Jess Franklin joined the Headstrong team in June 2023. In her role as Director of Human Resources, Jess oversees the HR functions to support our business goals. She graduated with a BS from University of Central Missouri and has over 16 years of experience in a broad range of HR specialties including employee relations, talent development, team effectiveness, organizational design, change management, strategy and people leadership. She has an eye for efficiency and values real, authentic conversations and creating environments where all feel seen and heard.
After several years in the financial services industry, Jess was looking to more closely align her personal purpose focused on mental health. She can’t think of a more worthy cause than helping our veterans get the support they deserve, and is thrilled to be part of a team all committed to doing just that. Jess gets energy from breakthrough moments with those she is working with – when something clicks and you see that person activate a new perspective – or even rise to their full potential.
Jess resides near St. Louis, Missouri after returning from 12 years out west in Scottsdale, Arizona and San Diego, California. She is married to Alex, a civil engineer, and they have a young son, Caleb, and dog Kenzie. For fun, Jess enjoys beach or boat time, live music, and sand volleyball. She is a Peloton enthusiast and enjoys tackling organization or design projects in her free time.
