Prior to joining Vistria, Jesse was the Deputy Governor for Education in the Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, where he oversaw the state’s education system from early childhood through higher education, including 852 school districts, 48 community colleges, and twelve public universities, as well as the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Jesse had also previously served as the Interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
Prior to serving as Deputy Governor, Jesse was a partner in the Corporate & Securities Group of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (n/k/a Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP), where for 22 years he focused his law practice on business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity investments, equity and debt offerings, financings and a variety of commercial transactions.
Prior to beginning his law practice, Jesse was a management consultant with Booz Allen & Hamilton (n/k/a Strategy&), where he was a member of the Operations Management Group. Before attending law school, he was a member of the sales departments of Inland Steel Company and Ryerson Coil Processing Company.
Jesse received a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he is currently a Lecturer in Law teaching a course in Negotiations.
