Jesse is a founding partner of Land Use Strategies, LLC – a public relations, government affairs, and campaign strategy firm. He works at the crossroads of political consulting, lobbying, grassroots organizing and land use politics. Jesse has led teams to win state political campaigns, adapted campaign strategies and tactics to win community support for major development projects and won referendum campaigns against sophisticated environmental and special interest groups.
Jesse brings a low-key can-do, will-do winning spirit and strong leadership qualities that aim to bring out the best in people. His teams work effectively in the public and private sector – with candidates for office and business executives trying to promote and protect their property assets in the public planning process. His skills include over 25 years in grassroots organizing, outcome engineering, communications, political consulting and project strategy to mitigate political risk in land use issues for retail, airport, hospital, casino, quarry, energy and other industries.
Prior to his consulting career, he served for eight years as state director and as campaign director for the late U.S. Senator Wendell H. Ford (D-Kentucky). He received a BA from University of Kentucky, an MBA from St. Mary’s College, attended MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Davis CEQA CLE programs. He has spoken at ULI and national waste industry meetings and published articles on land use politics in Solid Waste Magazine, Airport World, American Infrastructure and American Recycler magazines. Jesse lives outside San Francisco with his wife and four children.
