Jess serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Associate Professor of Directing for the the College of Arts & Sciences at North Dakota State University (Fargo, ND). Professional directing credits include Theatre B (MN), The Rose Theater (NE), Adventure Theatre MTC (MD), Source Festival (DC), Okoboji Summer Theater (IA), Forum Theatre (DC), and the Hangar Theatre (NY). Jess earned her MFA from The Theatre School at De Paul University, and is a recipient of the Drama League's Directors Project Fellowship.