Jessica Blair

Senior Advisor

Jessica Blair is a strategic leader with nearly 25 years of experience empowering organizations to engage funders in solving the world’s biggest challenges. Drawing on deep expertise in individual giving, major gifts, and planned giving, she helps nonprofits build sustainable fundraising programs that drive long-term impact.

Throughout her career, Jessica has held leadership roles at mission-driven organizations including Upstream USA, The Trust for Public Land, and The Nature Conservancy. As a senior strategist and advisor, Jessica has designed and delivered fundraiser training curricula, coached executives and volunteer leaders in donor cultivation and stewardship, and partnered with clients to create ambitious, actionable fundraising plans. Her approach combines strategic rigor with relationship-centered practices, ensuring that fundraising efforts are both effective and aligned with organizational values.

Jessica graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from SUNY Geneseo and serves as secretary of the SUNY Geneseo Foundation board of directors. After 18 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and two years in Stockholm, Sweden, she now lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, where they enjoy the city’s parks and lakes, diverse arts and food scenes, and regular gatherings with friends.

Why I Do This Work
I believe philanthropy has the power to address the most pressing social and environmental challenges of our time. I’m motivated by the opportunity to connect passionate donors with organizations doing transformative work, and to build fundraising strategies that create sustained impact and meaningful change.