With a degree in marketing, Jessica Crain worked in commercial real estate, product development and resort management. Jessica and her family also consider themselves among “the lucky few” to have a child with Down syndrome — her son Jackson.
After Jackson was born, Jessica took some time off from paid employment, becoming involved in community Down syndrome groups and volunteering within her school district in the northeast Valley. She participated in a districtwide special education committee that coordinated training and special events for families in the district who had children with IEPs.
Jessica also participated in Partners in Leadership, a statewide advocacy training program. During this program, she met other Encircle Families staff members who recruited her to become a parent leader. As a parent leader, Jessica started out by providing parent-to-parent connections to other families with children who had Down syndrome. She also served on parent panels, providing her perspective as a parent of a child with disabilities to college students majoring in education.
“I found it so rewarding to talk to future teachers,” Jessica said. “I liked the opportunity to help shape their perspectives and help change what they thought it would look like to support a child with disabilities at school.”
Jessica and her husband have another son, Cooper, and they live in northeast Phoenix. They enjoy hiking and visiting national parks, checking off visited parks on a passport.
Jessica became an Encircle Families staff member in April 2024. As a volunteer, she already knew many staff members and was excited to join the team.
“I love that everyone at Encircle Families has the shared vision and mission to support the disability community,” Jessica said. “Presenting workshops and parent panels are my favorite parts of the job. I feel good about the work we do, and I love sharing it with others.”