Jessica Cusick is president of Cusick Consulting, established in 1999, which specializes in cultural planning and policy development. Ms. Cusick has over thirty years of experience working in community development and the arts for governmental agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations. Key areas of expertise include municipal government, public process, and resource development, as well as public/private partnerships and neighborhood revitalization projects in which the arts play a substantive role.  Clients include the cities of Fort Worth, Pasadena, and Ventura; the California Arts Council; the County of Los Angeles; the Houston Midtown Redevelopment Authority; and the Seattle Public Library, among others.

Ms Cusick was the cultural affairs manager for the City of Santa Monica from 2005 through 2015, where she oversaw significant expansion in the City’s support for artists and the creative sector, including the establishment of an artist fellowship program.  As part of her work, Ms. Cusick developed Glow, a unique, all-night art event that drew over 200,000 visitors in its first year.

She has taught in graduate programs at several institutions, including Otis College of Art and Design, the University of Houston, and the University of Southern California.  Currently she teaches a course in cultural policy for Claremont Graduate University.

Ms. Cusick has a degree in art history from the Sorbonne in Paris and a master’s degree from New York University.  In 2014, she was awarded I’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, one of France’s most illustrious titles, for her distinguished career in the arts.