Jessica M. Payne, Ph.D.

I am interested in the socially just and strategic solutions that already exist within a culture, community, organization, and in the minds of key stakeholders.

I am an artist, applied researcher, systems thinker, scholar, sister, mother, and swimmer. I naturally look for points of connection — the intersecting elements that make up a person, community, organization, or program. I’ve cultivated a career out of soliciting information from people in organizations and communities to learn about opportunities they wish to pursue, practices that work well, and solutions to challenges they experience.

After 30+ years in an ever-emergent career, themes of agency, integration, and transformation continue to permeate all that I do.

Leading Broadsight’s project initiatives has allowed me to take an interdisciplinary path across often siloed sectors. I prefer an empowering approach to evaluation — using it to clarify mission, engage stakeholders, and leverage data in ways that gain traction and generate momentum.

I believe that information is richest when it comes through authentic connection.

My work is grounded in the conviction that all individuals— regardless of aspiration, contribution, background, age, or other demographic factors— possess vital knowledge and clear-eyed solutions gleaned from their personal experience.

I think of my collaborators as a rich source for learning, testing, and improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities. I partner with people dedicated to creating more expansive and equitable access to support, resources, and opportunities in their organizations, programs, and in the communities and sectors they support.

Whether I’m engaging with a client partner, conducting an interview, or sharing what I’m learning with a public audience, I am always thinking about how to best elevate a program or organization by highlighting strengths and bolstering inclusion.

Through my work I aim to foster clarity of purpose and impact with clients and everyone with whom they interact.