Meet Jesse

Jesse Nelson joined Connected Lane County as the Executive Director in January 2025. Connected Lane County’s clear and unwavering commitment to expanding opportunities for youth and young adults, an incredible staff team, and a host of dedicated community partners make this his dream job!

Prior to Connected Lane County, Jesse worked at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and Central Washington University to improve access to postsecondary opportunities. Throughout his career in higher education, Jesse provided services that assisted university students in navigating the university environment and achieving their goals. These services included things like tutoring, academic advising, disability support services, career services, wraparound services, civic engagement, and leadership development.

Jesse believes the work of expanding opportunities for youth and young adults has never been more vital than today. We need diverse brains representing the full spectrum of life experience to help us understand and address complex issues like climate change, A.I., and poverty. Fundamentally, all young people deserve to feel dignity in who they are, information and agency to make informed decisions about their future, and opportunity to pursue the educational and workforce paths of their choice.

Educationally, Jesse completed a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Southern Utah University (which is really a story about his trying to find his way), an MBA from Oregon State University (...a story about beginning to understand authentic life choices), and a Ph.D. in Education Policy Studies from Indiana University (...a shout out to the impact of wonderful trail guides).

Away from work, Jesse and his family love to cook, play board games, travel, and garden.