the two of them are living out their story of love, faith, and family in Thailand.

Jessica’s work is only possible because of a faithful team of partners who pray and give. If you’d love to be part of what God is doing through her, she’d be honored to have you on the team (#DODDsquad).