Jess Drecktrah, MHA, MN, RN

Over the past several decades, Jess Drecktrah has championed innovative healthcare initiatives within academia, provider settings, fitness, and retail. Jess is completing the Doctor of Nursing Practice - Executive Leadership Track at Duke University, the nation's top specialty program for nursing leadership. Concurrently, she leads the assisted living clinical team within a prominent Novare Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Carolina Meadows.

Recently, Jess served as Vice President of Life Enrichment for Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS), the third largest non-profit senior living in the United States. At PHS, Jess served 8,000+ senior housing residents with leadership responsibility for life enrichment, volunteerism, fitness, wellness coordination, wellness nursing, and dementia care. Jess also served as the Chief Nursing Officer and Faculty for the Foundations Course of the Faith Community Nurse Network (FCNN), leading 400+ nurses in integrating community wellness and the intentional care of the spirit. Before that, Jess held leadership positions at ICAA, Target, the YMCA, Allina Health, Ecumen, and the University of Minnesota. 

At ICAA, Jess championed the design of its industry-level wellness audit and ROI tool. She continues to serve as ICAA's Instructor of its Leadership in Wellness Management Certificate program. While with the YMCA, Jess served as a consultant to define healthy aging strategy for over 50,000 older adults and to launch the prototype George Wellbeing Center to make integrative health and wellness services accessible to all. At Target, Jess led strategy for retail clinics and became responsible for core HR functions, including team member wellbeing, fitness, perks & discounts, benefits open enrollment, external partnerships, and wellbeing measurement systems. 

Her areas of expertise include pioneering strategy, startups, and program development. She is a credentialed leader in multiple health and wellness promotion Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs). Jess is comfortable with public speaking, consulting, educating, and nursing.  Jess's goal is to follow an authentic path of service, changing influential systems to prioritize time and resources on wellness to improve the health span. 

Jessica graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Services Administration and English Literature. She then obtained the a Master of Healthcare Administration degree ranked second nationally (including Licensed Nursing Home Administrator [LNHA] Certificate) and a Master of Nursing degree from the University of Minnesota.  Jess continues to give back to UMN School of Nursing, serving on its Board of Visitors and Affiliate Faculty. 

Jess is married, has two daughters, and lives in Chapel Hill, NC. When she is not working, she loves to read, study religion and spirituality, explore nature, exercise, fast, sauna, endure ice baths, and travel to natural wonders.