Jessica Maxwell

Jessica is a strategic executive leader and policy architect specializing in systems transformation and philanthropic strategy. As Executive Director of the Redlich Horwitz Foundation, she directs multi-million dollar grantmaking initiatives focused on child welfare systems change. 

Since joining RHF as a program officer in August 2021, Jessica has demonstrated exceptional strategic leadership, culminating in her appointment as Executive Director in November 2023. Her executive approach combines rigorous policy analysis with innovative philanthropic advising to drive systemic change across child welfare and education systems. 

Jessica's policy analysis expertise is exemplified through her strategic leadership of high-impact legislative campaigns that have secured over $51 million in targeted state funding. Her analytical framework and coalition-building strategies have consistently translated complex policy challenges into actionable advocacy wins, including the establishment of new statutory frameworks and program implementations. 

Her strategic advisory experience extends across multiple governance structures, including service on city and statewide task forces, child welfare advisory committees, and board leadership with New Yorkers For Children. This diverse engagement reflects her capacity to provide strategic counsel across various organizational frameworks while maintaining focus on systems-level transformation. 

Jessica holds a Master of Science in Urban Affairs from Hunter College, with a specialized focus in Public Policy and Nonprofit Management, providing the analytical foundation for her strategic leadership approach to philanthropic and political advocacy.