Jessyca Dudley (she/her) is the Founder and CEO of Bold Ventures, a strategic advisory firm that disrupts traditional philanthropy by building the capacity of BIPOC philanthropic leaders, developing customized equity-centered funder strategies, and facilitating organizational dialogues on race, equity and social justice.
Jessyca began her career in philanthropy as the Gun Violence Prevention program officer for the Joyce Foundation. In this role, she directed the program’s effort to address and reduce racial disparities by developing staff and grantee capacity to advance racial equity through the management of a portfolio of researchers and advocates.
Jessyca has also served as the Director of Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy and as a Director at Arabella Advisors where she promoted dialogue, advocated for investment in BIPOC communities, and built infrastructure for equitable leadership roles in the social sector.
She has held positions with the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the University of Chicago. With these organizations, she developed and implemented community-based prevention and outreach programs and conducted clinical and social science research to improve the health of communities in Chicago. Jessyca holds an MPH in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BA in Women’s Studies from Skidmore College.