Jessica Katz

What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever been and why?

I was born in Moscow, and I had a chance to go back for a visit as a young adult. It was a fascinating chance to learn more about my own family history and see things firsthand that I have no memory of since I immigrated to the US when I was a baby.

What was your most memorable job or work experience?

For many years, my job was to go to various community boards across New York City's five boroughs and tell people about new supportive housing that was being developed in their neighborhood.  Sometimes I got amazing partnership and empathy, and sometimes I got an earful! Those experiences were very formative for me in my career.  Once I led a community meeting in Lowell, Massachusetts that was being simultaneously translated into Spanish and Khmer.  More recently, I was able to convene a group of Impacted Advocates who had experienced homelessness in New York City to help write the City's housing and homelessness plan. We got incredibly practical policy ideas, and I made some great friends in the process.

Something else I think you should know about me...

I have done three "tours of duty" in NYC government under three different Mayors.  I'm teaching at Columbia and always spend time pitching my students on the value of working in government.