Jes Scannell Rooks
About Jes Scannell Rooks
Jes Scannell Rooks serves as the Director of Workforce Development Initiatives at Foodlink in Rochester, New York, where she has worked since 2017. She focuses on empowering individuals through nutritional and agricultural programs and plays a key role in combating hunger in a 10-county service area.
Work at Foodlink
Jes Scannell Rooks has served as the Director of Workforce Development Initiatives at Foodlink since 2017. In this role, she focuses on empowering individuals through nutritional and agricultural programs. Rooks plays a key role in orchestrating a complex system of food recovery, storage, and distribution to combat hunger across a 10-county service area. She contributes to Foodlink's mission of eliminating the root causes of hunger and promoting economic development through various workforce development initiatives. Rooks has been instrumental in developing programs that align with Foodlink's vision of a hunger-free community.
Previous Work Experience
Before joining Foodlink, Jes Scannell Rooks held various positions in organizations focused on workforce development and education. She was the Deputy Director of Systems and Sustainability at the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Workforce Development at The Osborne Association for 11 months in 2010-2011. Rooks also worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at LaGuardia Community College from 2009 to 2011 and held roles at The Fortune Society, including Senior Education Program Coordinator and Manager of Volunteer Programs.
Education and Expertise
Jes Scannell Rooks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where she studied from 1989 to 1994. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College between 2004 and 2006. Additionally, Rooks attended New York University for a year in 2007-2008. Her academic background supports her expertise in workforce development and public administration, which she applies in her current role at Foodlink.
Community Engagement and Initiatives
At Foodlink, Jes Scannell Rooks is actively involved in several initiatives that support aspiring food entrepreneurs. She engages with the Foodlink Career Fellowship, a culinary training program designed to prepare individuals for careers in the food industry. Rooks also participates in the Food Biz 101 program, which provides resources and support for local food entrepreneurs. Her work fosters community connections and peer support among program participants, contributing to the development of a sustainable regional food system.