Meet Our Public Health Perspective

To help us pursue our Ready for Kindergarten goal to ensure that all children in the Portland metro area are prepared for kindergarten, we have built a Goal Strategy Team to plot our best course. The team will inform SVP's investment process by providing a detailed understanding and high-level perspective on Portland's early childhood landscape. Here is what Jessica Guernsey has to say about the unique perspective she brings to the table and why she got involved.

I am a mother and Maternal Child Health Director at Multnomah County Health Department.  I joined SVP's Goal Strategy Team as a community leader to bring a Public Health perspective to the Ready for Kindergarten goal area. I hope this will help broaden the team's understanding of what it will really take to take a systems approach to community impact and 'move upstream.' I bring 20 years of Public Health experience and perspective on what drives outcomes like Ready for Kindergarten. My most recent experience as the Maternal Child Health Director is most applicable to this conversation. Although still early in the team process, I am trying to provide perspective on projects that SVP is considering to truly think about systems impact with smart investments.I have greatly appreciated getting to know SVP Partners from the private sector who are on the Goal Strategy Team with me. I really enjoy learning from folks that have more private sector experience—more the 'business thinking,' so to speak.

I have worked in the public service my entire life and I am learning a lot from those in the private sector and how they think about smart investments that pay off.I can see SVP making some early investments in innovative, smart projects that can make a real difference—both in terms of on the ground impact for families but also to attract other funding and resources to our community. I also love the SVP Partner support that comes with these projects to really help organizations and individuals think things through with a business framework to ensure success.