Jessica Gunderson

Jessica Gunderson is co-CEO of Partnership for Children & Youth, where she leads efforts to strengthen education and youth-serving systems through policy change and investment. She is an advocacy and policy leader with over 15 years of experience advancing equity and justice. She has led numerous statewide campaigns that have resulted in tens of millions of dollars in increased funding, dozens of improved laws, and more than 20 public reports. She strongly believes that practice and policy must be interconnected and driven by those most impacted for meaningful social change, which is why she has been dedicated to the organization's mission in a range of roles for over a decade. She previously served as policy director for Californians for Safety and Justice and as a senior planner at the Vera Institute of Justice. She began her career as a legislative staffer for former Assemblymember Karen Bass and the Select Committee on Foster Youth. Gunderson earned her MPA in public policy from New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

updated 2025